Surely when prowling around the world of the web, either in your work or study, you have come across the term UX.

 

Although it seems new, UX has been a well-known field for some time now and is immersed in each and every one of the elements that are part of design, and not only on the web.

 

But what is UX? Where does it apply?

 

UX

 

UX is the acronym for User Experience, being a determining factor when making a product a success in sales or going completely unnoticed.

 

When we talk about User Experience, we are referring to a field in which the user is placed at the center of our design efforts, making sure that the product that is developed meets the expectations and needs that the user requires.

 

Read: The power of web accessibility

 

The field of User Experience focuses on maximizing satisfaction, motivation, efficiency and productivity when using a product, be it tangible or based on a system (app, software, website, etc.).

 

Now, the focus on the user is a very important element when designing rewarding, enjoyable and usable experiences.

 

In 2010 requirements and recommendations for user-centered design principles in interactive systems were established, which allows us to get an idea of the need for clear and concise processes when designing products that work in the best way.

 

 

Design and emotions

 

Each product, in its design, expresses a particular emotion. Whichever this is.

 

Clearly, the experience matters, and how we feel or interact with the product will generate internal conditions that will give us an emotion (joy, anger, tranquility, among others).

 

Don Norman, a known reference in user experience design, even talks to us about Emotional Design, and tells us that emotions are part of being human, and when our product connects with people, they are more likely to buy it. and make it part of your daily life.

 

This is why for us at Swapps, ensuring an excellent user experience is essential when designing any project or platform for our clients.

 

Read: Guidelines for UX Mobile Design

 

UX and usability

 

As we mentioned before, the development of the product, in addition to being aesthetically pleasing, must also be completely usable.

 

Usability is a sub-discipline of User Experience and refers to the ease of access or use of a product.

 

Take, for example, a website.

What could we expect from a website with usability principles?

• The interface must be easily adaptable so that the user becomes familiar and proficient in using it on their first contact with it.
• It must be easy for users to perform the proposed task(s) through the website/app.
• Its interface must be easy to remember and thus facilitate its use in subsequent visits.

 

Read: User testing on UX design

 

A website or app must be usable in the vast majority,

if not in all the points that are required.

 

A usable product will not only allow the user to delight in its ease of use, but will also avoid the cognitive load that it may generate when browsing, executing tasks and in subsequent visits.

 

Products that do not meet the minimum usability standards,

not only will be difficult to remember and manage,

instead, they will make users avoid them altogether.

 

That is why it is necessary to analyze the performance and the problems that users may have in the use of our product.

 

 

What should we take into account in the usability of our website or application?

 

Items such as:

• Speed: A heavy and slow page/app will be uncomfortable and irritating for the user.
• Clear and defined structure in HTML: using premises of web accessibility for people with disabilities.
• Visual factors: font size, color, content, headings, paragraphs, navigation.

 

 

We can conclude, in this brief summary, that the User Experience makes the designer come out of himself, approach directly and concretely the needs of the people who will use the product, and design experiences, because that is what it is all about : connect with the user and produce an impact on their emotions through design.

 

It is very important to think about the experience before the product.

 

If you are looking to improve the user experience of your product or website, at Swapps we can help you.

 

Contact us, we are your ally in digital technology.

 

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