We talk a lot about “UX” at Kooba. For designers like me, UX is an obvious and intuitive part of any project. But for regular business owners and marketing teams, this term deserves some real definition and explanation.
Here’s Kooba’s complete guide to the world of UX, including its relevance to lead-generation and marketing. As a UX-led agency, this should also provide an insight into our design philosophy more broadly.
What is UX design?
User experience (UX) design refers to the process of designing a product or service which is easy and intuitive for users to interact with. UX design produces solutions that help users accomplish their goals with minimal friction or distraction. A good user experience is one that works for every user in every context.
UX design is relevant across every design process, but at Kooba we specialise in digital UX. This means creating websites and other digital solutions which deliver on the key strategic goals of our clients.
UX research and UX thinking
UX is often thought of as a “type of design”, but this is only partially true. The user experience is something that should be considered at every stage of the process, not just during design. When beginning the discovery and research phase, UX helps us prioritise the most important needs of the client and their users. By identifying these key goals from the outset, we can build the most efficient and effective solution possible. UX research is therefore a crucial stage in the creation of user-friendly design solutions, and can involve in-depth quantitative and qualitative analysis.
For Kooba, UX thinking is also present across the entire design and development process. For instance, when we undertake user interface (UI) design, we will prioritise the strategic goals identified during our UX research phase. This helps to improve the functionality of every element of a website, ensuring that each interaction is enjoyable for the end user and productive for the client.
An illustration of a funnel analysis conducted during the UX research phase
Universal design: UX and accessibility
Given the emphasis that UX places on usability and functionality, it makes sense that good UX aligns with accessible design principles. At Kooba, we champion the philosophy of universal design, which provides a set of principles to help create solutions that every user can enjoy. The goals of accessibility and UX overlap in several areas, with both approaches prioritising intuitive, logical and clear user pathways. By implementing UX best principles across our projects, we help to ensure that websites are not only WCAG compliant, but also genuinely functional for every end user.
Subsets of UX design: CX, UI, and AX
Given the value of UX in understanding and improving digital solutions, it makes sense that several “spinoff” concepts exist. We previously mentioned user interface design, which serves as a sub-set of UX focused on the visual experience of the end user. Other terms include CX (the customer experience), which focuses on the entire buying journey, as well as AX (the author experience), which optimises the process of website management and content publication.
All of these concepts live underneath the umbrella of UX. They have their own specific rules and principles, and combine together to create the wider user experience.
The commercial value of UX
As well as the value provided to the end user, UX work is also remarkably valuable for businesses seeking to generate leads and customers. UX research and design helps to clarify and optimize the user journey, making conversion a frictionless experience. UX research can help identify sticking points across your website, allowing you to improve your marketing strategy and content production. Finally, a usable, accessible and enjoyable UX will leave a positive impression on every user, serving to build your brand identity over time. All of these factors directly impact your bottom line, letting you reach and convert as many users as possible.
UX is a broader and more powerful concept than most audiences realise, and can provide dramatic benefits for businesses seeking to improve their digital presence. To learn more about the details of UX, just get in touch with our team today. We’d love to discuss the different ways we can help you!
