UX 101 - Top 5 questions from Leaders and Managers

Technology standards evolve in what feels like the blink of an eye. Because we spend a significant part of our lives immersed in websites and software applications, the intimacy we’ve developed with our technology has led to an organic progression in expectations and improvements. The kind of digital experiences that left us in awe just five years ago now seem commonplace. However, many companies are behind and are struggling to improve how their customers interface with their businesses.

 The field of expertise in question is called User Experience (UX). UX is a discipline in the design field focused on making software, user interfaces, and processes more enjoyable and efficient to utilize. If you’re reading this article, you’ve most likely heard the name or maybe have some experience with UX. Perhaps you have identified a need to redesign an application or make some piece of software or web functionality more user-friendly. Thankfully, your instinct to update is on par with sound business practices, as those who do not adapt do not thrive. It is, for lack of a better term, Digital Darwinism.  

Forbes estimates that companies focused on customer experiences are 60% more profitable than those not.[1] 

Even the Federal government is moving in this direction. On December 13, 2021, an Executive Order was passed to transform the customer experience of American citizens.  It called for the use of technology to modernize Government and implement services that are simple to use, accessible, equitable, protective, transparent, and responsive for all people of the United States.[2] So, what do you need to know to follow suit?

This article will cover the most common questions surrounding UX to help grow your understanding and aid in any decision you may face regarding your efforts. It should be noted that throughout this article, I will repeatedly reference “software.” By doing so, I’m referring to any application residing on a desktop, laptop, mobile, kiosk, or any user interface used to control functionality. This may be an interface at a self-checkout grocery counter or a new mobile application. It may be an in-car touch screen dashboard or your corporate portal.  Therefore, I use “software” to denote any application users may interact with to view information or complete a task.   

What makes UX design different from User Interface (UI) design?

It would not be uncommon to hear UX and UI used interchangeably. There are, however, distinct differences that set them apart from one another when it comes to software and web design.  UX focuses on how users interact with software, their steps to progress throughout it, and what features might improve its ease of use. On the other hand, UI considers a software’s visual aspects, interactive elements, appropriate color combinations, etc. Think of it like building a house; everything from the blueprint to the studs is your UX; the aesthetics of the finished edifice would be your UI.  While one is not the other, both are critical to see a project to full completion and improve the customer experience.

Why should you care about UX?

When your project transitions from conceptualization to materialization, you should care about the UX. There is an excellent reason why you saw the word “experience” repeatedly used throughout this article. The experience of your project (from a user perspective) can either make or break its chance at success. Your users must feel like their interactions with your software were designed with them in mind. It should create a feeling of comfortability, if not outright enjoyment. The users won’t know this, but from the moment they land inside your software/application, their entire journey will have been meticulously planned, their potential hiccups averted, and their destination converted to your success. That is UX.

At what point should you bring UX to your project?

Whether your current needs lie in a new software product or a redesign, bringing a UX expert in early in the design process can help move you towards a better outcome.  Regardless of when you bring in UX support, the critical thing is to include the skill set on your project. However, the most advantageous time to bring in a professional is early on in the project lifecycle. 

  On some projects, the design team has their own phase where they perform Design Sprints and deploy other techniques to learn, prototype, and test designs before development engagement. On many projects, this may not be practical given timeframes and budget. This leads to an “embedded” model where UX practitioners are part of the development team and help elicit and design parallel with development efforts.  There is no single correct approach; however, the earlier designers are involved, the better.

What should you look for when bringing UX expertise on your project?

The niche of creating enhanced, web-based user experiences has created a booming industry of its own – and with good reason, too! When you start to create or update your UX, you will face certain choices. For example: Should you use a consultant or a UX staffing provider? Every business’ needs are different, and while I can’t officially advise you without knowing your situation, I will share my thoughts on both avenues of UX development.  

Staffing agencies for UX designers focus on the speed of acquiring talent and cost. However, speed is relative if finding the right skillset drags on, which is sometimes the case when engaging staffing firms.  Utilizing a design consultancy specialized in UX has an advantage over staffing firms because they typically bring a strong focus on business practices and subject matter expertise. A consultant should offer a third-party perspective on the project from a “business fundamentals” standpoint. 

From a cost perspective, staffing agencies will likely utilize a smaller portion of your design budget than a constancy firm would, but beware of the tradeoffs. Staffing recruiters – often not UX professionals– can struggle with a firm understanding of UX talent and design practices. Therefore, the skillsets required to thoroughly understand your business and the project at hand may more likely be attained by placing your trust in a UX consulting firm. 

Consulting professionals can step back and assess the project holistically and logically. They will sit down with you and offer insight on where potential hurdles may arise and how to fix them. They will also guide your project blueprint by providing you with advice on improving your software product and using it to catapult your business further as a result. Think of them as your UX business mentors. Even if you have designers on staff, consultants are still fantastic resources to guide your team to implement this newly planned, business-forward UX strategy. The cost for these qualified individuals may be higher, but many consulting companies may be willing to offer reduced rates for longer-term projects. 

What are typical deliverables that UX experts create?

In its simplest form, many UX designers follow a sequence that includes User Research, Prototyping/mock-ups, and Usability testing. Research may be in the form of user interviews, competitive analysis, journey mapping, and more. Depending on the amount of research required, a professional User Researchers may be brought on the team to support the UX designer with identifying core user needs based on quantitative and qualitative research findings. However, the core focus for the UX designer is to prototype the UI and interactions so they can perform testing and iterate on the designs.  Other deliverables may include (note: this is not an exhaustive list):

• Personas – This is the creation of user profiles. This allows project teams to create user personalities and backstories, which can help a designer get into the mind of the intended audience.
• User Flows – Drawing out the user flows will clarify the best progression throughout the application.
•  Journey Mapping – Maps out how a user will experience each user flow step.
• User Stories  – This ties directly into Agile and is a simplified intent that satisfies a particular user need.
• Information Architecture – A visual representation of how information is structured on a website or software application.
• Content Strategy – The planning and organization of content across a website or software application.
• Usability Testing – Hands-on testing through moderated or unmoderated events where users work through your designs to identify strengths and weaknesses around interaction and features.

We learned in this article that UX is not a box-to-be-checked kind of thing. It’s a critical and growing differentiator in a competitive landscape. True competitive advantage comes when a company outpaces its business rivals. As technology continues to advance, your customer's expectations will also increase.  This is especially true as mobile becomes the defacto standard by which customer experience is measured. So, whether you stay ahead by utilizing staffing firms or strategic UX business consultants, keep forward-thinking, keep updating, and keep showing the world what your business is made of.

About the Author 

Jason Moccia has over 20 years of experience in the software development field is the CEO of OneSpring LLC (www.onespring.net), a design consultancy based in Atlanta GA.

[1] Blake Morgan, “How To Prove The ROI of Customer Experience,” Forbes, September 7, 2020, https://www.forbes.com/sites/blakemorgan/2020/09/07/how-to-prove-the-roi-of-customer-experience/?sh=6be642e067f4

[2] Joseph R. Biden, Jr., “Executive Order on Transforming Federal Customer Experience and Service Delivery to Rebuild Trust in Government,” The White House Briefing Room, December 13, 2021, https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2021/12/13/executive-order-on-transforming-federal-customer-experience-and-service-delivery-to-rebuild-trust-in-government/