UX design: design for the user

What is UX design? Also known as experience design, UX design is an approach aimed at creating an optimal user experience.

This approach is based on a holistic vision of the user experience, encompassing subjects such as ergonomics, psychology and cognitive science. It studies all aspects that influence user interaction with the product/service.

It is sometimes confused with UI design, yet UX design and UI design are two distinct yet complementary concepts.

What's the difference between UX and UI design? When should UX design be integrated, and what are the benefits? How do you design a good UX?

We answer these questions by focusing on UX design as applied to digital products and services, such as websites, mobile applications and software.

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What is UX design?

UX design: definition

What is UX design? A concept derived from User eXperience, UX design refers to all the methods and techniques implemented to offer users a pleasant, fluid experience when they come into contact with a given product or service.

The objective? To bring together all the ingredients to create the best possible user experience , in other words, a positive emotional impact during use.

For a website or mobile application, a " good UX " is based on :

• usability : it must be easy and natural to use the tool, to navigate and search for information intuitively, without question;
• Usefulness: the functionalities available must be useful and serve a relevant function;
• the desire to use it : the application's appearance must be pleasing and serve the meaning of the message;
• accessibility: the system must be responsive and accessible on all browsers;
• value : information content must be of high quality, provide value to users and answer their questions;
• consistency: from one point to the next, the experience must be fluid and logical;
• credibility: the tool must instill a sense of trust in the user, reassuring them of the legitimacy of the information and the security of the site.

The UX philosophy: a user-centric approach

The UX approach is user-centric, meaning that it places the user at the heart of the process. The user is, in a way, the first actor in the design story, the one who will give the product its final form.

👉 It aims to anticipate user needs, while aligning them with your business objectives.

The UX approach for a high-performance product

The approach is highly pragmatic and scientific: it's based on tests and research to design a journey perfectly adapted to the expectations of identified users.

💡 Targets generally correspond to marketing personae.

A well-designed UX will enable precise actions on their part, whether it's to accompany them through a purchasing journey or to facilitate their search for information.

In the digital domain, user needs are translated into concrete, clear and easy-to-use functionalities.

Need ⇨ functionality

What are the differences between UX and UI design?

UX design and UI design are different disciplines. They are often compared, but they do not fundamentally have the same object of study:

• UX design (User eXperience design) = user experience design ;
• UI design (User Interface design) = user interface design.

Difference between UX and UI

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• For the visual aspect and design of the ketchup bottle, this is UI design;
• When it comes to functionality and user satisfaction, we're talking about UX design.

And in the digital field?

• UX design (user eXperience) focuses on the overall user experience, i.e. the relationship between man and machine.
• UI design complements UX design and focuses on design elements in general, such as colors, typography, layout, shapes, symbols, images and so on.

UX design: an example applied to a website

For websites or mobile applications, UX design is concerned with the interaction between the user and the components of an interface: what the user will observe, feel, behave, take actions on, etc. This raises questions such as: how will the user interact with the interface?

This raises questions such as:

• How can we direct users to the right information?
• How do we get them to click where we want them to?
• How can we facilitate the purchasing process through to payment?
• How do you get them to subscribe to your newsletter? etc.

Modeling a mobile user path

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👉 Let's take the example of UX design applied to an informational content site, such as a blog or web magazine. The site's design must :

• help users find the information they're looking for,
• make them navigate between pages,
• entice them to buy by means of advertising, where appropriate.

To achieve this, a number of elements need to be considered:

• site tree structure,
• navigation and breadcrumb trail,
• internal meshing,
• the display of graphic elements (images, banners, titles, etc.),
• the content itself and its information quality,
• the suitability of the proposed content for your site's and/or page's target audience,
• the presence of buttons encouraging users to read other content, etc.

The user experience created around an article therefore depends not only on the content itself, but on everything that makes it easier for the user to obtain the information they are looking for.

Why is UX design essential? 4 advantages

To improve the customer experience

The user experience, particularly on the web, is essential and must accompany the product or service offered. UX is part of its very value .

As digital products and services fill our daily lives, the user is not only ultra-connected, but also zapped, hurried and highly solicited.

Capturing their attention becomes essential, so that they understand your brand and value proposition simply and quickly.

A well-designed UX :

• brings the desired information to the user,
• gives them a positive experience,
• encourages the user to repeat the experience.

By striving for the best possible user experience, you develop a positive brand image and make a major contribution to customer satisfaction and loyalty, and ultimately to their recommendation of your brand.

To optimize your website's SEO

When it comes to SEO, a website's UX is a key criterion for search engines, especially Google.

To position your website on the results pages and give it the visibility it deserves, take care of these criteria:

• few display errors and bugs,
• fast loading of images and pages,
• well-designed ergonomics,
• easy navigation (internal linking to visit more pages),
• adaptability to different browsing media (computers, tablets, phones), etc.

Everything that contributes to a quality browsing experience for the web user.

To achieve your marketing objectives

When it comes to using a website, a well-thought-out UX will improve visitor retention .

Let's imagine that your SEO efforts bring many visitors to your site, but that they leave within a short time. You've lost the opportunity to let them discover your offer and convert them into customers !

UX design must ensure that product use is optimal, and that users get what they want in the shortest possible time. The objectives are to :

• give them the answer they're looking for,
• capture their interest,
• keep their attention for as long as possible,
• and to encourage them to navigate to the pages you want.

This will have positive effects on your marketing objectives, such as increasing site traffic, lengthening visit times and optimizing conversion rates.

For successful innovation

UX design comes with a benefit: innovation! To gain a competitive edge, adopting an innovation strategy is inseparable from working on UX.

Innovation can't be achieved simply for the sake of novelty, without UX design, because its value will come from user acceptance.

How do we innovate? By focusing on the user:

• expectations,
• their habits,
• their uses,

and adopting an improvement approach.

How do you do UX design?

1. Define the strategy: why create this product? Identify and define user expectations and business objectives;
   
2. Imagine the functionalities of your product/service: how can you meet the needs of identified users?
   
3. Organize the elements into a precise structure: which elements should be kept, and how should they be prioritized?
   
4. Draw up a skeleton: where should each functional element be placed? Draw up simple diagrams called "mock ups";
   
5. Adopt an iterative or continuous improvement approach: what can be done to improve the first drafts? Create a prototype that best meets user expectations;
   
6. Create a mock-up, adding design and graphics: how to make the interface visually attractive and clear? This is UI design.

To explore user needs, use :

• A/B testing: this technique allows you to test two variations of the same page, studying which works best (text layout, structure, functionality, etc.);
• surveys: interviews with your users, tailored to your target audience, to identify sticking points and act accordingly;
• user tests: based on a given scenario, these aim to study how users behave when they come into contact with your interface.

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The role of the UX designer

What is a UX designer ?

The fundamental role of the UX designer is to understand your brand's value proposition , and what your product or service promises to deliver to its users. Then, he or she is responsible for the entire UX process.

During this process, the UX designer will design the experience of using your site. Key tasks include

• conduct studies and research on your typical users,
• designing prototypes,
• organizing workshops and exploiting user feedback,
• creating a value proposition as part of a continuous improvement process.

The optimization of web and mobile sites is a complex undertaking, so hiring a UX designer is a smart move for your company.

This UX design specialist will be able to mobilize a whole range of skills, methodologies and tools to understand and model your users' expectations, and provide appropriate solutions.

How would you like to launch your next UX improvement or design project?