TALKING BUSINESS
N
o business can afford to ignore the traditional and
cultural values of the customer and region. Have you
ever rushed to the app store to download an app that
you’ve heard so much about, only to be put off by a horrible
design or a complicated interface?
Consumer behaviour has been drastically evolving over the
past couple of decades, and part of that evolution is their
demand for a better experience. This much-demanded
experience takes many forms, both physical and digital.
Customers nowadays demand a certain level of treatment
from their suppliers, be it how the cashier greets them at the
store, or the colour palette of their favourite app.
In recent years, websites and web applications have
undergone significant changes and have experienced a
fundamental shift in their assessment of user-product
interactions. Emotional aspects are becoming more important
than traditional ones such as mere usability and functionality.
How and what is the user experiencing with the product? A
once one-way static medium has evolved and advanced into a
very rich and interactive experience. Design professionals use
the phrase User Experience Design to describe certain user-
centred design methods, design mentality, standard tools,
and techniques used to produce desired effects in a person
or persona. Websites have transformed from looking simple
with the products elementarily placed, to having a user-centric
design and being much more accessible.
The number of web users has increased globally to roughly
3.4 billion users. The increase in access to the internet via
various devices like mobiles, tablets, laptops, desktops, TVs
and even gaming consoles, along with additional browser
options and various internet connection types has resulted
in this surge of accessibility. Products are no longer restricted
by glass showcases and are roaming freely between devices
and can be bought and accessed from virtually anywhere.
This mass availability of products makes it difficult for brands
to attract loyal consumers, and this is where user experience
comes into play.
“There is no single
Middle Eastern culture.
Different regions have
different customs and
unique habits. What
works for one, doesn’t
work for another.”
www.intelligentcio.com
A study conducted by IEEE gives a better understanding of the
criticality of user experience design and on why software fails.
The result shows that organisations spend almost $1 trillion
on Information Technology (IT). 15% of these IT projects are
estimated to be abandoned or failed because of poor user
experience. Failure of these projects is avoidable. Some of
the reasons why software fails are: Unrealistic project goals,
inaccurate assessment of needed resources, poor reporting
tools, unmanaged risks, commercial pressures, and use of
immature technology.
Focusing on user experience by way of stakeholder interviews,
user research, user-centred design, and experience design
can help resolve some of these issues. Building a great user
experience requires research and planning to determine what
the customer needs, where each element should go, and
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