Each time you are planning on developing a new product or service, creating a new app, or updating a website, there is a question that will almost definitely come up: is UX design worth it?
Product and web development is a process that relies on many different factors to produce a result that will benefit your business – so it’s understandable that many companies feel that adding UX design to the mix is just a waste of time and resources.
It’s actually quite the opposite. There are many reasons why UX design is worth it, one of them being helping you avoid spending time and money unnecessarily on issues that could have been fixed before going to market.
Read on and find out more about why UX design is worth your while!
Is UX design worth it? What is a good user experience?
One of the most convincing reasons why UX design is worth it for your business is that it can provide many services to directly support your current goals – whether you’re looking for more contact forms being filled out or increased sales, a good user experience is one of the most straightforward ways to increase your conversion rate.
So, what makes a good user experience?
Designing a user experience means focusing on how your users interact with a product or a service. On a website or an app, this means every clickable option is part of UX design. The main goal of a good user experience is always the same – increasing customer satisfaction through a seamless, enjoyable, frustration-free experience.
No business can thrive without having satisfied customers, which is one of the main reasons why UX design is worth it. UX designers always keep your users in mind when helping you develop a new digital platform – their needs, fears, and expectations, and then work accordingly to create a user experience that caters to your target audience.
To make it even clearer why UX design is worth it, keep in mind that this is a win-win scenario. UX design isn’t just about doing everything you can in favour of your users – increased customer satisfaction plays a huge role in reducing bounce rates and strengthening customer loyalty. If your users are satisfied, they are much less likely to look for other options online and keep using your website or app the next time they need the services you can provide.
In other words: UX design is worth it because it helps you convert visitors into repeat buyers!
Why UX design is worth it – How to create a quality user experience
Now that you know why UX design is worth it – how can UX designers create a quality user experience that benefits both you and your customers?
Just to be clear: just like in online marketing, there is no “holy grail”, no universal solution in UX design that will work for every company. While there are certain basic golden standards on what makes the user experience of a website satisfactory – such as fast loading times – users may differ in their searching and buying habits.
This is why UX designers provide services that also serve to bring you more information about YOUR target audience. The more information you have before going to market, the better the user experience you can create.
Depending on the type of products you offer, the size of your company, and the current state of your development process, there are several services that UX designers can provide you with. This of course includes technical tasks like web development and user interface design, but also more holistic ones like full-scale project management to help you with the timing of your business goals, and what you need to do to achieve them.
Other UX research-oriented services that are worth checking out if you want to learn more about your users:
- Qualitative and quantitative research methods: large scale user surveys, user interviews focusing on smaller groups, or incorporating the Kano model of customer satisfaction to discover what areas you should focus on (and which ones you should avoid) to meet the needs of your users
- User personas: using available data about your target audience to create semi-fictional representations of your ideal customers. Segmentation is marketing 101 – identifying key groups of relevant potential customers, and targeting them with the appropriate methods.
- Planning customer journeys: this essentially means analyzing how your users navigate your app or website and then working on guiding them towards the areas that drive your conversions – such as your contact page or putting products in their basket.
- User testing: filtering out errors before going live, collecting observations from your users, and testing alternative versions of your interface to see which one your users like more.
To sum up, there are many reasons why UX design is worth it. It helps you acquire new customers and improve loyalty, while simultaneously helping you filter out unnecessary errors and tasks that would be a waste of resources. If you’re looking to grow your business, you shouldn’t overlook the potential benefits of UX design!