Table of Contents
The main purpose of UX design remains unchanged since the concept of user experience arose on the horizon. Giving users what they need in the most pleasant way possible is the global mission of all UX designers all over the world. Yet, the ways this mission is accomplished are not even close to that stable.
This is because there are two interconnected processes. First, users’ expectations are always growing. And second, requirements for UX design of applications are continuously becoming higher. One leads to another, so it’s impossible to say which one is the reason and which one is the consequence.
Anyway, we’ll set aside this philosophical chicken-egg question for now and focus on more practical issues in this article. Specifically, we’ll discuss what goals UX designers should set for the coming year to satisfy users (and their own professional ego, of course).
#1 Simplification
Let’s make it clear from the very beginning: we use apps to simplify our life that is overwhelmed with hundreds of tasks. Uber, for instance, became so popular not because it offered something completely new on the market. Actually, people had been using cabs to get from one place to another year before this application was released.
But what was new is how simple it became to accomplish this task with Uber. Just a few clicks — nothing more. You even don’t need to think about what action should be taken next. The application itself “guides” you throughout the whole process with the help of so-called linear design.
And although it’s been a while since Uber appeared in our smartphones (and hearts), simplification is a core pillar of UX design so it always stays relevant. New generations of digital products strive to become even easier to interact with than their predecessors. So this UX design goal is always on the table.
#2 Uniqueness
This is one of the most challenging user experience goals, especially for the designers who are just starting off. This is because such things as following the trends and crafting unique applications sound mutually exclusive to many people. However, it’s not quite so.
Keeping track of the latest trends is important because it helps you grasp the big picture. What do users like/dislike? How do leading companies make user journeys hassle-free and pleasant? Exactly how high are the users’ expectations related to a specific kind of digital products? And what features should be included by default?
At the same time, without uniqueness, your app will simply get lost among similar products. So the real professional skill you should strive to hone is the ability to filter best practices that might be applied to your product and use them in a unique way.
#3 Consistency
Nowadays, the number of gadgets people use on a daily basis is not limited just to a laptop and smartphone. Smartwatches, TV sets, tablets, etc. are devices that can be connected to the Internet and, thus, we may use them to access our favorite applications. This is the reason why the UX design community became concerned about consistency.
As users, we are creatures of a habit. Due to this, we expect that our experience with a particular digital product will be the same regardless of the device we chose at a specific moment. Hence, designers not only need to create a stunning UX design for web or mobile, but they also have to think about how to make it consistent and predictable across different platforms.
#4 Compelling Texts
The last but not the least UX design goal we want to outline in this article is (unexpectedly!) related to the text content. Historically, UX design has been more associated with visualization and, as a result, texts have been often undervalued and neglected. But, fortunately, such a situation has changed recently.
It’s hard to argue that a text copy is an important means of communication with a user. Such things as the tone a brand uses and the way the key messages are conveyed have a great impact on product usability. Low-quality texts create a lousy user experience. So as a UX designer you have to do your best to make the words match the visual language.
Wrapping-up
As we mentioned at the beginning of this article, UX trends are changing all the time. That’s why to create relevant web and mobile applications which offer a delightful user experience, you should always keep your finger on a pulse. So our final tip for today: whatever you do, try to always put yourself in the user’s shoes. Asking such simple questions as Is the product easy to use? and How do I feel after an interaction with this app? will for sure help you resolve most professional challenges.