What is User Experience Design?

Gone are the days when web surfers were impressed with websites that featured yellow text on black backgrounds. Today, people expect a sophisticated experience, which is why sites are becoming increasingly complex. One of the key components in this new age of rich, interactive websites is a concept called user experience design. But what exactly is this new-fangled art? And why should it be on the radar of every business with a website? Read on as we explore user experience and why it matters:

What is user experience?
As the name suggests, user experience (or UX as web buffs refer to it) is all about how a person feels as they interact with a system. The word ‘system’ encompasses an array of different platforms, from websites and applications to desktop software. Fun fact for you tech nerds out there – the term “user experience” was coined by a cognitive science researcher named Dr. Donald Norman.

The art of UX 
Websites don’t just have a killer UX; it doesn’t happen by accident. UX Web Designers train for years in the art of building sites that delivery one hell of an impression. These experts meticulously study how users feel about the systems they create, factoring in elements such as ease of use, intuitivism, value perceptions, utility, efficiency and more. They’ll also consider the sub-systems and processes that exist within a system. For example, they might analyse the entire checkout process of an ecommerce site to determine just how dandy the experience is for shoppers.

Why does it matter?
By this point you can probably guess that UX design is important as it deals with the needs, wants and overall satisfaction levels of browsers. Sure, that’s the simple explanation but the reality is that the user experience is a wildly important factor that can make or break a business. Still not convinced? Here’s some crazy statistics that you won’t be able to ignore.

• Mobile users are five times more likely to bail on a site if it’s not optimised for mobile. Hence mobile compatibility is a must!
• 67.89% of online shoppers abandon their carts, with many simply frustrated by a bad user experience.
• 88% of online customers are unlikely to return to a site after a bad experience

Building bad ass websites

So what UX design elements make a website stand out from the crowd? Here are a few of our favourites:

• Users should be able to flow seamlessly through a site
• Storytelling should be used to engage the emotions of a user
• Design patterns should be developed exclusively for each individual project
• Web data should be used to develop user personas and profiles that can be used to tailor content

Are you ready to go UX?
Does your website have high bounce rates and low session durations? If yes, user experience design services could be the ideal solution. Get in touch with the team at Bing Digital today to find out how your website can benefit from UX. We treat every client like they’re our only client and can meet you face-to-face as often as you like. What are you waiting for? Request your no-obligation quotation today!