I'm starting this blog to share my thoughts as a User Experience (UX) designer and Usability analyst. I'm still surprised that companies and individuals think that focusing on usability and the user experience can be optional or as the last step in the design cycle.
Unfamiliar with the terms "usability" and "user experience?" Check out my definitions.
Research shows that to provide high usability and a positive user experience, it should be incorporated through-out the design process in every step of the process and starting in the very early design stages. Every stage in the design cycle can then be tested and validated by the user to ensure that the right path is being taken to provide a great user experience and high usability while achieving the also very important business goals. This will, at the least increase user and/or customer satisfaction (if the user is a customer) and, if done right, positively impact the conversions, product adoption process and the company's overall business goals.
The hope for this blog is to share articles on the subject that show ways of achieving these goals for those unfamiliar with the usability and UX fields as well as posting thoughts, tips and tools related to the field for designers.
Note: I've decided to start out by disabling reader comments. I'll wait until there are more posts to enable them and be open to feedback.
19 July 2009
10 July 2009
Definitions: What does "Usability" and "UX" mean?
Here are my simplified definitions of the two terms. I know the UX definition is long so should I rephrase and say "Here is at my attempt at simplifying my definitions...
Usability is a term that defines how useful (whether it's practical and needed) and how usable (whether it can be used efficiently) something is.
User experience often referred to as (UX) or (Ux) refers to how the user experiences, interacts with and perceives an object, system, artifact, process or service. The UX and interaction designer's goal, for the most part, is to provide positive experiences (except when using reverse psychology to shape behavior). The designer does everything in his or her control to reduce and improve any negative interactions the user might have. User experience design is therefore the design of a whole system, how the system is connected and how the users responds to it emotionally, physically and mentally.
There out various definitions on the web and in the printed world that attempt to define the terms as well. The fact that the terms don't have one solid definition makes the field so much more interesting to me because the field is constantly evolving and being redefined which is consistent with the field's practitioners work method.
The one concern to keep in mind is that because of the presence is multiple definitions professionals in the field need to make sure there are clear boundaries between job descriptions and that within a work group individuals are sharing the same definition to achieve defined goals.
Here are some other definitions:
Usability is a term that defines how useful (whether it's practical and needed) and how usable (whether it can be used efficiently) something is.
User experience often referred to as (UX) or (Ux) refers to how the user experiences, interacts with and perceives an object, system, artifact, process or service. The UX and interaction designer's goal, for the most part, is to provide positive experiences (except when using reverse psychology to shape behavior). The designer does everything in his or her control to reduce and improve any negative interactions the user might have. User experience design is therefore the design of a whole system, how the system is connected and how the users responds to it emotionally, physically and mentally.
There out various definitions on the web and in the printed world that attempt to define the terms as well. The fact that the terms don't have one solid definition makes the field so much more interesting to me because the field is constantly evolving and being redefined which is consistent with the field's practitioners work method.
The one concern to keep in mind is that because of the presence is multiple definitions professionals in the field need to make sure there are clear boundaries between job descriptions and that within a work group individuals are sharing the same definition to achieve defined goals.
Here are some other definitions:
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