Designing for Experience.

UX design is much more than a passing fad. In fact, it’s actually the opposite. The practice was developed alongside new technologies as a means of keeping your website up-to-date and relevant to your audience. But what exactly does UX design mean and what are some of its basic tenants?

The definition.

UX design is the shorthand way to say user experience design. For websites, this principle is all about ease of use, accessibility, and captivating presentations. User experience design encompasses nearly every aspect of a website, from the overarching architecture to the user interface (UI) itself. UX aims to enhance the discoverability and ease of use of an interface which should ultimately lead for a more enjoyable experience for the end user.

UX designers believe that interactions with everyday things, like websites, should be not only interesting, but enjoyable. The last thing companies want is for people to visit their site only to leave a few moments later because the information they came for wasn’t easily accessible. One of the ways these quick bounce backs can be avoided is through excellent user experience.

A few basic rules.

1. Watch your page load time.

People expect instant results when they access a website. Waiting for elements to load disrupts the experience and frustrates a busy audience. Even a 2 second load time delay makes 87% of people abandon a website.¹

2. Break up your content.

Huge blocks of words are not appealing to anyone. Bulleted or numbered lists, short sentences, pictures, etc. all help to provide a visual break to your audience. That break could make the difference of people staying on your site or leaving.

3. Don’t be afraid of white space.

Not every piece of your website has to have your branding, advertising, or product or service on it. In fact, letting your content breathe often increases user attention by making your writing more legible.

4. Pictures are worth a thousand words.

The old saying holds true here. Images make people stop and think. They give life to words and help people to use their imaginations. However, not all pictures are equal in value. Choose your images wisely. A photo of your team is going to be received better than an overused stock photo or illustration.

5. Responsive design isn’t really an option.

People expect that they can access web content on phones, tablets, laptops, and other devices. Creating a website that only performs correctly on a desktop computer alienates potential customers.

6. Content matters.

Make quality content a priority. Your audience cares about whether or not your website is logical, well-written, and engaging.

While UX does indeed cover everything above, it is much more than this list. UX design covers a broad range of aspects that impact the usability of your product.

If you would like to learn how great UX design can be incorporated into a new website design, please check out our free e-book, “An Introduction to Growth-Driven Design.” This e-book walks through some of the pitfalls of traditional website design in order to find a better way to create websites.

¹ http://blog.radware.com/applicationdelivery/applicationaccelerationoptimization/2013/05/case-study-page-load-time-conversions/