All web solutions – be they websites, applications or information systems – serve the user, but if they are built in a way that frustrates the user instead of making their life easier, the web solution that is created will not serve much purpose, as the user will most likely either abort or find an alternative solution for the next time. In order to avoid such a situation, UX design should be used when creating a new web solution. UX design starts with an understanding of the business objectives and the needs of the users of the web solution. By understanding user psychology and applying UX best practices, it is possible to create a solution that delivers a positive and memorable user experience.
What is UX design?
Have you ever wondered why some web solutions have a smooth navigation and are easy to find, while others are a pain to use? UX, or user experience, is all about the emotion and experience you get when using a web solution.
UX design takes into account every detail that helps shape the user experience and emotion of a web solution. The main goal of UX is to make the user’s navigation of the web solution as easy, efficient and pleasant as possible.
What we are used to thinking of as design – the visual – is only one part of the whole process of planning and designing a web solution. Visuals play a huge role in creating a positive user experience, but a ‘pretty picture’ alone may not meet the objectives or satisfy the needs of the customer.
In order to achieve the goals of the web solution and meet customer expectations, it is necessary to build the visual on a well thought-out structure. Only when there is a meaning behind every beautiful button, image and text block placement can a web solution reach its full potential.
In short, the UX designer’s job is to match the company’s goals with the needs of an existing or potential customer in a way that both sides win.
Where to start with UX design?
In order to develop the best solution, a UX designer takes a deep dive into your company’s vision, purpose and expectations. He or she will understand your company’s sales objectives and target audience. Among other things, he asks you:
- Who is the user of your web solution and what is its purpose?
- What are the most critical points of the current solution (if any)?
- What is the ideal outcome of the project, describing the objective of success.
- Are there already results (marketing, user feedback, etc.)?
He or she will then create a prototype based on the information you provide and typical UX standards.
A prototype like this gives you a clearer idea of the solution you’re building, without the visual distractions. You can walk through the whole solution from the first step to the last (the last step being to make a purchase, contact someone, etc., depending on your goals).
A UX designer will thoroughly research the material they find about your business and get very immersed in it, but they are a neutral person, making it easier for them to see and highlight concerns.
Collaboration between you and the designer is very important in UX – exchanging ideas and bouncing different ideas around, giving feedback. This is how the best solutions are born.
What to consider when designing the journey of your web solution?
When designing the path, it is important to ensure that the user journey is smooth enough to allow future users to reach their destination without any obstacles. Simplicity is the key.
A UX designer knows how people are typically used to using or seeing things in web solutions. You know your target customer best – how old they are, what gender they are, what they do, etc. – but a UX designer knows how your target customer is used to interacting online and can create a journey that’s right for them.
What are the typical UX mistakes?
What happens if you build a web application without paying attention to UX? The most common UX mistakes that stand out in web solutions:
Low findability and detectability of elements and routes
Complex registration process or sending requests
In terms of scaling, the page is squeezed on smaller devices, with the whole focus leaning towards a desktop-only experience. Here’s a good example of how YouTube has changed over the years.
Mobile menu overload or poor findability. A good example of the evolution of Facebook.
Incorrect placement of call-to-action (CTA) buttons, not taking into account user movement.
Yes, your web solution needs UX design
You ask “Why”? Because we can’t create anything without an architecture or a structure, we can’t get anywhere without a goal! So it is with web design. Thinking through the journey and putting it in place before visual design and development saves you both time and money. The most resource efficient way is to introduce changes after the web solution is complete. Conversely, it is most optimal to think through and put the details in place now.
UX design may sound subtle and you may think it’s the preserve of the giant, rich companies, but in reality, every new web solution should start with analysis and mapping out the UX journey.
If you have any questions about UX design or are looking for a partner to help you think through your web solution journey, don’t hesitate to contact us!
