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User experience (UX) design is an integral part of any successful digital product. It lays the groundwork for creating a product that is user-centric, intuitive, and engaging, which in turn can lead to increased user satisfaction, retention, and revenue. Without a solid UX design process that considers user needs, behaviour, and preferences, a digital product may struggle to attract and retain users and may fail in the competitive digital landscape. A seamless user experience not only creates a favourable brand impression but also contributes to improving customer engagement and conversions.
In 2023, UX design will continue to evolve and grow. Let’s take a look at some of the most impactful UX approaches to consider.
Continuous research
Continuous research is a powerful tool that can help organisations ensure an ongoing positive user experience. This approach differs from traditional research in several ways:
As the name suggests, continuous research is an ongoing process, as opposed to traditional research, which is often conducted periodically to gather specific information.
Rather than seeking answers to specific questions, continuous research takes a more open approach that allows participants to provide candid feedback instead of simply ticking pre-designed boxes.
Unlike traditional UX research, continuous research facilitates deeper insights and helps reveal underlying causes to create user-friendly products.
In the digital product development process, continuous feedback is essential for effective decision-making, as it provides valuable insights into what works and what does not. To establish a feedback loop, starting small with weekly research activities can be beneficial. This frequency enables a broader group of stakeholders to act on feedback, promoting flexibility and productivity. By leveraging regular feedback, digital products can evolve and adapt to user needs and preferences, resulting in a better user experience and a higher chance of success in the marketplace.
Inclusive design and accessibility
Inclusive design and accessibility are critical elements of UX design, ensuring that digital products are usable and welcoming to all users. While accessibility has been a standard feature of UX design for many years, it is becoming increasingly clear that basic levels of accessibility incorporated in many digital products are not sufficient. Changes are necessary to make them more inclusive, promoting equal access to information and services. Therefore, it is crucial to prioritise inclusive design and accessibility, considering diverse user needs, abilities, and preferences.
How can we design digital products that are more inclusive and accessible?
Seek the perspectives of a diverse range of individuals during the design process: by incorporating input from individuals with diverse backgrounds, experiences, and abilities, UX designers can ensure that the product meets a variety of user needs.
Recognise and address any unconscious bias that may exist in the design process: this includes taking proactive steps to avoid making assumptions about user preferences or capabilities and ensuring that the product does not exclude or alienate any group of users.
Employ design elements such as dark mode and scalable font sizes to cater to users with visual impairments: these adjustments can make a significant difference in improving the usability and accessibility of a product for users with specific needs.
In addition to the ethical imperative of creating services that are accessible to all users, ensuring inclusivity and accessibility can also have significant business benefits. When users feel that their needs are being heard and met, they are more likely to engage with a product and become loyal to the brand. Furthermore, inclusivity and accessibility laws are enforced in most global regions, and failing to meet legal requirements can result in accusations of discrimination, legal action, and reputational damage.
Co-design
Co-design is a methodology where users, stakeholders and designers have an equal voice in the design process. This approach involves the design team collaborating regularly with stakeholders throughout the design process, with the final decision-making authority resting with the design team.
A prominent advantage of adopting co-design is the demonstration of a business’s unwavering commitment to serving all users. By involving users and stakeholders in the design process, businesses can showcase that they are actively listening to their needs and concerns, fostering increased customer loyalty and a positive reputation for the brand.
Moreover, co-design can serve as a tool for saving time and resources by reducing the need for time-consuming modifications to the final product. Early involvement of stakeholders in the design process enables businesses to identify and address potential issues promptly, resulting in a more efficient and streamlined design process.
There are many ways to involve stakeholders, for example:
Organise frequent workshops, focus groups, and surveys to gather valuable feedback and insights.
Recruit representatives from the target groups to become part of the design team, giving them a significant role in shaping the entire process.
By embracing such inclusive practices, businesses can improve the quality and relevance of their products and services, as well as foster a deeper connection with their stakeholders.
