Steve Jobs once said: design is not just what it looks like or feels like, it is how it works. Every user is different and so is every website or app. In many cases, the engagement and interactivity boils down to one thing; how userfriendly it looks and feels to your users. User experience (abbreviated as UX) is exactly that; how users feel while using with your digital product. It is why Apple became Apple.
Design and interface play an important role. It’s not just usability- it’s about taking it to the next level. It is about understanding who the users are, what are they looking for, how are they behaving and being able to design your website or app to respond accordingly. UX is more about intuition and emotional connection with the user.
Here is a three step process you can follow to improve user experience:
1. Identify
Two things you need to identify are- who the user is and what device they are on. What you’re your user group demographics? What are their perceptions? Take time to clearly identify the traits of your users.
2. Understand
Understand what are they looking for, their expectations,what they are used to. They will have different expectations on mobile devices versus personal computers. A 20-year-old user is likely to behave differently to a 40-year-old user. Take the time to understand their behaviour and what drives them.
3. Empower
Users feel comfortable when they feel they are in control. Empower them with functionalities. Keep the user interface simple and user- friendly. Don’t restrict users for the sake of it. Let the back-end programming do its bit. Guide them by providing visual feedback for each interaction. Anticipate their actions and try to make their life easy.
There is a reason, even after so many years, Google’s front page has just one simple search option in the centre of the page. Perception is reality and experience is everything. Keep your interface consistent throughout the website or app.
If you are looking to improve the user experience of your website or application, opt for our free 1 hour consultation to get started.
Sam Gupta is the managing director of Synapse Worldwide.
Sam would love to hear your thoughts on this advice column.
Tel: 1300 785 230
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.synapseworldwide.com
