It's been said many times, good design is as little design as possible. It should be invisible. This applies to any type of design whether it's products, interfaces, posters, or websites. Many have a misconception that designers just "make things look pretty." While that's true, a lot more goes into the process than just color choices or art decisions. With the rise of digital era, there is a big need for good design on web, apps, mobile devices, kiosks, etc. However, a little more is needed than just standard graphic design for these applications. The reason is because of the interaction that is present between the user and the technology. This is where user experience design comes in.
User experience (UX) design is the design process done to enhance a user's relation with a product to create an enjoyable experience. (In this post I'll mainly be discussing this in relation to web and mobile design.) Often times now, technology companies are looking for UI/UX designers (user interface and user experience designers) because their product is technology. It's an app, a website, a kiosk, a digital dashboard, etc. Not only do designers have to make something that "looks pretty" but they also have to design the interfaces to be intuitive and easy to use. To simplify the process, user experience design breaks down into three main components: visual design, information architecture, and content creation.
The first component of user experience design is the visual design. This is the part that most people are familiar with and there are a plethora of talented visual designers out there. This part of the role is all about the look of the interface. It's choosing the colors, images, symbols, and logos to convey a message visually. Technology companies that need a design for a user interface may want to hire a great graphic designer. The designer would certainly be able to make a good looking interface. However, when discussing design for technology, a little more is needed than just a great look. It's the overall interaction that matters. Just because something looks pretty, doesn't mean it's easy to use. This brings us to the next element of user experience design.
Information architecture is the next component of user experience design. This is the process similar to layout. The concern here is to enhance the ease of use of the interface. Where is the navigation located on the interface? Where is the search bar located? Is there a second navigation? Is everything on the interface easy to find? Will a user get lost in the depth of links? These are important questions that face a user experience designer. A lot of theory goes behind this step in how people interact with technology. Designers must think about who the target audience is for the interface. Is the target audience younger and extremely familiar with technology or is it for an older generation of retired people? An older audience may want a traditional navigation at the top while a younger audience may be familiar with hidden or off screen navigation and menus. Findability is hugely important here as well. If a user comes to a website, they need to be able to find what he/she is looking for quickly and easily. All of this comes back to thinking about the user and their goals in using the technology. An easy, intuitive interface leads to positive experiences in which they will come back or continue to use the product. If the opposite occurs, users will get frustrated and will not return or use the product anymore.
The last component is the content creation. This plays into the information architecture a bit as well. The content should typically be short and to the point. These days, people don't like to read a lot online and in apps and mobile interfaces, there is not a lot of room to play around with. Word choices are also important was well. UX designers need to think about the wording of every little thing. For example, at the end of a contact form, there is a difference between saying "send" "submit" and "done." Again, this relates back to information architecture and knowing your audience.
UX designers typically have a lot of knowledge not just of graphic/visual design, but of the theory of how users interact with technology. The process is very important since it can help determine if digital products will succeed or fail. The users need to be thought about throughout the entire process. It's a fun and fascinating field, especially with the importance of web presence, apps, and digital technologies.
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