Rules every UX designer must know
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User interface is a part of user experience
The distinction between the concept of user experience and the user interface is the main significant factor in the maintenance of your customer experience. Many people make the mistake of mixing these terms, which definitely results in unwanted issues with the design.
The main difference between user experience and the user interface is that the former deals with the emotional results of human interactions with the products. However, the latter term refers to the space or platform where the interactions between the product and humans occur.
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User research is a natural first step in the UX design process
The target audience decides the design of the user experience. Therefore, as a UX designer, you must keep the details regarding the target audience in mind when you start designing.
For example, if you are designing a product for children, it should be colorful and attractive enough, while being simple and easy to navigate in order to engage the demographic.
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Test with real users as an essential part of the UX design process
The most common mistake a UX designer can make is to design from their point of view instead of the consumer. The concept of assuming that others will navigate an interface the way you would and have the same experience as you is called false consensus.
In fact, most users do not share the same background, as they come from different mindsets bearing their own thoughts and behaviors that don’t necessarily match the designer’s mindset.
To overcome the false consensus bias, it’s beneficial to conduct usability testing. This will enable you to identify the parts of your user experience that users love. Although it adds time and steps to the design process, usability testing pays off in the long run.
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Don’t overwhelm users with too much information
As we have very short attention spans, it is ideal to target the customer’s mindset and as soon as you capture their attention. Customers should be able to immediately determine the message and purpose of your design within seconds. Overwhelming them with pointless content or overloading them with irrelevant information will be detrimental to your product’s user experience.
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Understand the problems
It’s important for you to view the product from the customers’ perspective, so that any problem that they may encounter can be resolved in a practical way.
Paying attention to specific user behaviors and interactions enables you to improve the standards and quality of products and services.
The way the users deal with a problem is also significant to note, as it informs the way the UX designer finds solutions. When conducting UX research, pay attention to how users work through challenges, and allow that to inform how you resolve those issues as a way to simplify the user interface.
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Improve the users’ quality of life
By obtaining user reviews and experience stories, UX designers can have a vivid picture of what works best with the design. It enables the team to have a deep look into the user’s life and assess the needs and demands of their target audience. This leads to an innovative product that is guaranteed to be helpful and useful.
For example, the need for daily life organization, like daily chores, appointments, grocery shopping, commute, and entertainment, has given rise to many dedicated websites and apps. These exist because of the realization of the needs and demands of the consumer.
In this way, not just the quality of life is improved, but also the user can save their time and energy by investing in an application or website service that can help them meet certain needs.
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Increase sales
The most important component of any business is sales. Revenue streams and general success greatly depend on it. Advertisement and marketing do play a big role in sales but the organic audience is the true determinant in this case. Engagement should be organic to have a true assessment of sales.
No matter how many people you reach through marketing, sincere and loyal buyers are going to be helpful in raising the bar.
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Get authentic feedback
It is important to receive sufficient reviews from the customers, in order to determine what is working and what is not within your product design. There is no such thing as failure – it is a part of the process of research.
For example, a company comes up with an innovatively designed product, but they’re not sure how it will perform in the market. It is better to collect sufficient reviews from the users early on to decide if they should come up with more of these products. This way, they will save time and money developing products that are actually beneficial to the customers.
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Clarify the vision
In order to obtain a clear visual representation of the product, you need to have a user-centered approach to the design. When a product is launched, the user’s perspective, in terms of problem-solving, usage, reliability, and other benefits, is what leads to long-term success.
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Engage users as customers
Whether or not the user participating in UX research is your customer, engaging with them takes your business to a whole new level. It helps you to understand the behaviors, emotions, and reviews about the user experience of your design. You are able to have an understanding of the needs, requirements, and requests of the user, who may be a potential customer in the future. Gaining the trust and confidence of the user is also one of the major requirements of your business’s prosperity.
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Gain credibility
Credibility is one of the most significant factors, in terms of building a good relationship with the customer. Although it is a process, it is totally a worthwhile investment. It should also be maintained once you’ve built it up. Consistency and constant efforts pay off well.
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Reduce the resource burden
Knowing the customer and reducing the resource burden definitely adds to the betterment of your company. Therefore all details, even small ones, are necessary to make any changes and updates to your design.
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Improve estimation
A better understanding of the demands and needs for a product by the customer forms the foundation of the upcoming design of the product. It will help you in cost estimation and the performance of your product in the coming years.
Conclusion
Adhering to these rules will ensure your success as a UX designer. It will also elevate the user experience of your design and lead to product and business success in the long run.
Tim Rotolo