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What is user experience? The term user experience is widely applicable in many fields. User experience (often abbreviated as UX) describes a user's experience interacting with any type of product or system. In computer science, user experience comprises all of the user's interactions with a given user interface or software system. User experience focuses on how a person feels about using a particular user interface design: What are their perceptions of the interface design's utility, ease of use, and overall efficacy of the system? Experientially, how do users rate and value the system and do they find using it simple and effective? Since these questions are at the heart of user experience, it is critical to understand that user experience is not only subjective, but also dynamic—the needs and perceptions of a single user or groups of users are constantly evolving over time which means you as an interface designer must evolve with them. How user interface design affects the user experience To state the obvious, peoples’ needs and experiences are very diverse. Consequently, there is a multiplicity of factors that affect a user's experience of an interface design. However, a good way to understand user experience is to classify factors within the category of state of mind or context: State of mind: The user’s mental state and personal characteristics, motivations, expectations, mood. Basically, how will the state of mind of the user affect the way they experience and utilize a given interface design? Of course, you as a designer cannot possibly understand every intricate little detail of the user's state of mind, but you can better design your product if you have a general understanding of how to put your user's mental state at ease by creating an interface design that is simple and usable, and to the best of your ability, universal. Context: In addition to the user's state of mind, it is important to grasp that context plays a vital role in effecting the way users experience an interface design. Context is meant to include the temporal dimension (user time constraints), the social dimension (what social factors are effecting the users ability to use the interface design—can they still use it easily with many people induced distractions), and the infrastructure (specifically for interface design, what type of internet connections and other systems or technical assistance are available to the user). As with state of mind, all contexts cannot be accommodated, but understanding them allows you as a designer to design for a more universal usability. User centered design for improved user interface design Now that you have a better understanding of what user experience is, how can you as a designer apply this information and create user interfaces that optimize user experience? This is where the term user centered design (UCD) comes into play. User centered design is a design philosophy which places user experience at the focal point of the design process. The needs, wants, and limitations of users are given ample attention during the design process. Designers must foresee how users will most likely use the user interface they are designing and then usability test their presuppositions relative to user behaviour in the real world. User centered design focuses on the following questions: - Who are the users?
- What are the users’ tasks and goals?
- What are the users’ experience levels with the given software or interface design?
- What functions do the users need the interface design to perform?
- What information do users need to obtain from the interface design?
- How do users think the interface design should work?
These questions are crucial for you to address because the findings will help you to develop and design a better new user interface design or UI design. Conducting usability tests with prospective users is the only way to thoroughly investigate these queries, so make sure you integrate usability tests into your design process. The most reliable way you can obtain any useful information about user experience relative to your interface design is by testing for it. Knowing what people want is key to great user interface design User experience design is one of the most important aspects of interface design because it deals directly with comprehending the people who will employ your product and make it successful. You cannot design a good user interface without knowing what people want and need, as well as why and how they need it. Knowing the user's wants vamps up your interface design's usability and contributes to the realization of the goals behind the interface you are designing. ==================== About the Author: ==================== Pidoco.com – Interface Design, Wireframe Software, Wireframe Tools, Interface Design Software, Interface Prototyping, Clickable Wireframes, Usability Testing and Digital Paper Prototyping. User centered design for improved user user interface design.
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