What is UX (User Experience)?
UX stands for “User Experience,” and it refers to the overall experience a user has when interacting with a product or service; it includes everything from the design and layout of the product to how easy it is to use and how efficiently it gets the job done. If you’re experiencing joy while using a product and find it easy to use, then that product has a good UX.
For example, let’s say you’re booking a stay on Airbnb. If you find it hard to get a hold of the host through Airbnb, the apartment is different from what was advertised, and the check-in process was difficult, then the user is provided with a bad UX. On the other hand, if the host responds quickly and the stay is enjoyable with a smooth check-in process, then the user is provided with a good UX. By prioritizing UX, the Airbnb host can create a positive and enjoyable experience for its visitors.
“User experience encompasses all aspects of the end-user's interaction with the company, its services, and its products.” – Don Norman, who coined the term “UX” in 1993
What is UX (User Experience) design?
A positive UX doesn’t just happen by accident, it’s something that has been carefully crafted. UX design focuses on the step-by-step process of creating products that are easy to use, well-designed, and efficient to give users an enjoyable and satisfactory experience.
What is the difference between UX and UI?
Although UX (User Experience) design with UI (User Interface) design work closely together, they focus on different aspects of the product’s design process. UX design focuses on all parts of the user’s experience with a product – from usability and accessibility to overall user satisfaction –, UI design, on the other hand, just focuses on the design of the product’s interface.
What are the key principles of UX design?
UX designers generally follow a few key principles to ensure they create products that offer the end user an easy and enjoyable experience. Here are 7 of the most important UX design principles that all designers should know about, according to the UX Design Institute:
- User-centricity means putting the user’s needs first, which can help create products that solve a problem.
- Consistency when it comes to designing the interface, the layout, and other design elements, which helps create a smooth and cohesive experience.
- Hierarchy relates to information architecture (i.e., the sitemap) and visual architecture (i.e., page layout), and if done correctly, helps users easily navigate your product.
- Context means understanding in which context your user will use your product, such as knowing which device the customer uses to access your product or which language they speak.
- User control means giving the right amount of control and freedom to your users, which can be done by adding the “Undo” and “Redo” functionality or the “Cancel” buttons.
- Accessibility means ensuring your product is accessible to the majority of people, which also includes creating products that easily used by people with with disabilities (read Buffer’s accessibility statement to get a better understanding)
- Usability ensures a product is easy to use by minimizing complexity and friction points.
How do you measure the success of UX design?
Once you’ve created a product, you can measure the success of the UX through a mix of qualitative and quantitative methods. Some of the most common ways include:
- Task success rate measures what percentage of users complete a given task in a user flow.
- Average time on task measures the average time it takes a user to complete a given task.
- Error occurrence rate measures how often a user makes mistakes while completing a given task.
- Net Promoter Score (NPS) is a way of collecting user feedback where users are asked one single question – “How likely are you to recommend this product to someone else?” – where the answers are on a scale of one to ten, with one being not likely and ten being very likely.
- Usability testing is a research method for testing how easy your product is to use.
- Surveys are the most common methods used to gain more user insights.
