What the heck is UX?

UX, that is User Experience, is a name for all aspects of user's interaction with company's products. In short, it is nothing more than discovering habits of users and matching them products providing their positive reception. Actions taken within User Experience should assure that users will find a service valuable and easy to use.

UX's (like) human after all

To define how crucial part of every project UX is, let's use the example of a human body. Imagine a silhouette consisting of skeleton, organs and skin.
Assuming that the whole body is a project, a skeleton is created by the code, skin is graphic design, organs represent User Experience. Notice that a product that is solid and looks good, not always become successful. You cannot say you are healthy when your liver or heart scream for help. The same thing is with UX. Without basic functionalities responsible for running of the product, you cannot be sure that people will love it.

To the point

A website, web and mobile app can be a subject of UX researches. It concentrates on the deep understanding of users: their needs, values, possibilities or limits. It also focuses on getting to know users' impression during the interaction.
In my work, I always divide the process of implementing UX into several steps:

1. Satisfying basic needs of a client.

At this point, it is useful to ask yourself "WHY am I even doing this?". Seems like an easy question, right? However, many teams forget about it. The result is a loss of a dozen months on creating functionalities that are completely useless.

2. Simplicity and style

A service or a product should provide the joy of use. How to bring a customer maximum of satisfaction? There are many ways. The basic one is giving the possibility to personalize an account in the system, changing the background, font, elements, photo. Find an inner child in your client and let it have some fun!

3. Experience of the target group

At this point, I am getting a bit wild because it is not a usual checklist figure. I want to create something attractive to users, so they want to use the service or the product again. I want to give them something unique. Users should be thrilled by their experiences not only after first use but also after the sixth and seventy-fourth time. That is why you have to give your product to people and let them speak. What do they enjoy? What is annoying? What should you give up on? No test will be as accurate as this one.
Still not convinced? Let me tell you one more thing. What made Google, Twitter, eBay and Amazon successful? One of the factors was sound testing of every aspect of their businesses with the real users to provide the highest level of client's satisfaction.

Cannot argue taste

Cliché sentence? Probably, but it is the next important thing about UX in a nutshell. No matter how well you know the market. There will be cases where users' behaviour will be completely different to what you expected. UX is your shield protecting you from this horrible scenario. You don't want to spend a budget on a project that no one is even going to look at. UX represents empathy towards expectations and behaviours of clients you offer a product.

To sum up

User Experience is a wide subject. My mission in this article was to emphasize how important this area is. You can be certain of one thing: if you want to create an awesome product, better get familiar with UX!

SEE ALSO

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