User Experience: 7 Key Factors

This article, a summary of the Chapter 3 of the document "The Basics of User Experience Design" by Interaction Design Foundation, emphasizes the significance of User Experience (UX) in product success.

User Experience (UX) is crucial for the success of a product in the market. It's important to understand what UX really means. People often confuse UX with usability, which focuses on how easy a product is to use. While usability is a part of UX, it has evolved to include other aspects as well. To deliver successful products that users love, we must consider all aspects of UX.

The seven factors cover various dimensions of user experience, including usability.

By implementing these seven factors within the User Experience Honeycomb, designers can create products that not only meet user needs but also exceed their expectations.

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Let's examine each factor individually and explore its significance in shaping the overall user experience:

1. Useful

If a product isn't helpful to the people it's meant for, why bring it to the market? Without a clear purpose or value, it becomes difficult to compete with other products that meet specific needs.

It's important to remember that "useful" is subjective and can go beyond practical benefits. For example, something can be considered useful if it brings enjoyment or looks nice.

For instance, a computer game or a sculpture can be seen as useful, even if they don't serve a practical purpose in the usual way. In the case of a computer game, a teenager might find it useful to relax and relieve stress after a tough college exam. As for a sculpture, an art gallery visitor may find it useful for learning about the artist's techniques or cultural traditions, gaining spiritual pleasure from the experience.

2. Usable

Usability focuses on making it easy and efficient for users to achieve their goals with a digital product. For example, a computer game that requires three sets of control pads may not be usable because people usually have only two hands.

The 5 characteristics of usable products are: Effectiveness, Efficiency, Engagement, Error Tolerance, Ease of Learning; to learn more about this 5 characteristics go to: link

3. Findable

Findable refers to the concept of making a product easy to locate, including the content within digital or information-based products. The reason behind this is simple: if you can't find what you're looking for in a website, you're likely to give up and leave.

Imagine you're searching for a specific book in a library, but the books are arranged randomly on the shelves without any categorization or organization. It would be incredibly frustrating and time-consuming to locate the book you want. On the other hand, if the library uses a clear system, such as organizing books by genres or authors, finding the desired book becomes much easier and more efficient.

The same principle applies to online shopping. If an e-commerce website doesn't have clear categories or a search function, it can be challenging to find the specific product you're looking for. However, if the website provides filters, sorting options, and a user-friendly search bar, it becomes far more convenient to navigate and discover the desired items.

In both scenarios, the findability of the content is crucial for a smooth and satisfying user experience. By implementing effective organization, labeling, and search capabilities; digital products can ensure that users can easily locate the information or items they need, saving time and enhancing overall usability.

4. Credible

In today's digital era, users have numerous options to choose from in almost every industry. They won't give you a second chance if they feel deceived or if they find a more trustworthy alternative. They can and will leave your product in just a matter of seconds and a few clicks unless you give them a reason to stay.

Credibility is all about building trust with the users. It goes beyond simply delivering a product that performs its intended function. It also involves assuring users that the product will endure for a reasonable amount of time and that the information provided is accurate and suitable for their needs.

If users perceive the product creator as dishonest or having ill intentions, it becomes extremely challenging to deliver a positive user experience. They will swiftly take their business elsewhere, remembering the negative impression left by the creator. Furthermore, they may share their experiences with others, either casually or through intentional feedback, to warn potential customers or protect them from what they see as unfavorable experiences.

Here are some examples of how websites can establish credibility:

1. Clear and Accurate Information: Provide accurate and up-to-date information about your products or services. Avoid exaggerations or misleading claims. Clearly communicate what your offerings are, their features, and how they can benefit the users.
2. Testimonials and Reviews: Include testimonials or reviews from satisfied customers. Displaying authentic feedback and positive experiences helps build trust and reassures new users about the quality and reliability of your products or services.
3. Trust Seals and Certifications: Display trust seals or certifications from recognized authorities or industry organizations. These symbols act as endorsements and indicate that your website has met certain standards, such as security measures or quality assurance.
4. Contact Information and Support: Provide clear contact information, including a physical address, email, and phone number. Make it easy for users to reach out to you with any questions or concerns. Promptly respond to inquiries and provide helpful customer support.
5. Privacy Policy and Data Protection: Clearly outline your privacy policy, detailing how user data is collected, stored, and protected. Assure users that their personal information will be handled responsibly and will not be shared with third parties without their consent.

