UX is supposed to be this perfect blend of design and experience, but how often do we get carried away with the design and forget about the experience? Another problem is we tend to rely upon our own habits and preferences when it comes to UX.
The apps, websites and products we hear the most about have one thing in common – user experience was the focal point. We have to think outside the box and design for an experience versus just a task or a function. When we do this, we create the ultimate UX.
1. Forget Personas And Focus On The User
How often have we all been told to create detailed user personas for every project? It’s kind of been ingrained in our minds since day one. While they are effective, they’re also limiting. Personas are designed to give us a clear image of our target audience. While we might learn age range, favorite chocolate, type of car they drive and which stores they shop at, something’s missing – how they want to interact with a digital or physical product.
Consider the user and what their needs are. For instance, if we design an app, should it focus on saving time or helping the user relax? Is it easier for them to swipe or tap? Personas provide a great starting point, but it takes empathy to really understand the user as a person versus just part of a target audience.
2. Personalize Whenever Possible
Get a group of UX designers together and we’ll argue for hours about what truly sets one design apart from another. The answer may vary, but personalization is always at least one right answer. Think about that warm fuzzy feeling that comes from opening a shopping site and seeing products recommended just for you. Makes you feel pretty important, right?
We all love feeling special. A great example of this is a restaurant called n/ naka. While the food is great, the owner believes every visitor’s experience should be different and special. This focus on user experience within the restaurant has helped set this one Japanese restaurant apart from the competition.
3. Learn From Past Projects
We tend to put our past projects high up on a shelf once we’re done. After all, the project’s over, so why not let it gather some well-deserved metaphorical dust bunnies? When we design for an experience, we should build upon what we’ve already done. Look at past projects. Hindsight is 20/20, so in looking back, what could be changed to make for a better experience?
It’s a chance to learn from the past. Plus, we can focus more on the experience this time versus the design, since we can use past projects as sort of a template to get us started.
4. Build Upon The Latest Trends
The UX design industry tends to move towards what users want most. When we struggle to design for an experience, a great source of inspiration is the latest UX trends. See what other designers are doing and what users actually think of current UX design.
5. Make Design Itself An Experience
A rather interesting concept to design for an experience is to turn the design process into an experience. It may sound confusing, but it’s an insanely effective way to make UX design far more fun for us and more rewarding for users too.
The way it works is to simplify the tedious technical work and focus on the design specifically. In one study, a company used Lego bricks to build a page in an app. Instead of focusing so much on the tools, the designers created better pages in half the time. The concept was to make the designers focus more of their time on experience versus design and the end result was impressive.
6. Make It Interactive
Who among us doesn’t like interactive apps, sites and products? It’s kind of the difference between a TV and a little do-dad sitting on the shelf above the TV. Which do you interact with more? It’s also why we have smart TVs now – they’re more interactive.
When we design for an experience, we have to think of ways to make the end result interactive. To users, interactivity makes something feel more useful, thus creating a more fulfilling experience.
UX design will always be more about experience. It’s in the process of creating the experience that we create the design. Use these six tips in your next project and you’ll create an experience that sets your end result apart from the rest.
Images: Filipe Dos Santos Mendes, Alex Hockett, Alice Achterhof