User experience design - Simple English Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

User experience design (UXD, UED, or XD) is the activity to support user behavior through usability, usefulness, and desirability by the interaction with a product.[1][2]

Experience design (XD) is the practice of designing products, processes, services, events, etc. with a focus on the quality of the user experience and relevant solutions.[3] Its main purpose is to develop the experience of a product, service, or event by several dimensions:[4]

  • Duration
  • Intensity
  • Breadth
  • Interaction (passive ↔ active ↔ interactive)
  • Triggers
  • Significance

Research

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Research is the first and most important element.[5] It helps to understand the user, identify the application's purpose, and recognize target audience's needs, goals, and mental models.

Visual design

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Visual design (graphic design, user interface design) shows the aesthetics or general look of any user interface. The purpose is to make a message to its audience using colors, images, and symbols.

Information architecture

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Information architecture is the science of structuring and organizing the information in products and services to support usability and findability.[6] It includes information about objects, metadata, page structure and navigation.[7]

Interaction design

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It is a kind of interaction between users and products.[8] Nowadays interaction designers are involved in creating contextual interfaces.[9]

Usability

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It shows how the product can be used by some users with effectiveness and satisfaction in a specified context of use.[10]

Accessibility

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Accessibility of a system shows if it is easy and clear to use and understand it, often it refers to the ease of use for people with disabilities and is connected with usability.[11] According to the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), all content must follow the four main principles of POUR: Perceivable, Operable, Understandable, and Robust.[12]

Human–computer interaction

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Human–computer interaction mostly refers to the design, evaluation, and implementation of interactive computing systems for people's use.[13] It is a 3-in-1 process that combines research and getting ready to design, design and testing.[14][15][16]

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User Experience Design is not a standalone concept - it entails its relation with other design concepts such as UI, CX & SD.

User Interface (UI) Design covers the design aspects of an interface like the colours, buttons, typography, spacing, images, and more. They bring aesthetic value to a digital product and must be reflective of the brand. Imagine the HSBC logo in a handwriting font.

Customer Experience (CX) Design is the sum of what a customer thinks, feels, sees, hears, and does regarding your brand. From the first touchpoint of scrolling on your brand’s ad on social media to being a loyal customer. Tailored CX Design will ensure that your brand is customer-oriented, elevating the experience. Duolingo is a great example.

Service Design (SD) is the backstage of every product/service. The synergic collaboration between the brand, the employees and the customers focuses on the 3P’s of Services – People, Physical Evidence and Processes. SD arranges the policies, technology, systems and infrastructure to present the front stage to the audience, i.e., products, interfaces, and touchpoints.

References

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  1. Eyal, Nir (2014-11-04). Hooked: How to Build Habit-Forming Products. Penguin. ISBN 978-0-698-19066-5.
  2. Schmidt, Aaron; Amanda Etches (2014). Useful, Usable, Desirable: Applying User Experience Design.
  3. Aarts, Emile H. L.; Stefano Marzano (2003). The New Everyday: Views on Ambient Intelligence. 010 Publishers. p. 46. ISBN 978-90-6450-502-7.
  4. Steve Diller, Nathan Shedroff, Darrel Rhea (2005): Making Meaning: How Successful Businesses Deliver Meaningful Customer Experiences. New Riders Press ISBN 0-321-37409-6.
  5. "Research is critical to UX". www.lollypop.design. Archived from the original on 2022-12-01. Retrieved 2021-04-01.
  6. "Information Architecture Institute (2013), What is IA? (PDF)" (PDF).
  7. "Efficiently Simplifying Navigation, Part 1: Information Architecture". Smashing Magazine. 2013-12-03. Retrieved 2021-04-01.
  8. Siang, Teo Yu. "What is Interaction Design?". The Interaction Design Foundation. Retrieved 2021-04-01.
  9. Interaction Design - brief intro.
  10. usabiliTEST. "Usability testing: Card Sorting, Prioritization Matrix & SUS". www.usabilitest.com. Archived from the original on 2021-03-23. Retrieved 2021-04-01.
  11. "The Fundamentals of Great UX - Host1Plus Blog". 2015-07-06. Archived from the original on 2015-07-06. Retrieved 2021-04-01.
  12. "What is Accessibility?". The Interaction Design Foundation. Retrieved 2021-04-01.
  13. ""Curricula for Human-Computer Interaction, Chapter 2. Definition and Overview of Human-Computer Interaction". ACM SIGCHI. Retrieved 2015-06-18". Archived from the original on 2014-08-17. Retrieved 2021-04-01.
  14. Cooper, Alan; Reimann, Robert; Cronin, David; Noessel, Christopher (2014). About Face: The Essentials of Interaction Design (4th ed.). Wiley. p. 131. ISBN 978-1-118-76657-6.
  15. "Beyond Wireframing: The Real-Life UX Design Process". Smashing Magazine. 2012-08-29. Retrieved 2021-04-01.
  16. Cooper, Alan; Reimann, Robert; Cronin, David; Noessel, Christopher (2014). About Face: The Essentials of Interaction Design. Wiley. p. 140. ISBN 978-1-118-76657-6.