Web designers and developers are shifting the focal point of what drives their design techniques. With the introduction of user experience design, the user is at the center of the development process.  User experience designers consider every possible user story to ensure relevant information is easily accessible. If a website is difficult to navigate, it’s very likely that the customer will take their business elsewhere.

What is user experience design?

UX design encompasses many disciplines: interaction design, information architecture, visual design, usability, and human-computer interaction. The UX designer’s core objective is to keep the user in mind throughout the entire development process. Understanding and empathizing with each type of user, who they are, what they want, how they feel, and how to get them to where they want to be is crucial in developing a successful user experience.

What is a user journey map?  

User Journey maps consist of visual or graphic representations of prospective user personas  that allow you to display the information your potential customers seek on a website, product, or service. Creating a roadmap of the user journey is crucial in UX design because it acts as a guide for designers and developers alike, thus developing an understanding of each user and better direction for the designer.

Why is UX design important?

UX design is the strategy that connects the user to the desired information, product, or service. By placing emphasis on the emotions and behaviors of each individual user, UX designers are able to create the user journey that that best fit the goals of the intended audience, and make their journey as navigable as possible. The importance of UX design outweighs even the aesthetic components of the site, because if users cannot maneuver through the website with ease, the content renders no use.

Here’s how to optimize eCommerce UX.

Why is the demand for UX designers so high?

The answer to this question is simple, consumer power. With countless websites that offer many variations of the same products and services, the ability to choose is right at the consumer’s’ fingertips. The demand to offer the most relevant information to users in the most logical way, is more important now than ever before.

UX design and the customer journey are the first things that should be considered in the web development process. Site navigation is not something that can be overlooked because if the consumer cannot access their desired information, the content simply serves no purpose. What do you think is the most important aspect of UX design? Let us know in the comments!