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How Small Businesses Can Deploy User Interface & User Experience
According to Time News, 55% of web users spend less than 15 seconds on a site. That means you have 15 seconds, at most, to catch a person’s eye. In that time, you need to show what you offer and why your company is worth their time.
A smooth, good-looking website helps you build loyal, returning customers. Give new and current customers a clear, easy, pleasing time on your site, and they’ll be more likely to come back.
That’s why User Experience and User Interface now matter so much to your web presence.
User Experience (UX) is how someone interacts with and uses a product, system, or service, including websites. User Interface (UI) is closer to what most people think of as visual design.
Think of UI design as the tools you need to drink a milkshake: a straw and a glass. UX design is the whole experience. The server sets the milkshake on the counter. You reach out and feel the cold glass in your hand. Then you use the straw to taste it and feel it on your tongue.
You can think of UI design as the tools needed to consume a milkshake – a straw and a glass.
The gap between UX and UI design, and how to use each one, can seem tricky at first. But when you use both well and with care, they give your business a real edge. They can shape the lasting success of your brand, so let’s take a closer look at each.
UX Design: The Experience
Lay out your site and the flow of its content with your customers in mind. A well-organized, easy-to-use website keeps customers engaged, and that turns shoppers into buyers.
UX design is how well the site, product, or service works. To see if you’re on the right track, ask yourself these questions about your site or app:
- How easy is it to get around?
- How well does it reach its goal?
- Can repeat customers easily remember how to use it?
- What happens if something goes wrong or there’s an error?
- How fun is it to use?
So, how can you tell if your site is easy to use? Ask your customers! Have someone use the site or app while they tell you what feels easy and what feels hard. Ask a few people, and watch for trends in what they like or dislike.
You can also hire experts who focus on usability testing to get feedback on where your site stands today.
Knowing what a customer wants before they ask is another way to make your site a better place to be. Good User Experience design gives you a chance to show off and grow the core values of your brand. You can do that with humor, motion, care, and personal touches.
UI Design: The Interface
Interface (UI) design is how your site or app works on screen. UI design works best when it’s not just elegant. It should also be built with care to be simple, consistent, and classic.
Aim for simplicity.
To build a strong interface, you often need to strip away features you don’t need, like extra pages, buttons, or menu items. You never want to put roadblocks in your customers’ way. They should be able to reach the goals you share with them, like buying a product, asking for more info, or signing up for an account.
Google research found that people kept rating simple websites as more beautiful than busy ones. A study from Harvard and the Universities of Maryland and Colorado found much the same thing. The busier a website looked, the less people liked the look of it.
The bottom line? It’s always best to K.I.S.S! (Keep it simple stupid!)
Simple, clean designs have plenty of other perks, too.
- Fewer distractions.
- The info you want to share is easier to find.
- Easier to learn and get around.
- Easier to build and launch sites.
- Faster load times for web visitors.
Consistency is key.
Sticking to a consistent UI makes your website easier to use and much more pleasing to look at. Consistent designs are less frustrating and less confusing, and they save everyone time.
Use the same colors and design style for parts like buttons and links. That makes it easier for visitors to learn your site and your brand, and it makes them want to come back. Use your company’s current colors or official font so the website feels like part of your brand.
Classic. Timeless.
UI design, like all things, moves in cycles and often follows current trends. But what was popular five or ten years ago might look dated and jarring today. Your site or app should look current and modern. Still, its foundation should use design elements that are tried, true, and classic.
That way, you won’t need a full site update every time the trends move on, as they always do.
Now what?
Putting money into your design clearly matters a lot. A website built and kept up with UX and UI design makes your brand stronger online. When you put thought into both how your brand looks and how it feels to use, your company can stay relevant as more and more business moves online.
Knowing the difference between UX and UI, and why each matters, is a great start. Next, you’ll need to apply what you’ve learned to your own site or app:
- Review your current site using the questions above.
- Spot the user experience and user interface features on your site. Look at other sites you like. What are their UX and UI features?
- Ask customers, friends, and family who will tell you honestly what they like and what doesn’t work.
- Make changes if needed.
Knowing how to tap into the power of UI/UX and use it well gives you a real edge and sets you apart. If you need some advice or help putting UI/UX ideas to work, the talented staff at GreenHaven Interactive can help you do just that.
