If you're (still) wondering what UX is all about...
15 years ago, no one pronounced these two letters so strange and yet full of common sense: UX. Nowadays, the term is used in all sorts of ways, and one could easily become sick of it if its importance was not so paramount in the design of a product.
The UX (User Experience) must be thought out and integrated in all phases of the design of your product, whether it is a mobile application, a web application, a business software or your website. Let's take a look at what this means and what positive repercussions it has on your projects.
In concrete terms, what is UX or User Experience?
UX, which should not be confused with UI (User Interface), represents the way a person feels when interacting with your product, whether it is digital or not. The main goal of UX is to make the use of your product simple, intuitive and pleasant. For this to be possible, the end users, their needs and expectations, but also their emotions are at the heart of the designers' reflections and analyses.
"It's a little bit like a joke that needs to be explained... in the end it doesn't make you laugh. If you need tutorials, manuals, or explanations, then your product won't be easy and fun to use." - Claire Delpierre
Why is UX Design important for your project?
It forces you to ask yourself the right questions from the beginning, what are the real objectives of the product? What are the emotions my user should feel when using my product? Is this functionality, which seems to be essential to me, really important to them?
This in-depth reflection is carried out at the start of the project and runs in the background throughout its design. It then continues after the product is launched in the so-called RUN phase, where behavioral analyses allow you to make the right decisions for improving your product.
Build user loyalty & improve your brand image
If your users or customers have a bad experience on your app or website, it can have a negative effect on your business. UX, coupled with a good UI, allows you to meet needs and expectations that will turn your customers into satisfied clients. In order to keep a good image and memory of your product, and therefore also of your company, your users need to have pleasant interactions with your app, website or software.
A user who keeps a good impression of your app or website will be more likely to come back and recommend your company or brand!
Generate more traffic, more sales
Chances are you have competitors who offer more or less the same product as you. UX may be what you need to stand out. Users are more likely to choose the product or service that is easier and more pleasant to use. If signing up on your website is easier and the navigation is optimized, you increase your chances that users will choose you, and not your competitors. The same thought can be applied if you have an e-commerce website and the buying process on your platform is easier and more intuitive, you increase your chances that customers will buy from your company.
The user experience also impacts your SEO. If your site's navigation is pleasant and visitors can easily find the information they are looking for, the bounce rate will be lower and your SEO will be better. For apps, it's the same, a satisfied user will be less likely to uninstall your app, and therefore your ranking on the stores will be better.
In the end, with a well thought UX, you generate more traffic, you make the registration or purchase process easier and you increase your users' retention!
What makes a good user experience?
Every experience will be unique and will depend on your target audience. That's why it's important to keep the end users in mind when designing your product.
When designing UX, it's important not to start from the problem in order to immediately find a solution. Before even thinking about the problem, you need to be able to identify who is facing this problem: you define your persona. Then, between the problem and the solution, you have to think about the strategy, the objectives and the features that will allow you to reach the solution. Don't rush through the steps, you risk forgetting elements that are essential to your design!