In need of a new website? Then it is wise to already include the principles of User Experience (UX) and User Interface (UI) in the design process. What that means exactly and why we think it's important, you can read in this blog post.
What do UX and UI mean?
In a previous blog post, we told what exactly UX design is, why it's important, and how it can have a big impact on lead generation. But it can get confusing when we throw in another similar term: UI, or User Interface. Very briefly
bend, UX design largely takes place behind the scenes, while the user always sees and experiences the work of the UI designer. Let's look at the differences between UI and UX in a little more detail.
User Experience (UX): the bigger picture
UX stands for User Experience. A UX professional creates a pleasant experience for users. Speed is often a keyword here: a visitor must be able to quickly find the information he is looking for or take the action he wants.
He or she does this by first designing a good structure of, for example, a website. A wireframe serves as the basis for this. It is also important that as few clicks as possible are needed to find, request or buy something. A UX designer also deploys A/B tests and uses Google Analytics a lot.
User Interface (UI): a part of UX
UI is the abbreviation for User Interface, or user environment. We are talking about the design and functioning of, for example, an application or website. A UI specialist is above all a designer: he or she can achieve major improvements in the user experience with the smallest of changes. UI is a part of UX.
2manydots' UI designer, Anthony, follows some basic principles when creating a User Interface. Perhaps the most important of these is that the user is central. But before he can get started with that, we need to know why a client like you wants a new website.
How to apply UX and UI principles
So there are differences between UX and UI, but there is also a lot of overlap. Some companies choose to hire separate professionals for both. At 2manydots, Anthony takes care of the UI design. Together with you we determine the User Experience behind it. In practice, we take the following UX and UI principles into account when designing a new, effective website.
Mobile-first
We have been saying for years that a site should be responsive. Because users are just as likely to reach for their laptops as tablets, a site that adapts to the screen width is a must. But we think we should go a step further and make websites mobile-first by default. That means they are designed primarily for mobile users. Why? Because, depending on the industry, most companies receive up to three-quarters of their visitors via mobile traffic.
Consistency
All pages of a website should have the same design philosophy. Think about the color scheme, the use of frames, the images, the navigation, and so on. But also the layout of the texts should be consistent. That way you come across as an organization that has an eye for detail and is reliable. Consistency also makes you very recognizable and therefore distinctive.
Few clicks
UX experts sometimes say that you should be able to find all the information on a website within three clicks. The more content a website has, the greater that challenge is. But with a well thought out menu structure you will come a long way. Ideally, there should be little scrolling involved: you want to make it as easy as possible for your visitors to find what they are looking for.
Minimalist design
Less is more. Don't overwhelm users with unnecessary information, but keep it organized and clear. You have a clear goal in mind on every page and in every blog post. Therefore, don't let other things compete with that goal and make sure the call-to-action is clear.
Accessible
For a good User Experience (UX) you need to take into account different types of users. Because not everyone sees, hears and understands everything the same way you do. About 25% of Internet users have a disability, ranging from color blindness to hearing impairment and dyslexia. As an extension of understandable texts, it is therefore desirable to use high color contrast, subtitle videos and create audio versions of your content.
Why do we think UX and UI are important?
The fact that you are reading this article makes your company stand head and shoulders above the rest. It means that you understand the importance of the Internet and are willing to invest in an online strategy. An investment that pays off in more ways than one. Just look at the results that hiring a UX expert and UI designer can bring.
1. Increased customer satisfaction.
On a user-friendly site, visitors quickly find what they are looking for. A non-intrusive site that is helpful and seems to know what someone needs is a pleasure to visit. This makes it more likely that someone will return. This is how you slowly but surely build a relationship with someone.
2. Higher sales
If you offer that pleasant user experience that potential customers are sensitive to, you will win their trust. This way you score leads organically, without having to advertise in social media, for example. And the more leads, the more customers and sales you score.
3. Better rankings.
User-friendly websites rank higher in search engines. Google detects how long people stay on a page, when they click away and much more. If Google receives signals that users are finding what they are looking for quickly, you will be rewarded with higher rankings. UX design is therefore also good for your SEO!
4. Satisfied employees
It may sound a bit far-fetched, but it's absolutely not: a good User Experience (UX) indirectly ensures satisfied employees in your organization. Not so much because they are proud of that user-friendly website, but because visitors find it much easier to find answers to their questions. Questions for which they no longer pick up the phone or send an email. And that relieves your colleagues.
UX and UI: standard at 2manydots
You can't think about usability early enough. That's why we include the User Experience in the design process of a new website. In this way we lay a good foundation that prevents duplicate work.
We already told you why we think the User Experience and the User Interface are important: because the user thinks so. Where people used to look mainly at the price or the quality, nowadays the user experience plays just as important a role. That's why we pay extra attention to UX and UI when designing your new site.