Remember, establishing credibility is an ongoing process. Regularly update your website with fresh content, maintain good customer relationships, and consistently deliver on your promises to build a strong and credible online presence.

5. Desirable

Skoda and Porsche are both car manufacturers. While both brands have some level of usefulness, usability, findability, accessibility, credibility, and value, Porsche is considered much more desirable than Skoda. This doesn't mean that Skoda is undesirable; they have achieved significant car sales. However, if given the choice between a new Porsche or Skoda for free, most people would opt for the Porsche.

Desirability in design is conveyed through factors such as branding, image, identity, aesthetics, and emotional design. The more desirable a product is, the more likely users who possess it will boast about it and create a sense of desire in others.

Here, we're talking about feelings of envy. While we can acknowledge Skoda's resilience, especially considering their innovative strides and resourcefulness behind the Iron Curtain, we still tend to yearn for the other car—the one that screams "Look at me!"—exuding power and affluence on four wheels.

6. Accesible

Unfortunately, accessibility is often overlooked when it comes to creating user experiences. Accessibility means making sure that all users, including those with disabilities or impairments in hearing, vision, motion, or learning, can easily access and use the product or service.

Some companies mistakenly believe that designing for accessibility is a waste of money because they underestimate the number of people with disabilities. However, according to census data, at least 19% of the population had a disability in 2010, and this number is likely even higher in less developed countries. This means that one out of every five potential users could be excluded from using your product if it's not accessible, representing a significant portion of your market, about 20%!

It's important to remember that designing for accessibility often leads to products that are easier for everyone to use, not just individuals with disabilities. So, by considering accessibility in your user experience, you're not only showing courtesy and decency but also following common sense.

Furthermore, accessible design is now a legal requirement in many jurisdictions, such as the EU. Failure to deliver accessibility in designs can result in fines. Although enforcement of these obligations may still be lacking, the path of progress lies in prioritizing accessibility and ensuring equal access for all users.

Here are some good practices for accessibility in web design and development:

1. Provide alternative text for images
2. Use proper heading structure
3. Ensure keyboard accessibility
4. Provide clear and concise link text
5. Use sufficient color contrast
6. Provide closed captions and transcripts for multimedia
7. Implement proper form validation
8. Ensure responsive design

7. Valuable

Lastly, it is crucial for a product to be valuable. It needs to bring value both to the business producing it and to the users who purchase or use it. Without value, even a product that initially succeeds may gradually lose its appeal as economic realities take their toll.

As designers, we must recognize that value plays a significant role in purchasing choices. A product priced at $100 that solves a problem worth $10,000 is likely to thrive in the market. On the other hand, a product priced at $10,000 that addresses a problem worth only $100 is unlikely to gain traction.

Conclusion

The success of a product goes beyond just being useful and easy to use.

To truly thrive in the market, a product needs to possess several key qualities.

It should be usable, meaning it effectively serves its purpose and allows users to accomplish their goals. It should also be useful, providing practical benefits and addressing the needs of users.In addition, the product should be findable, making it easy for users to locate and discover. It should be accessible, ensuring that users with different abilities can access and interact with it.

Credibility is also crucial, as users need to trust the product and the information it provides.Moreover, the product should deliver value, offering significant benefits to both the business and the users. Lastly, desirability plays a vital role, creating an emotional connection and making users eager to own and experience the product.By embodying these qualities, a product greatly enhances its chances of success in the competitive marketplace.

Bibliography

[1] ‘The Basics of User Experience Design’. Interaction Design Foundation.

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