User Experience and Usability

Understanding UX

Fundamentally, good UX is concerned with creating a better experience for users. Before discussing the key principles of UX, it is important to understand the broader components that make an experience great, rather than just okay or bad. Components of user experience These components can be organised into a pyramid, with the most basic and […]

11 minute read

Measuring UX

To measure UX effectively, developers need to have the right data sources, as well as the right goals and measurement frameworks to monitor and report on what really matters. A/B testing A/B testing (or ‘multivariate testing’) is one of the simplest methods for testing different user interfaces. By showing them to different sets of users […]

11 minute read

Wireframes and Prototyping for UX and Interaction Design

Wireframes and prototypes are valuable tools in the design and development process, demonstrating the overall structure and functionality of a digital product. Being able to use them effectively, therefore, is an essential skill to have. Wireframes Wireframes are simple designs that present the framework of a software product. They are used to communicate the core […]

12 minute read

Diagnosing UX

Great UX outcomes are the result of a detailed process and attention to detail, rather than the merits of one tool or approach over another. However, an understanding of tools and solutions can help define the right tool for the job – even if that tool turns out to be something as simple as Microsoft […]

17 minute read

Understanding User-Centred Design

Marketers that understand the core principles of user-centred design (UCD) will be better-placed to understand UX. But there are a number of key factors to bear in mind before putting it into practice. What is user-centred design? User-centred design (UCD) is based on the same ‘customer-first’ principles as design thinking, but rather than focusing on […]

22 minute read

UX and Interaction Design in Practice

This chapter explores the design toolkit needed to achieve best practice in visual design, interaction design and patterns design to improve the user experience of the product. The advice in this chapter is by no means dogma, instead it should be considered a set of general rules that are based on the principles detailed up […]

22 minute read

The Business Case for UX and Interaction Design

There are myriad company-wide benefits of good UX, from increasing engagement, sales and ROI, to boosting customer acquisition, retention and loyalty. Making the case for investment is a challenge marketers face across the board, but the business case for UX is strong, as explored in this chapter. Protecting the business against new entrants The principles […]

12 minute read

An introduction to UX and Interaction Design

Good UX has long moved beyond being a nice-to-have to an imperative for any business operating online. It is no longer a discipline exclusively for designers and developers either, and is something that should be understood and embraced by the whole organisation. What does user experience (UX) mean? Jakob Nielsen, a UX consultant who The […]

8 minute read