What is User Experience (UX) Design? Everything You Need to Know

It’s safe to say that your website or application’s user experience plays a significant role in attracting and retaining your customers. However, if users have an unpleasant experience while using your website or application, this can result in a poor business reputation and loss of revenue, as they turn to your competitors. So what is user experience (UX) design?  and what are user experience (UX) design’s best practices?

In this article, we will discuss everything you need to know about user experience (UX) design’s key concepts and best practices.

 

What is User Experience (UX) Design?

UX stands for “User Experience”, which generally refers to all the things that affect a user’s interaction with a company, its services, or products.

For instance, when customers use a product (digital or physical), they usually evaluate their experience according to the following criteria:

• Value-added: Does this product add value to my life?
• Functionality: Does this product work?
• Usability: Is it easy and intuitive to use?
• General Impression: Am I enjoying the overall experience of using this product?

User Experience (UX) design is the process of creating products (digital or physical) that are practical, easy to use, and aesthetically pleasing. The following are five elements that are critical to creating the ideal UX design:

1. It should help users complete tasks effectively and efficiently.
2. UX design doesn’t only focus on the visual aspects of the product, it also designs the function behind the visuals. Thereby, creating the perfect balance between how a product looks and how it works.
3. It requires a deep understanding of the users, their needs, wants, behaviors, and the context in which they will interact with the product.
4. UX design is an ongoing process. The UX design of a product will change as product and industry requirements change over time, and as you receive new feedback from users.
5. It should achieve both the goals of users and business objectives. The ideal UX design creates a balance between these two parties, to help bring a useful and practical solution to life.

How to Improve User Experience (UX) Design on Your Website?

Improving the user experience of your website can result in a number of advantages including better search rankings, more leads, and increased revenue.

The following is a list of five steps, that will help you get started with enhancing your website’s UX design:

1. Create Engaging, Custom Content

Today, users look for more than just a purchase, they want a holistic experience. Providing a unique digital experience starts with telling a brand’s story to establish a personal connection between the business and the customer.

Building a brand identity helps customers know who they are buying from. Additionally, providing users with valuable relevant content increases consumer trust, where 82% of consumers are more inclined to trust a brand after interacting with its custom content.

2. Implement a Simple Website Design Layout

Your website design layout should help visitors understand the information being presented in a simple, non-intrusive manner. Adopting a minimalistic design that reduces clutter, significantly improves your website user experience.

3. Provide Structured Information

Users usually land on your homepage with the objective of getting some information about your products, business, or industry.

By providing information in a structured way through the use of bullet points, lists, underlined text, and different colors to differentiate hyperlinks. You will make it easier for visitors to find information and ultimately drive better business results.

4. Avoid Invasive Design Elements

Website visitors are constantly exposed to pop-ups, auto-play, and information overload. When designing your website avoid clutter, walls of text, background music, and videos that play automatically. Because these annoying features drive visitors away and increase your bounce rate.

5. Optimize your Website

Working on the technical aspects of your website such as loading speed, mobile responsiveness, on-page, off-page SEO, etc. has a substantial effect on the quality of your user experience.

How to Improve User Experience (UX) Design on Your Mobile App?

Mobile app user experience (UX) is how users feel when interacting with your mobile app. Mobile app UX design focuses on factors such as usability, accessibility, performance, design, utility, and marketing.

Bear in mind that the most important element in creating an excellent UX design for your mobile app is making sure your app is bug-free, and will not crash when a user is trying to complete a task.

The following is a list of mobile app UX design best practices, you need to implement to improve the user experience of your mobile app:

1. Simple Login Screen

Logging into your app should be easy and quick. Simple registration starts with allowing users to log in from external accounts such as Facebook or Google. Also, you can help users stay logged in, so they can use the app more without having to log in every time they need to use it.

2. Use Simple Menus and Navigation

On most websites, you will find the menu bar usually at the top of the page. However, things are different when it comes to mobile apps. Simple navigation starts with making the most important pages accessible.

Also, in the case of native apps, it’s best to follow platform-specific design standards and guidelines for both iOS and Android, to make your overall mobile experience more intuitive.

3. Minimize Search Effort

Make sure that users can easily find the item they are looking for, especially for an e-commerce app.

Reducing the number of steps a user needs to complete, to finalize the checkout process. Also, showing recommended items for users to explore, when they use the app search bar, greatly improves user experience.

In addition to that, consider utilizing features like autofill, and guest checkout, so that users don’t need to create a new account to make a purchase. This streamlines the entire buyer journey and directly increases your conversion rate.

4. Ensure User Data Security

If users get the sense that their personal information might be compromised, they will refrain from entering their credit card information, or other critical personal information.

Therefore, you should implement security badges, to guarantee that users’ personal information is safe and secure. Moreover, asking for users’ permission before collecting their location or browsing data, and allowing them to turn off targeted advertising, help enhance customer trust and loyalty.

5. Offer in-app Customer Support

It is important to make it easy for users, to access help and support options in your mobile app. There are several ways users can receive support in a mobile framework, such as self-serve, FAQs, live support via click-to-call, or live chat.

What is User Experience (UX) Design’s Framework?

By deeply understanding users, you can provide various scenarios that direct users to the actions you desire. It is important to understand users based on insights, which are then analyzed and developed into an experience.

For instance, if you want to hire an agency to create your website design, they should adhere to the following framework:

1. Information Architecture

Designing all the information and how it will be conveyed to customers

2. Wireframes

This shows the full user experience from landing on the website or mobile app, and their full journey, including all possible scenarios.

3. Graphic Design

After you give the hired agency approval on the wireframes, they proceed to produce a graphic design version of the website.

4. Web design

Graphic design is converted into CSS HTML.

How User Experience Design (UX) Can Help your Business?

Usually, when users access your website or mobile app, there are specific actions you want them to complete, in order to support your business objectives. These actions include signing up for a free trial, subscribing to newsletters, creating an account, or buying a product.

However, a poor user experience will prevent them from taking these actions. Moreover, you only have a few seconds to make an impression. Hence, investing in UX design is a must to gain trust, brand recognition, and increase user retention.

Ready to Boost your Digital Product with User Experience Design (UX)?