Discover the sweet spot of user experience design

User experience design goes further than just making 'appealing things'

A User Experience (UX) touches more areas than just designing a digital product or service. For a UX designer, designing a user experience is a visual means of answering a problem or an opportunity. When done right, the user will end up in the middle of the sweet spot of the digital solution. That is of course exactly where you want the user!

What is the sweet spot of UX design? It is a point where the goals of the company, the wishes of the user and the possibilities of technology come together. When these 3 elements are in balance, it will provide value to your business and your marketing strategy will be profitable. What happens if you don't? The user will find another product or service that does. Frank Chimero, designer, illustrator and author based in New York, puts it together in one sentence: “People ignore design that ignores people”. Therefore, users tend to ignore a user experience when it ignores them. It is important that equal attention is given to each element of the diagram below. What does each individual part mean? And how do they together form the golden combination? In this article we zoom in for you.

Business goals

The creative process can only start when your motivations are known. Questions such as who is your target group, what are your goals, why are these your goals, what do you want to radiate are indispensable. Answering these questions is not easy and therefore you certainly do not do it alone. The UX-designer obtains answers to these questions by conducting thorough research. You can think of research such as workshops, brainstorming sessions, interviews, drawing up personas, etc.

The findings of the research forms the basis for making a translation into visual characteristics. It forms, as it were, your unique user experience or it helps you to make your current user experience even better.

User needs

In order to achieve your set goals, it is essential that you listen to your customers, after all, they determine the success of your company. A digital solution is designed for this on the basis of your objectives, but in this process the user is always central. We call this user-centered design. It takes into account the defined target group, how the target group uses your digital solution and under what circumstances it is used. Collecting this data about your current digital solutions, a baseline measurement, is a fundamental first step. In this way you discover your customer intentions and map out your issues, problems or opportunities. The UX designer collects this information based on user interviews, surveys, usability tests and user journey maps.

Technical possibilities

Your business goals have been established, issues or opportunities have been mapped out and you know exactly what the customer's wishes are; all the ingredients are there to design a functional, smart and consistent digital solution. The UX designer gets to work designing a sitemap, user flow, wireframes, prototypes to eventually launch the product. Priorities, deadlines, available budget and resources are determined in collaboration with the customer. This requires a flexible attitude from the designer, depending on these possibilities a user experience is designed.

Despite the new product being launched, the process doesn't stop here! It's a continuous process. You keep asking yourself the question 'does the solution work as expected?' Monitoring user activity, by following data or conducting a usability test, is indispensable to answer this question.

de gouden combinatie

Of course, all roads lead to Rome, but one thing is certain: a successful user experience does justice to your business goals, the wishes of the user and the technical possibilities. When your digital solution ends up at the center of these three elements, you leave an indelible first impression!

The above points are self-evident for our UX designers. Would you like to discover with us where your opportunities lie? Contact Rob and let's meet!