Steve Jobs once said; design is not just what it looks like or feels like, it is how it works. Every user is different and so is every website or app. In many cases, the engagement and interactivity boils down to one thing; how user-friendly it looks and feels to your users. User experience (abbreviated as UX) is exactly that; how users feel while using with your digital product. It is why Apple became Apple. Even though they sell devices, the primary reason why people buy their phones, tablets and computers is because of the user experience. I have seen as young as a 1-year-old using an Apple device with ease; it’s amazing.

So, needless to say, user interface (UI) plays an important role in our daily lives. It is not just about making it user friendly, but taking it to the next level. It is about understanding who the users are, what are they looking for, how are they behaving and being able to design your website or applications accordingly. UX is more about intuition and emotional connection with the user. I believe simplicity is the most complex thing to do and clarity is the key to it. Below is a three step process you can follow to better user experience:

1. Identify

Two things you need to identify; who the user is and what device are they on. You may have different groups of users also. What is their demographics. What are their perceptions. Take the time to clearly identify the traits of your users.

2. Understand

Understand what are they looking for, what are their expectations, what are they use to. They will have different expectations on mobile devices and different on a personal computer. A 20-year-old user is likely to behave differently to a 40-year-old user. Take the time to understand their behaviour and what drives them.

3. Empower

Users feel comfortable when they feel they are in control. Empower them with functionalities. Keep the user interface simple and user-friendly. Don’t restrict users for the sake of it. Let the back-end programming do its bit. Guide them towards next actions by providing them visual feedbacks for each interaction. Anticipate their actions and try to make their life easy.

There is a reason, even after so many years, Google’s front page has just one simple search option in the centre of the page. Perception is reality and experience is everything. Keep your interface consistent throughout the website or app. Try to design to serve one primary purpose that the interface will help users achieve.

If you are looking to improve the user experience of your website or application, opt for our free 1-hour consultation to see how you ¬can¬ improve it.