User experience design

User experience design (UXD, UED, or XD) is the activity to support user behavior through usability, usefulness, and desirability by the interaction with a product.[1][2]

Experience design (XD) is the practice of designing products, processes, services, events, etc. with a focus on the quality of the user experience and relevant solutions.[3] Its main purpose is to develop the experience of a product, service, or event by several dimensions:[4]

  • Duration
  • Intensity
  • Breadth
  • Interaction (passive ↔ active ↔ interactive)
  • Triggers
  • Significance

Stages

Research

Research is the first and most important element.[5] It helps to understand the user, identify the application's purpose, and recognize target audience's needs, goals, and mental models.

Visual design

Visual design (graphic design, user interface design) shows the aesthetics or general look of any user interface. The purpose is to make a message to its audience using colors, images, and symbols.

Information architecture

Information architecture is the science of structuring and organizing the information in products and services to support usability and findability.[6] It includes information about objects, metadata, page structure and navigation.[7]

Interaction design

It is a kind of interaction between users and products.[8] Nowadays interaction designers are involved in creating contextual interfaces.[9]

Usability

It shows how the product can be used by some users with effectiveness and satisfaction in a specified context of use.[10]

Accessibility

Accessibility of a system shows if it is easy and clear to use and understand it, often it refers to the ease of use for people with disabilities and is connected with usability.[11] According to the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), all content must follow the four main principles of POUR: Perceivable, Operable, Understandable, and Robust.[12]

Human–computer interaction

Human–computer interaction mostly refers to the design, evaluation, and implementation of interactive computing systems for people's use.[13] It is a 3-in-1 process that combines research and getting ready to design, design and testing.[14][15][16]

User Experience Design is not a standalone concept - it entails its relation with other design concepts such as UI, CX & SD.

User Interface (UI) Design covers the design aspects of an interface like the colours, buttons, typography, spacing, images, and more. They bring aesthetic value to a digital product and must be reflective of the brand. Imagine the HSBC logo in a handwriting font.

Customer Experience (CX) Design is the sum of what a customer thinks, feels, sees, hears, and does regarding your brand. From the first touchpoint of scrolling on your brand’s ad on social media to being a loyal customer. Tailored CX Design will ensure that your brand is customer-oriented, elevating the experience. Duolingo is a great example.

Service Design (SD) is the backstage of every product/service. The synergic collaboration between the brand, the employees and the customers focuses on the 3P’s of Services – People, Physical Evidence and Processes. SD arranges the policies, technology, systems and infrastructure to present the front stage to the audience, i.e., products, interfaces, and touchpoints.

References

  1. ↑ Eyal, Nir (2014-11-04). Hooked: How to Build Habit-Forming Products. Penguin. ISBN 978-0-698-19066-5.
  2. ↑ Schmidt, Aaron; Amanda Etches (2014). Useful, Usable, Desirable: Applying User Experience Design.
  3. ↑ Aarts, Emile H. L.; Stefano Marzano (2003). The New Everyday: Views on Ambient Intelligence. 010 Publishers. p. 46. ISBN 978-90-6450-502-7.
  4. ↑ Steve Diller, Nathan Shedroff, Darrel Rhea (2005): Making Meaning: How Successful Businesses Deliver Meaningful Customer Experiences. New Riders Press ISBN 0-321-37409-6.
  5. ↑ "Research is critical to UX". www.lollypop.design. Archived from the original on 2022-12-01. Retrieved 2021-04-01.
  6. ↑ "Information Architecture Institute (2013), What is IA? (PDF)" (PDF).
  7. ↑ "Efficiently Simplifying Navigation, Part 1: Information Architecture". Smashing Magazine. 2013-12-03. Retrieved 2021-04-01.
  8. ↑ Siang, Teo Yu. "What is Interaction Design?". The Interaction Design Foundation. Retrieved 2021-04-01.
  9. ↑ Interaction Design - brief intro.
  10. ↑ usabiliTEST. "Usability testing: Card Sorting, Prioritization Matrix & SUS". www.usabilitest.com. Archived from the original on 2021-03-23. Retrieved 2021-04-01.
  11. ↑ "The Fundamentals of Great UX - Host1Plus Blog". 2015-07-06. Archived from the original on 2015-07-06. Retrieved 2021-04-01.
  12. ↑ "What is Accessibility?". The Interaction Design Foundation. Retrieved 2021-04-01.
  13. ↑ ""Curricula for Human-Computer Interaction, Chapter 2. Definition and Overview of Human-Computer Interaction". ACM SIGCHI. Retrieved 2015-06-18". Archived from the original on 2014-08-17. Retrieved 2021-04-01.
  14. ↑ Cooper, Alan; Reimann, Robert; Cronin, David; Noessel, Christopher (2014). About Face: The Essentials of Interaction Design (4th ed.). Wiley. p. 131. ISBN 978-1-118-76657-6.
  15. ↑ "Beyond Wireframing: The Real-Life UX Design Process". Smashing Magazine. 2012-08-29. Retrieved 2021-04-01.
  16. ↑ Cooper, Alan; Reimann, Robert; Cronin, David; Noessel, Christopher (2014). About Face: The Essentials of Interaction Design. Wiley. p. 140. ISBN 978-1-118-76657-6.