Design systems
Maintaining a consistent brand persona across all facets of an organisation can be a challenging process. While sharing assets like fonts, colour palettes, and logos between teams can help create a cohesive visual identity, achieving a truly recognisable and consistent presence requires a more systematic approach. That is where a design system comes in.
A design system is a collection of reusable components, guidelines, and principles that define how a brand is expressed across all digital platforms. It provides a framework for creating and maintaining a consistent visual and user experience, ensuring that all digital products and platforms align with the brand’s values and identity. By using a design system, teams can streamline their design and development processes, reduce errors and inconsistencies, and ensure that their brand is effectively communicated to users.
Creating a design system is a customised process that depends on several factors, such as the size of the organisation, the platforms used, the brand’s nature, and the desired level of consistency. As such, the creation of a design system can vary significantly from one organisation to another.
Despite the custom nature of creating a design system, using one can provide numerous benefits. For instance, a design system can enable faster updates, increase brand recognition, enhance user familiarity, and reduce the time spent on platform maintenance. By establishing a consistent and recognisable visual identity, a design system can help digital products feel more cohesive, intuitive, and trustworthy to users.
Cross-device experience
In today’s digital landscape, users frequently switch between devices throughout the day, making it critical to create a seamless cross-device experience. Studies show that approximately 57% of users switch between devices daily, highlighting the importance of delivering a consistent and intuitive experience across all platforms. If you want to provide a smooth and uninterrupted experience for users across different devices, here are some strategies to consider:
Implement responsive design techniques to ensure that your website or app can adapt to various screen sizes and device types.
Create a design system to standardise your design components across all devices, making it easier to maintain consistency and ensure compatibility.
Use cloud-based data storage solutions to ensure that data is synchronised across devices, allowing users to access the same data from any device.
Allow synchronisation between devices to ensure that users can start an activity on one device and continue it on another without losing progress.
A seamless cross-device experience offers numerous benefits, including increased accessibility, improved user satisfaction, enhanced brand loyalty, an expanded customer base, and increased conversions.
With cross-device compatibility, users can access your digital product on any device they choose, making it more accessible to a broader audience. When users can seamlessly move between devices without interruption or difficulty, it improves their overall satisfaction with the product and reduces frustration. This, in turn, can increase brand loyalty as users are more likely to return to a product that meets their needs on any device they choose.
Green user experience (UX) design
Green UX design focuses on striking a balance between providing the optimal user experience and minimising the ecological footprint of digital products.
Everything found on the Internet is stored in data centres located around the world, and an average data centre consumes the same amount of energy as 50,000 homes in the US. By designing digital products that aim to store and transfer less data, we can make a positive impact towards reducing CO2 levels.
Designing for sustainability involves various strategies, such as:
Choose a sustainable hosting provider: data centres located in cooler climates tend to consume less energy, while some centres run on renewable energy sources. Opting for such providers can significantly reduce the carbon footprint of a digital product.
Limit the amount of data stored: images can be optimised to the minimum resolution required and encoded in storage formats.
Employ dark mode: dark screens use less energy than light ones and can reduce eye strain for some users. Making dark mode the default can help reduce energy consumption.
Disable autoplay: videos set to play automatically can increase data transfer even if the user is not watching them. Removing autoplay can help minimise unnecessary data transfers.
Adopting a green design approach to user experience can have multiple benefits, not just for the environment, but for businesses as well. For example, streamlined webpages can be more visually appealing to users and result in faster loading times.
Furthermore, showing a commitment to sustainability can establish a company as an ethical leader and enhance its reputation as a responsible organisation. This can strengthen brand loyalty and appeal to customers who prioritise sustainability when making purchasing decisions.
By enhancing the intuitiveness, user-friendliness, and effectiveness of a product, UX design plays a crucial role in improving customer satisfaction, fostering loyalty, and driving revenue growth.
Adrenalin is a leading digital product and technology agency for Australia’s top brands and organisations. Stay informed about the latest digital product trends, strategies, and tactics by subscribing to the Adrenalin newsletter below.
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