As our world becomes increasingly digital, the interaction we have with technology ultimately shapes the way that business moves forward.
People, politics, economies and virtually every industry has a dependency on data. And as Artificial Intelligence grows, so does our ability to analyse, forecast, correlate and take action on the information that we gather.
Simply put, AI and modern technology are improving our experience in nearly every way, shape and form.
And we love it.
So much so that on average, people spend around five to six hours on their phone on a daily basis. And that’s not even including work-related smartphone use.
But What Does UX Design Have to Do With Anything?
The pandemic aside, one of the biggest reasons for people spending more and more time on their phones is the fact that user interfaces have become so addictive.
UX (User Experience) Designers specialise in creating interfaces that users can enjoy, find ease-of-use in and become addicted to.
It’s true.
Yes, their aim is to map out and understand the behavioural psychology and decision-making processes behind the customer, client or employee. Yes, they take that understanding and mould it into powerful software.
But they also need to make their product better than what the competition offers.
So concepts like Dopamine Driven Development have been implemented into the design process.
Which is all about creating as much dopamine release in the shortest time possible. Similar to caffeine, cigarettes (and other drugs), the intention is to have the user develop an addiction or internal push to use the application.
And there are so many reasons why you’d want people addicted to your app. Think about Facebook, Instagram, UberEats and any of the popular apps sitting on your smartphone.
It’s all about creating the urgency to purchase on or glorify the platform that you offer.
Profits are obvious. You can motivate users to make purchases, be it through ads, testimonials or discounts. Everybody likes profits.
As a second function, you’re able to strengthen brand credibility and awareness. If people favour your brand, there is bound to be an increase in traffic through ratings and referrals. That means more leads and more opportunity to sell.
Why Is it So Popular Right Now?
With our increasingly digitised landscape, vast amounts of consumers are moving more towards the use of online stores and services.
The pandemic also catalysed the purchase of online goods and the use of mobile devices like smartphones and tablets.
And being that everyone is spending increasing amounts of time on their devices, it’s safe to say that the competition is fierce. So businesses are now beginning to realise the importance of intuitive and functional user experiences.
It comes to affect both the brand and profitability of a company; the customer’s trust, loyalty and happiness.
And it doesn’t end there.
Our dependency on technology also extends to the workplace. We rely on software and services to get work done, we rely on interfaces for ease-of-use and productivity.
So businesses are starting to see the benefit in better systems. Whether for project management, payroll or process automation, there is major benefit in terms of happiness and productivity when the UX design is well-executed.
Finally, good UX design isn’t only for the use of consumers and employees. It extends to those that desperately need products that cater to the disabled and elderly. Life remains or becomes increasingly difficult for some people, so easy, simplified interfaces can make a massive difference in the lives of the vulnerable.
More on UX Design in Part 2!
UX design is becoming a powerful tool for businesses. It will improve ROI, productivity, lead generation, brand awareness and so much more.
Find out more about the stats, it’s impact on business and how to get started with a UX designer in your business.
