A Beginner’s Guide to User Experience (UX)

Imagine you’re at a symphony concert. There’s a breathtaking orchestra, each musician a virtuoso in their instrument. However, despite the immense talent that each member of the orchestra has, their collective performance would not be breathtaking without a conductor.

Good design is a lot like this symphony.

When you’re attending a concert, you’re not consciously paying attention to every violin stroke or every flick of the conductor’s wrists. You’re so immersed in the overall experience that you can’t focus on anything else.

In this analogy, the musicians are the many cogs that create a digital product. The conductor is the design philosophy used to create that product. When things work seamlessly, the results are breathtaking. You create something that people return to over and over again.

However, if one of the musicians make a mistake, it can ruin the entire symphony. Even if the rest of the evening goes as planned, the audience will remember the error for a long time.

Bad design is also a lot like this symphony.

Great design is invisible. Poor design sticks out like a sore thumb.

User experience (UX) and user interface (UI) are fundamental to good digital design. UX is like sheet music for the symphony: it’s broad and directs how the composition should flow. UI represents the individual notes: it’s specific and directs what makes the composition unique.

Together, UX, UI, and designers create a harmonious experience that the audience wants to return to.

Like an orchestra, good design is a multi-sensory experience. Different parts come together to create something that is greater than the sum of its parts.

This blog takes a deep dive into UX and how it is related to good design.

What is UX?

We often confuse UX to be a strictly digital term. That’s not true. It’s just that the use of the term “UX” became popular ever since the tech industry took off, which was around the time the term was coined.

In reality, UX is a lot broader than that. UX influences our decisions in ways we’re not always aware of.

UX is the reason we go to restaurants when we don’t feel like cooking. It’s not just about delicious food, but also about the atmosphere, the music and great service.

UX is also the reason why all of Google's products tend to look and feel very similar to each other, even when they perform completely different functions.

UX is the reason why most supermarkets have a very similar layout. Even if it’s your first time in a certain store, UX is the reason it doesn’t take you long to find out where the vegetables are.

What do all these reasons have in common?

Convenience.

Google provides a diverse range of products that perform different functions, but have a similar user experience.

UX is all about creating an experience that the user enjoys.

In the digital world, UX is about three things.

Technical perfection

A well-designed digital product works very well technically. There is no stone left unturned in terms of the product’s ability to complete the tasks it is designed to perform.

Intuitive experience

Good UX focuses on simplicity and ensuring that the user can both perform tasks with minimal effort, and also easily find information they’re looking for.

Understanding user needs

Good UX understands the user’s needs, expectations and problems. The product is the end by which the user resolves their problems, but good UX is the means by which they get to that stage.

UX goes beyond the digital interface. It also consists of the customer journey, including aspects such as customer service, product delivery, after-sales support, and how easy it is to find information about your company and its products. The little things matter most, and in a well-designed product, they add up.

Apple is a very successful company for many reasons, but UX may be one of the most important. Apple’s focus on sleek, minimalist and intuitive design means that their customers will keep purchasing from them even if their products cost much more than competitors’.

Apple is a shining example of the power of good design. It’s living proof that customers are willing to pay top dollar for a smooth user experience.

The best products in the world make it easy for their users to keep returning to them. Similarly, the best businesses in the world make it easy for their customers to keep buying from them.

Apples focus on smooth, sleek, minimalist design and UX created a brand of lifelong customers.

Good UX is not just about ease of use. It’s about how you make your customers feel.

Components of UX

UX has several components that work in harmony to create a wonderful experience. Let’s take a look at some of the most important components below. For the ease of the reader, the examples I use aren’t limited to digital products, but things we use in our everyday lives.

Usability

Usability is the backbone of a good user experience. Even if a product is beautiful, users will abandon if they don’t find it functional. Usability is about designing the product in such a way that it’s easy to use and accomplish tasks, reducing the learning curve for new users.

Example of good usability: Even for first-time users, a microwave oven is an example of good usability due to efficient heating, simple controls and settings and clear feedback (beeps after the food is heated)

Example of poor usability: Many washing machines have unclear instructions on their settings. This can result in a frustrating experience for users who often just put their clothes on a random setting and hope for the best.

The confusing settings on a washing machine are a source of frustration for many users.

Utility

Utility refers to the functionality of the product. Does it solve the problem it proposes to solve without creating additional problems? Does it provide value to the end user? A product with high utility often provides a better user experience.

Example of high utility: Google Maps not only provide users with clear directions to their destination, but also gives updates on live traffic, accidents and shorter routes, making it extremely valuable for users.

Example of low utility: Nokia’s N-Gage was the company’s attempt at a portable gaming device (like the PSP and Nintendo Switch). However, it failed because it had very few titles available to play, provided a poor user experience, was clunky, and looked awful.

Nokia's N-Gage failed to take off due to limited functionality, poor design and a lack of titles.

Performance

Performance is self-explanatory. Users have little patience for a poorly performing product, even if it’s useful for them. In the digital world, good performance includes fast load times, smooth transitions and efficient use of resources.

Example of high performance: Amazon’s website is slick, quick and efficient. Images are clear, pages load quickly, and the checkout process is smooth.

Example of low performance: An Indian government website is often prone to crashes, and makes it difficult for users to find any information on their website.

An Indian government website, cluttered with information and a poorly designed color combination.

Design/Aesthetics

Visual design plays a significant role in UX. Aesthetically pleasing interfaces can enhance the user experience by creating a positive first impression and making the interface pleasing to interact with.

Example of good design: Google’s search landing page is minimally designed, aesthetically pleasing and has subtle cues that guide the user into performing a desired action.

Example of poor design: While the platform has an established aesthetic, Netflix’s autoplay feature is an example of poor design. Every time a user hovers their mouse on the thumbnail of a show or movie, a preview starts playing automatically. This is often undesirable and makes it impossible to learn more about a show until you watch an intrusive video that's likely to put you off the show.

Netflix's autoplay feature is deeply unpopular due to its intrusive nature and the inability for users to turn it off.

Human Interaction

A good UX designer has a solid understanding of HCI (human computer interaction). This includes understanding user behavior, emotions, and preferences. Human-friendly design creates a product that’s natural, engaging and intuitive to use.

Good example of human interaction: Based on your listening habits, Spotify creates personalized playlists and makes it easy for you to share music with your friends.

Poor example of human interaction: Many ATMs give you your cash before ejecting your card. As a result, there's a chance that they take the money, but forget to take their cards.

This increases the odds that people’s cards get lost, misplaced, or worse; misused.

ATMs that eject cards only after the money has been withdrawn increases the risk of theft and misuse.

Good Design is Invisible

Whether you’re designing a digital interface, a physical product, or even a service, a good UX plays a central role in your success. UX is about much more than aesthetics and usability. It’s ultimately about creating an experience that users derive value from and feel good about.

From usability to accessibility, every component of UX plays a crucial role. Your product’s user experience is the most crucial aspect in its success. Even the most common experiences, such as your choice of restaurants, smartphones, and supermarkets are guided by the positive user experience you received while engaging with them.

The most fundamental rule of designing a smooth user experience?

Good UX is invisible.

When everything works as it should, users don’t notice it. That’s how you know your product is designed well.

However, a poor user experience is the ultimate deal-breaker for any prospective customer. Good design fits in seamlessly. Poor design is a call-to-action (CTA) to abandon your product.

In our next blog post, we'll take a deeper dive into User Experience in the context of digital products and services. Stay tuned!