When it comes to developing services, programs or applications for users, it is natural that professionals seek to create the best experience based on some principles, such as ease of navigation, simplified interface and a pleasant design. This set of tasks is based on a number of factors. One of the main ones is the call User Experience, Or just UX.
The term UX (User Experience, in English) gained popularity in the early 1990s by Donald Norman, an electrical engineer who at the time was vice president of Apple's technology research group. The executive renamed all positions in the sector as User Experience Achitect Group and, since then, companies have used the term to highlight the importance of thinking and improving all aspects of human interaction with any type of system, product or service.
Donald Norman himself has a video explaining the term UX:
But after all, what UX?
UX everything that involves how someone interacts with products, services and elements of a given interface. The easier, more dynamic and intuitive this practice is, the more efficient and satisfying the user experience will be. Therefore, the focus is always to prioritize the user's perspective when using any product, service or browsing an internet page.
When buying a cell phone, for example, you certainly want to be easier to use all the tools available on the device – from the operating system to camera and performance functions, in addition to the physical part, such as comfort when holding the device. Taking this experience into account, companies have feedback on what to improve on next versions of that product or service, and may or may not launch updates in real time, depending on demand.
UX in the digital environment
Necessarily, the User Experience is not linked only to digital products. Anything you buy or use can generate results from how satisfying your experience with that item was. And the “user” for you is anyone who will interact and use something.
But speaking specifically of websites, products and software, UX is a fundamental part of success because it covers several areas, not just design and development. When opening a website, everything is taken into account: the time it takes the page to load, if there is a broken link, if the images are positioned in a disorderly manner, and an infinity of other elements. It is normal for companies to work on this experience months before officially launching the product on the market, so as to prevent users from encountering bugs.
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During this process, professionals also often collect crucial information that helps in the development of UX. These include data collection on the product or service in production, benchmarking tests, feedback from the team working on the project and interviews with users and real customers of the future product.
The importance of UX
Perhaps the most cohesive definition of the importance of UX is: "UX is important because it puts the user's perspective as the backbone of any flow of experience, be it a buying process, information exchange or testing". When working on a more personalized experience, the more people are interested in using the product, and the more susceptible they are to praise, report malfunctions and publicize the service to other users.
Obviously, studying, analyzing and understanding the user experience are part of a constant work that is constantly evolving. But the main focus is to make the user feel good at all times during the use experience. As a result, sales and resource savings increase, which can generate customer loyalty and engagement.
Where to start with UX?
Professionals from different areas can work in the UX field. The most common ones to adopt it are the designers, who can be involved in all the stages of the UX process or only in a single stage. Therefore, it is normal for other professions to enter this market – from journalists to researchers.
In the Brazilian market, it is common for UX Designer to work at all stages in the development of a product or service. Having extensive knowledge in all stages is fundamental, but it is highly recommended to specialize in only one of the stages, as this can be a differential in the curriculum. In addition, understand that the problem must be solved from the perspective of the user or customer. Have essential empathy.
UX course at IT Trends Network
THE IT Trends Network own the online course UX – Working with Web Projects. Produced by Impacta, ideal for those who want to specialize in working with UX (User Experience) and prototyping to create applications and Web pages. a website project, participating from the diagram to the interaction between pages and objects.
Sources: Orgnica Digital, Hostinger, Chocola Design, Weblink, Gabriel Silvestri
