What is UX Design
UX design is all about making things easier and more enjoyable for people when they use websites, apps, or any kind of product. Let's think of it as creating a friendly and smooth journey for someone as they interact with something on their computer, phone, or even a physical device. User Experience, often abbreviated as UX, refers to the sum of all interactions and perceptions that a user has when engaging with a product or service.
UX design encompasses not only the user interface (UI) and visual design but also factors like usability, accessibility, performance, functionality, and the emotional response of the user. UX designers strive to create products that are user-friendly, efficient, enjoyable, and aligned with the user's needs and GOALS.
WHERE DOES UX DESIGN COME FROM?
The term "user experience" was popularized by Don Norman, a cognitive scientist, and designer, in the 1990s. Since then, UX design has grown into a distinct discipline with its methodologies and practices. This brings us to what a good and bad UX look like.
WHAT DO GOOD AND BAD UX LOOK LIKE?
Good UX: Good UX is characterized by intuitive, efficient, and enjoyable products. Users can easily navigate through interfaces, accomplish their tasks without frustration, and feel satisfied. Good UX also considers accessibility, ensuring that all users, including those with disabilities, can use the product effectively.
Bad UX: Bad UX, on the other hand, often leads to user frustration, confusion, and inefficiency. It can result from poorly designed interfaces, unintuitive navigation, slow performance, lack of clear feedback, and other usability issues. Bad UX can discourage users from using a product or service and may lead to negative reviews or decreased customer satisfaction.
WHAT DOES A UX DESIGNER DO?
A good designer uses the UX design process, which is called the UX hard skills. This can generally be divided into four key phases: research, design, testing, and implementation. Carrying out user research, analyzing their findings, defining user personas, mapping out user flows, creating wireframes and prototypes, conducting user testing, and finally, handing the designs over for visual design and development.
There are specialist routes within the UX design field and a great way to look at the specializations of UX design is through the lens of the quadrant model, which groups the field into four main disciplines:
Experience Strategy (EXS)
User Research (UR)
Information Architecture (IA)
Interaction Design (IXD)
A good UX designer also needs soft skills to thrive on the job, these skills include good communication, empathy, and organization. These basic soft skills would help a good designer achieve more goals.
Having said all creating a good UX portfolio is equally important. A UX design portfolio is an online exhibition of a UX designer’s work. It explains the different processes a designer must take to solve a problem. Your UX portfolio aims to demonstrate a process—not just the end result.
Every UX Designer is advised to use a case study. A case study is used to communicate the problem-solving processes used by a UX designer. It’s a logical, easy-to-follow narrative of the processes used by a designer. Case studies are crucial in showing (and telling) potential employers and clients how you think and work as a UX designer.
Here are some key elements of a good UX design portfolio:
A powerful introductory headline
A detailed “About” section
Thorough case studies that detail your process
Images and real artifacts
Contact information and links to any additional projects (e.g. blog or social media)
For beginners in UX design, understanding the foundational concepts and knowledge is essential to start exploring the field. It's crucial to study real-world examples of both good and bad UX to develop a critical eye and learn from others' successes and mistakes. Additionally, gaining hands-on experience through projects and collaborating with experienced UX professionals can help beginners apply these principles and refine their skills.