Starting UX – Basic User Experience
UX is currently a hot topic, and something a lot of companies are becoming concerned about. For good reason too; As UX is a valuable skill to have among your team and it’s not simply UI. Before getting into why UX is so valuable, let’s specify the difference between the two. UI stands for User Interface and is about the design of the site. All the stylistic choices and how to make your site look the most appealing, from a visual aspect. That’s very important of course; However it does no good if it looks amazing but is horrible to navigate / use.
So that is where UX comes in, which stands for User Experience. They map and figure out the interaction the user has to increase the experience had when using your website / app. How easy is it for them navigate to where they want to be? What about the interactivity? Do they have to struggle with trying to figure out what each button, swipe, or click is going to do? If so, that’s equals a bad experience and means it’s less likely for them to use your product again.
So how does a UX Designer do this? Well, before any designing takes place, there are some questions that should be answered. To properly prepare for a project you should know:
1. What is this project?
If you don’t know what it is that you need to plan for, you can’t create a proper experience.
2. What are it’s goals?
Example: A chore / task app. Is it to keep track of your to-dos without having pen and paper? Could it be more for motivation to encourage you, or your kids, to get the work done? This question and the next one are closely related. If there is no clear answer, you can’t move on. How a user interacts with a to-do list is going to be very different from how they interact with a motivational task app.
3. How does it work?
This is about how your product is going to accomplish it’s goals. If the app is a motivator for chores, how is it going to do the motivation part? Designing for a point based system vs a fill-up meter is going to differ.
Once you have answers to those three questions, you can then start figuring out who your target audience is. After you figure that out, you will then have the following:
- Content – what the project is.
- Context – what it’s goals are and how will work.
- Audience – who is going to use your app / website.
With all of that, you can start designing and focusing on the experience. It’s important to know all this, as that, should, influence your choices during the designing process. As you decide on how to best lay the site out, you should also make sure that your interaction is as seamless and quick as possible. The saying: “less is more” is very true when it comes to having to steps of inputting information or navigating. You also have to make sure that there’s a way for them to fix mistakes, such a typo or so on. If there isn’t, users are going to get very frustrated with your product, very quickly.
As you’re going through all these things, it’s important to start getting feedback and testing your product as soon as you can. The earlier the better, as it will be easier to fix your mistakes. If you don’t have anything that you can release to the public you could ask friends, family, or even your co-workers, their opinions on some of the features. This is just the start of the process for ensuring a great user experience.
Resources
Below are some very resources for starting your UX journey
- “Don’t Make Me Think” by Steve Krug: This classic book provides a great introduction to the principles of intuitive and user-friendly design.
- “The Design of Everyday Things” by Don Norman: This influential book explores the relationship between design and usability, offering valuable insights into the psychology of users.
- UX Collective (https://uxdesign.cc/): A popular online publication that features articles, case studies, and practical tips on UX design.
- Nielsen Norman Group (https://www.nngroup.com/): A leading UX research and consulting firm that offers a wealth of resources, including articles, reports, and training courses.
- Interaction Design Foundation (https://www.interaction-design.org/): An online learning platform that offers courses on various UX topics, ranging from introductory to advanced levels.
- Smashing Magazine (https://www.smashingmagazine.com/): A widely respected web design and development resource that frequently covers UX-related topics through articles and tutorials.
- UX Booth (https://www.uxbooth.com/): An online publication that features articles on UX design, research, and strategy, catering to both beginners and experienced professionals.
- UX Design Weekly (https://uxdesignweekly.com/): A curated newsletter that delivers a selection of UX-related articles, resources, and tools directly to your inbox every week.
- UX Planet (https://uxplanet.org/): An online community and publication that covers a wide range of UX topics, offering insights, case studies, and industry trends.
- YouTube channels: There are several YouTube channels dedicated to UX design tutorials and discussions. Some popular channels include The Futur, AJ&Smart, NNGroup, and DesignCourse.
Remember to explore these resources and find the ones that resonate with your learning style and interests. Don’t hesitate to dive into practical projects, attend local UX meetups or workshops, and engage with the broader UX design community to enhance your learning experience. If you enjoyed this article, consider checking out our blog for even more articles https://blog.thundersteed.com/