Main image courtesy of Glance.
Before we dive into the importance of a UX design, let’s first discuss what UX design is. This is because you will need to know what UX design is to understand why it is important.
The first step is understanding what user experience (UX) is, and to put it simply, UX is the relationship between a product and the person using it. UX design supports the user’s needs while not distracting them from the overall experience of the product. However, you will need a little more information about UX design before we dive into the importance of it.
Keep in mind that there is also user interface (UI) design, which works hand in hand with UX design, but do not get them confused. A UX design focuses on the design of the entire process of acquiring and integrating the product. While a UI design focuses on the human-computer interaction, which can be anything from a desktop webpage to the usability of an app.
It might help to think of UX design like this. For instance, let’s look at a cell phone. As a UX designer you are able to control some of the aspects of a product that influence whether the user enjoys looking at, holding, and feeling the product. Some questions you would want to consider include:
A UX designer should consider the why, what, and how of a product. The Why aspect of UX design that you should focus on is the users’ motivations for getting a product— does it relate to a task where they will use the product, or does the product connect to their values and views? The What conveys the tasks that the users can do with a product, to put it simply what is the functionality of the product? The How of the product connects with the design functionality in a way that is both accessible and aesthetically pleasing. Keep in mind that a UX designer should focus on the Why first, then move to the What, and lastly focus on the How.
Now that you have some basic knowledge of what UX design is, we can discuss why it is important.
It is important to note that there are a few aspects that add to the value of a UX design, such as the human value. The utility of a UX design applies to more than just businesses. A UX design greatly impacts the end users, who are the people that engage with the different products and services.
Try to think of the big picture of UX design, it influences whether the users have an enjoyable, easy, and efficient experience with the products. UX design also encompasses whether or not the products are accessible and inclusive to all users, regardless of their different needs, requirements, and disabilities they may have. The value of a UX design is more than just making nice looking websites that boost a company’s revenue. It also is about designing a world that’s enjoyable, inclusive, accessible, and usable for everyone.
In fact, there are some aspects of UX design to be aware of if you are trying to persuade management to implement a UX design strategy. It is important to note that implementing a UX design strategy can also help with your SEO.
Here are 5 important arguments that prove implementing a UX design strategy is crucial to the success of a business.
Let’s take a closer look into each of these 5 arguments to understand how they affect the importance of having a UX design strategy.
First impressions are super important and even though the UI design is what establishes the first impression, it is the UX design that helps to determine whether you can sustain that first impression.
Keep in mind that if users come back for more after the initial first impression, it means you have been able to capture and accommodate their needs as well as closely mimic their behavior. This means you will have more happy people using your product who can focus on the job they need to do.
A good UX design creates an effective user flow through the software of the product. It allows end-users to navigate from one section to another without wasting time with figuring out how to complete a task. It is super important that a good user experience is the end goal from this UX design. You want to have as much customer satisfaction from your product as you can while simultaneously having their journey be stress-free and positive.
You should take note that UX design is about the user’s emotions and feelings, this is why UX design can have a long-term effect on user behavior.
If the customer is satisfied, has an enjoyable time that is easy, it will keep them coming back to your product. Make sure you keep in mind the quality of the user’s experience when you want to implement a UX design strategy for your business. Although this may not always be quantifiable, it is a key element in the real-world evaluation of the user’s experience. As a business, you should make sure to maximize the quality of the user’s experience.
A good UX design is often a battle between visual design, delivering a rich functionality, and the ease of use all at the same time. You want the customer to complete the task in as little steps as possible, which will result in users loving your product.
Keep in mind these two primary principles that affect your conversions when using a UX design strategy.
It’s important to find the right professional UX designer that will meet your needs. You will want to make sure that this person knows and follows the main UX design principles.
Make note that a good UX design is based on research, analysis, and testing, so you should keep the end user in mind when you first develop a product or service. Keeping the end user in mind from the beginning and doing tests right away can help eliminate chances for issues to occur early on.
A good UX design can result in your business having healthy SEO rankings. Google actively promotes webpages with great user experiences. A poor user experience can result in low SEO rankings and vice versa.
Make sure to keep all of these aspects in mind when you decide to implement a UX design strategy for your business. Having a good UX design strategy can greatly increase the success of your business. Be sure you understand the difference between a UX design and a UI design, as they go hand in hand and both are key aspects to a successful design strategy.
