“No product is an island. A product is more than the product. It is a cohesive, integrated set of experiences. Think through all of the stages of a product or service – from initial intentions through final reflections, from first usage to help, service, and maintenance. Make them all work together seamlessly.”
— Don Norman, inventor of the term “User Experience”
What is user experience?
User experience (UX) is how a person feels when interacting with a company and its products or services. These interactions could be through a website or software. Success can be measured by user perceptions and whether consumer needs are fully being met.
User experience design uses research to understand user behaviors, needs, and motivations for adopting a product or service. It is common for stakeholders to prioritize business goals over focusing decision making on the needs of their users. Well thought out user experience involves a strategic understanding of the business, the users, and how they operate together.
The business of UX
Today, UX design plays a critical role in building the proper trust that leads to customer acquisition and retention. Users expect the experience to be up to the same standard as the product or service a company provides.
Businesses cannot afford to not invest in UX because building the wrong experience and user frustration can be costly in the long-term due to lost customer relationships and missed opportunities.
UX is also a critical factor that impacts SEO because in 2019, Google made refinements to its algorithm that places a priority on usability. This takes into consideration page speed, the quality and originality of the content, mobile-friendliness and the ease of navigation use.
Your products or services might be considered top-notch, but is your website delighting your users? Ideabar’s Interactive team designs and develops websites with user experience top-of-mind.