07.09.2020
User Experience is crucial. A how-to guide
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User Experience, also known as UX, is a process that takes into consideration exactly how a user will feel when running the application, or when using an website. Used in design, UX is crucial for a better understanding on how the functionalities will work and also, how they will look.
Don Norman, the inventor of the term „User Experience” says that “no product is an island. A product is more than the product. It is a cohesive, integrated set of experiences. Think through all of the stages of a product or service – from initial intentions through final reflections, from first usage to help, service, and maintenance. Make them all work together seamlessly.” and to be honest, this is the best explanation you can get.
But, what exactly do you have to do?
To get the most accurate overview on a future application or website, you will have to go through a number of steps. We want to make your job easier, so find them listed below:
UNDERSTAND
The process of understanding the clients’ requirements puts the foundation for your future design. Create some user personas that will guide you through the app and make sure to define the use cases.
RESEARCH
A complete research on your competitors, as well as a research on the latest UX trends is a necessary step in order to discover what is everyone doing and come up with something new & fresh.
SKETCH
Just as in a simple drawing, you must start up from a sketch. Put your ideas on paper, draw some sketches and organise them in a story-line. Evaluate your work and re-draw it.
DESIGN
Make your sketch come to life, design your images, create prototypes and define the UX guidelines.
IMPLEMENT
Implement the functionalities on back-end and the interface on front-end and build the whole experience.
EVALUATE
Be the person that will use that application or that website. You are now the persona you just created on step 1. Explore and test all the functionalities, perform usability tests and identify what improvements can be made.
RETURN
If necessary, return to a previous step and work on it again. This might be the most common step of them all, but it is mandatory to learn how to tell when something can be improved and when it’s better to leave it just like that.
UX designers aren’t just focused on the creative process of the products, but they are concentrated on other aspects, such as efficiency, pleasure and fun. Though people spend so much time on their smartphones, when using an app to purchase something, they want it to be as quick as possible, and so should you. Keep an eye on these information and if you need a hand, we’re here to help!
Till next time,
diARK Team
