User Experience Design: What You Like and Why You Like It

Websites and web applications are constantly revamping themselves these days, becoming more progressive as technology advances. The one thing that’s remained the same, however, is how users perceive information. We know when we like something. That’s obvious. But rarely do we think about why we like it. What makes it pleasant to look at? And why is it a pleasant interactive experience?

User experience design (UX) is meant to enhance customer satisfaction and loyalty by improving the usability, ease of use and pleasure in the interaction between the customer and the product. So, UX designers look at what makes users feel pleasant. This seems pretty basic. People tend to like color, visuals and order. But think about buying a book on Amazon.com or some other interaction-rich website. These types of systems involve a myriad of user tasks. There’s an alphabetized list of categories to choose from to narrow down your search and a multitude of sections to buy from – are you looking for audio books? Music? Apps? Or are you looking for a tangible item? You can even choose to shop by department. It is the UX designer who thinks about the accessibility of these options to make sure it is the most efficient and pleasant experience for the user. But it hasn’t always been the case that users were the top priority when designing a web system.

This decade has witnessed a huge transformation of the Web. Each year, there are more and more Web users – at least 1.5 billion globally as of 2008 – and that has created a complex and feature-rich online database. In order to be effective, websites were thrust into moving towards a much more user friendly design. Whereas before, Web Designers simply looked at what they thought was creative, with little to no regard for how people felt about the site and the experience. Nowadays, there are UX designers to specifically figure out how a product makes a user feel.

The Real Purpose Of A Landing Page

The design layout for the landing page is especially important because it focuses the visitors’ attention on a particular offer and it should limit distractions from everything else on the website. There is one purpose for the landing page: to capture leads. The best landing page layouts will include:

• A headline
• A description of the offer
• A supporting image
• A form for visitors’ information
• Search Engine Optimized (SEO) enriched content

And in the case of a landing page, less is definitely more. Embrace the white space and only ask for the information you really need, which in most cases is just the user’s name and email address.

How User Interface Ties In

User interface is just how a product is laid out on the screen. Is the style of the page cohesive? Is the design language consistent? By using a consistent look and feel when it comes to color scheme, shapes, patterns and especially typography you can create an appealing experience for the user’s eye. But of course, you have to know your user. For example, if you work for a law office you would want people to take your website seriously. But that doesn’t mean the user experience has to be boring. When deciding amongst fonts and overall layouts for a business oriented web design, a good question to ask is, “who would I trust to do my taxes?” Basically, which overall look is the most organized?

User Experience design is not just about interface or how things “feel”, though. As a UX designer, you must have a deep understanding of the business model and processes a client uses and an understanding of the larger context in which their users operate. UX designers must also have a vast knowledge of the technology used to deploy the digital systems they design. With these three key elements, they can create solutions that meet the needs of the client, the user and work within the bounds of the technological platform.

Overall, user experience design is mainly beneficial for:

• Avoiding unnecessary product features
• Simplifying technical publications for customers
• Improving usability and therefore customer acceptance
• Expediting design through detailed guidelines
• Incorporating marketing goals while respecting the user’s freedom of choice

Rely On Our Decades Of Experience

At Mediaura we leave no stone unturned. We know that every single detail of your website matters - typography, psychology of color, the layout of the menus, you name it. We know that “one size fits all” will never apply to your digital properties, nor should it.

Our team of experts will sit down with you and discuss your goals and objectives, your likes and dislikes, your audience, and from there we will custom-tailor a user-experience designed to meet these goals. We leverage our vast knowledge to craft web and mobile properties that are proven to be the most effective methods at achieving the end results you’re after.

We are comfortable working on any platform as well as suggesting platforms that will best fit your needs, saving you from being overwhelmed with a product that has more than you need. If you would like to learn how Mediaura’s web development can benefit your business, contact us or give us a call at 502-554-9649. A member of our team will be happy to assist you.