User experience: What is it and why is it important?
User Experience, also known as UX, is a term first coined by Don Norman. As an American researcher, Norman has dedicated his career to improving product usability using cognitive psychology as his main tool. Today, there is a special interest in managing all the factors that influence people’s decisions to purchase and use a specific product or service.
Definition of User Experience
User experience encompasses everything that happens when a person interacts with a product or service. Although this definition may seem vague, Norman himself explains that UX is a cohesive set that includes all processes related to the product, from the initial idea to the final use, not forgetting customer service and everything it entails. Apple’s founder, Steve Jobs, also emphasized that UX is not just about what you see and the emotional connection, but also how the product works.
Importance of User Experience in Product Creation
The user experience can be good or bad, and this difference can determine the success or failure of a product. Working on UX is important because it allows you to identify a problem or need of people and work to solve it. The design of the UX begins before the product or service becomes a reality. True success lies in detecting needs that people don’t yet know they have.
Components of a Good User Experience
- Creating a usable product: UX refers to the end user having their expectations met when purchasing the product or service. A satisfied customer will continue to use the service and can become a source of unpaid advertising.
- Product accessibility: Good UX takes into account that the product or service is within reach of potential buyers. Although some market strategies may make a product difficult to obtain, the ideal is for the consumer to have access to what you offer without setbacks.
- Product appeal: UX design not only takes care of meeting a need, but also strives to make the product or service attractive. This is achieved through interdisciplinary work that considers the image, brand, design, external appearance, and any other attribute that improves a functional product or service.
- Service and maintenance: A complete UX takes into account that users or customers may have doubts, questions, or queries about the product or service. Meeting these needs is another way to create value.
In summary, people are the axis of the creative process. Getting to know the target audience closely and making use of all available tools to create a meaningful connection between our product or service and those who will use it is essential for a good user experience.
Image credits:
Photo by Campaign Creators on Unsplash
Photo by Uriel Soberanes on Unsplash
Photo by DESIGNECOLOGIST on Unsplash
