Does this mean that we are becoming more impatient? Well probably yes, we are. Online healthcare providers are now able to give a consultation over the Internet with a doctor in 5 minutes or so rather than the traditional wait in the surgery waiting room. Streaming services bring box sets to our living rooms at the click of a button, so indulging in the next episode transcends the traditional week’s wait (the norm with terrestrial T.V. channels) hugely.
In considering that, by landing on a webpage, we are ultimately solving a problem, the weekly shop fulfils our need for sustenance for the coming days, Facebook fulfils our ongoing curiosity while Snapchat amuses us and our group of friends, connecting in a 21st century way; while Netflix users lose entire weekends to binge watching box sets. Today’s UX designers must therefore consider what need their work is fulfilling and how soon it can be done; in the words of Queen’s Freddie Mercury, “I want it all, and I want it now!”
Looking at the consumer’s increasingly rapid need for fulfilment, how do UX designers need to work from a commercial perspective? Forget the like, the focus here should be the sign up or the sale. Therefore, in today’s world, the source of the traffic and the business objective must be of critical importance and sit at the heart of the digital architecture.
Natural and easy must therefore not only consider what the commercial goal is, but also what is expected by the user, with reference to the norms of the audience that the UX designer is delivering work for. Green means go. Red means stop. How is complex information best delivered? Are bullet points sufficient to convey this information or not? If not, how should this information be displayed and where? Where does the critical call to action sit in the design of the page? What about the fold? What devices are users likely to be experiencing the site on and how can the transition of the page be best designed to give the optimum UX to multiple device types? In 2018, UX design must consider these questions and more.
Considerations of speed, from page load to ultimate fulfilment, traffic sources, business goals, delivery of information, SEO and PPC elements and different device types are all critical in every UX designer’s work. We see that today, in 2018 UX design must sit at the core of the web team to provide successful delivery of every business’ online presence.
“’Don’t make me think‘ is the title of a book by well-known author Steve Krug and although the first issue was published nearly two decades ago, it’s still a poignant message in the world of UX today. In 2018 people haven’t got the time to think, they want their information instantly and if you fail to provide them with the service they require, you will lose them. That’s why it’s imperative we always design with the user in mind at any given point. “
Darren Barrett – Senior Digital Designer – Un.titled
Un.titled are renowned for their creative work and indeed have a reputation for creating beautiful websites that deliver impact. However in delivering creativity and a true identity for your brand, thus grabbing user attention amongst the clutter, Un.titled’s web designers take a view that user experience sits at the very heart of the planning process, always considering where users are coming from and what the commercial objective of their work is. Why not have a chat with Un.titled about how you can improve UX in 2018?
