What is the role of User Experience (UX) Design in Web Design?

Posted by Helen Anderson on October 8th, 2018

UX or User Experience in web design is an extremely vast area which covers a multi-disciplinary and fascinating field of design. It has the power to break or make a business or brand to success. Choosing a career in UX Design is quite challenging as it requires highly diverse skillset.

What is User Experience (UX)?

Coined by Don Norman in the 90s, the concept of UX has been around for much longer.

While, User experience (UX) refers to any interaction an end-user has with a product or service you offer. UX design considers each and every element that shapes this experience, how it makes the user feel, and how easy it is for the user to accomplish their desired tasks.  This could be anything from how a physical product feels in your hand, to how straightforward the checkout process is when buying something online.

The goal of UX design is to create easy, efficient, relevant and all-round pleasant experiences for the user. UX designers combine market research, product development, strategy and design to create seamless user experiences for products, services and processes. They build a bridge to the customer, helping the company to better understand and fulfil their needs and expectations.

How is UX design identified?

From the usability of a mobile app to the ergonomics of a vehicle and the layout of a supermarket, UX design is everywhere. It is optimising a user’s experience and environment for maximum comfort.

Although, the users comfort has been around from centuries, it now exists in the form of digital experiences through websites, software, mobile apps, gadgets and other technology.

Major UX Design Disciplines

We already said UX is a broad term that can be divided up into four main disciplines they are;

1. Experience Strategy (ExS)

2. Interaction Design (IxD)

3. User Research (UR)

4. Information Architecture (IA)

Experience Strategy (ExS)

Experience strategy is devising a holistic business strategy by incorporating both the customer’s needs and those of the company.

Interaction Design (IxD)

Interaction design looks at how the user interacts with a system, considering all interactive elements such as buttons, page transitions and animations. It will allow the user to effortlessly complete core tasks and actions.

User Research (UR)

UX design requires extensive research and feedback from existing or potential customers. This is done through surveys, interviews and usability testing, and creating user personas to understand the end user’s needs and objectives. This data is gathered to make good design decisions.

Information Architecture (IA)

Information architecture is the practice of organizing information and content in a meaningful and accessible way for the user to navigate around a product. It pays close attention to the language used and ensure that it is both convincing and consistent.

What is the duty of a UX Designer?

Here the duty of a UX designer is to make everyday products, services and technology as user-friendly and accessible as possible. They employ design thinking to reconcile the user’s desires with technical feasibility and business viability.  The process of design thinking can be broken down into four different stages such as; inspiration, conceptualization, iteration and exposition.

Therefore, a good UX design ultimately enables a user to go about their daily lives as effortlessly as possible. From downloading an e-book to listening a music or using a calendar app, setting an alarm or chatting with friends online, the ease with which we complete these actions is the result of good design.

The duty of a UX Designer is to see not only the end user, but also the business or brand behind the user experience.

Good Design means Good Business

Designing first-class user experience is absolutely key to ensuring customer satisfaction and building brand loyalty. Only if a product or service is hassle-free and enjoyable will the user want to return. Therefore, UX designers are in a position to truly shape the world around us.