UX is a term that a lot of people are familiar with when it comes to developing a website. But a lot of people also shrug it off without fully understanding what it is. In case you’re unaware, UX refers to the user experience. People who do know this often leave it at that. After all, any designer is trying to keep the user experience in mind, right?
Well, not exactly. A lot of rookie web designers are often found to have been designing with their own desires in mind. Any web designer or developer worth their salt has a deep understanding of UX as a discipline. They know the intricacies of the psychology of your average browser of the Internet. Here are a few things to keep in mind about user experience on business websites.
Wkimedia
Find out what works – and what doesn’t
How have we come to understand so much about user experience? And why has it become such an important discipline in web design? We know that it’s about finding out what has delighted Internet users – and finding out what’s turned them off.
This isn’t always the result of trial and error. Many businesses will upload a new version of their website, leave it a couple of months, then makes changes based on the results. But if UX had been perfected with this method, we’d probably still be a few years behind the solutions! A smart business will work with an AB testing agency to find out what works before committing an update.
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Templates: good or bad?
One of the most interesting things about the way the Internet has evolved is in its use of templates. We usually associate the term template, in any context, with laziness or cheapness. But really good templates are the result of trial and error over the course of several years. In the realm of the Internet, such trial and error has been occurring over decades.
But most websites actually use very similar templates. The most popular content management systems account for the vast majority of popular websites. WordPress, Drupal, Blogger, and even things like Tumblr or Instagram, have all contributed to this. Over the years, these templates have been perfected. Many web designers might balk at the use of templates. But you definitely shouldn’t be afraid to use any of these. But understanding what’s pleasurable within these templates isn’t as commodified as the templates themselves.
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Mobile browsing and its problems
When we talk about web design and mobile technology, we often talk about the importance of mobile websites. This should lead us to more complex discussions of the ways in which the average user is browsing the web. (As well as how they’re interactive with commercial businesses!) But that conversation doesn’t tend to happen. We jump immediately to the problem of making a website mobile-friendly. And while that’s important, it doesn’t quite solve all your problems.
The fact is that people are browsing websites on mobile phones because it’s quick and convenient. But is it enjoyable? When was the last time you enjoyed using a mobile website? Here’s the fact that a lot of web developers and business owners tend to overlook: no-one actually likes mobile websites. No matter how nice you make them fit on a small screen, they’re cumbersome and uncomfortable. This is why you should be looking into app development as well as a mobile website.