User Experience (UX) is the total experience a person has with a product, system, or service. It includes all interactions, how easy it is to use, how it feels, and how well it helps the user achieve their goals. UX goes beyond aesthetics and includes functionality, structure, and user perception.

The concept of UX came from the field of human-computer interaction and was popularized by Don Norman, who said design should be about the user’s needs and behaviors. UX design considers many factors such as visual design, information architecture, content clarity, and performance. All of these contribute to whether a user finds a product intuitive, helpful, and worth coming back to.

UX work often starts with research to understand the user’s motivations, pain points, and behaviors. Methods like interviews, usability testing, and user journey mapping are used to gather insights. These findings guide decisions in design and development to reduce friction and increase engagement.

Good UX results in products that are easier to use and more efficient. It also has measurable business benefits: higher customer satisfaction, lower support costs, and higher retention or conversion rates. Bad UX causes confusion, frustration, and abandonment.

UX is closely related to other disciplines like UI (User Interface) design, product design, and service design, but is distinct. UI focuses on the visual layout and controls, while UX is about the whole experience from first touchpoint to post-use reflection.

Learn more about this in our UX Design Foundations Course.

Key Features of User Experience

  • Focuses on the user’s overall interaction with a product or service
  • Involves research methods like interviews and usability testing
  • Aims to improve usability, accessibility, and user satisfaction
  • Informs design decisions through data and observation
  • Closely tied to but distinct from UI design
  • Impacts business outcomes such as conversion and retention
  • Covers pre-use, actual use, and post-use reflections

Recommended resources

All
Courses
Lessons
Exercises
Project Briefs
Tutorials

Courses

Reducing User Churn Course
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Reducing User Churn

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Learn strategies to reduce churn and build long-term user relationships, which is crucial for improving retention and driving sustainable business growth.
User Psychology Course
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User Psychology

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Learn the psychological principles behind user behavior and decision-making. Master core concepts in user psychology to help you design more engaging products.
UX Design Foundations Course
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UX Design Foundations

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Learn UX design basics to acquire a solid foundation in UX design principles. Acquire the skills needed for product development and improving user experience.
Introduction to Figma Course
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Introduction to Figma

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Learn essential Figma tools like layers, styling, typography, and images. Master the basics every UX designer needs to create clean, user-friendly designs.
Design Terminology Course
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Design Terminology

Alesya Dzenga
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Learn UX terminology and key UX/UI terms that boost collaboration between designers, developers, and stakeholders for smoother, clearer communication.
UI Components I Course
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UI Components I

Colin Michael Pace
Colin Michael Pace
Learn to create user-friendly interfaces using core UI components, building a solid foundation for designing intuitive and efficient digital products.
Common Design Patterns Course
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Common Design Patterns

Gene Kamenez
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Learn design patterns most valued in product development to create intuitive, visually compelling experiences that seamlessly blend form and function.
Product Discovery Course
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Product Discovery

David Payne
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Learn the fundamentals of product discovery and how to build products your users truly need. Master key techniques and create user-centered solutions.
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Government Design Foundations

Fouad Jallouli
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Learn best practices and core principles for government design to create impactful, user-centered digital services that improve accessibility and efficiency.
Apple Human Interface Guidelines Course
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Apple Human Interface Guidelines

Denis Jeliazkov
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Learn Apple’s Human Interface Guidelines to design modern, high-performing apps, focusing on UI principles and best practices for creating effective interfaces.
Accessibility Foundations Course
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Accessibility Foundations

Ljubisa Kukulj
Ljubisa Kukulj
Learn the fundamentals of digital accessibility and how to create inclusive experiences for all users. Explore key principles, tools, and best practices.
UI Components II Course
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UI Components II

Colin Michael Pace
Colin Michael Pace
Learn advanced techniques to design dynamic, scalable interfaces using optimized UI components and streamlined navigation for better user experiences.
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Service Design

Fouad Jallouli
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Learn the basics of service design research, ideation, prototyping, and implementation to align teams, improve delivery, and create seamless customer experiences.
Mobile Design Course
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Mobile Design

Denis Jeliazkov
Denis Jeliazkov
Learn mobile UI/UX patterns, workflows, and platform-specific strategies to create exceptional, user-friendly mobile experiences across different devices.
Design Composition Course
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Design Composition

Gene Kamenez
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Learn the fundamental principles of visual layout, balance, and structure to create compelling and effective design compositions that engage and intrigue users.
Wireframing Course
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Wireframing

Colin Michael Pace
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Learn to create effective wireframes that seamlessly integrate into your design workflows, improving communication and driving better design outcomes.
CSS Foundations Course
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CSS Foundations

Yan Sokalau
Yan Sokalau
Learn the basics of CSS, including the box model, element style, and content positioning, to improve communication, design handoff, and web decision-making.
3D Design Foundations Course
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3D Design Foundations

Learn essential 3D design principles, from spatial thinking and dimensional relationships to form, lighting, and texture, for a solid foundation in the field.
UX Design Patterns with Checklist Design Course
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UX Design Patterns with Checklist Design

George Hatzis
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Learn common UX design patterns and how to apply them with practical checklists, ensuring the creation of intuitive, user-friendly, and exceptional interfaces.
AI Fundamentals for UX Course
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AI Fundamentals for UX

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Explore AI concepts, principles, and practices essential for creating human-centered, trustworthy AI-powered experiences.

Lessons

Best Practices for Onboarding UX Lesson
Lesson

Best Practices for Onboarding UX

Learn how to create seamless, user-focused onboarding experiences that drive engagement and reduce drop-offs.
Designing Sticky Features Lesson
Lesson

Designing Sticky Features

Master the techniques to create irresistible product features that keep users coming back for more.
Principles of Social Impact and Equity Lesson
Lesson

Principles of Social Impact and Equity

Transform government services through equity-driven design principles
Building Community and Leveraging Social Proof Lesson
Lesson

Building Community and Leveraging Social Proof

Cultivate user connections and showcase social validation to boost engagement and retention.
Design Psychology: Hick's Law Lesson
Lesson

Design Psychology: Hick's Law

Understand how the number of choices affects decision-making time and learn strategies to simplify interfaces, streamline navigation, and reduce cognitive overload
Common Designer Roles Lesson
Lesson

Common Designer Roles

Discover the different types of designers and their job roles
Engagement Patterns Lesson
Lesson

Engagement Patterns

Learn how to analyze user interaction patterns to optimize product features and drive sustained engagement
Mental vs. Conceptual Models Lesson
Lesson

Mental vs. Conceptual Models

Learn the importance of mental models in UX and how to familiarize users with new concepts
Psychological Theories Behind Gamification Lesson
Lesson

Psychological Theories Behind Gamification

Explore the learning theories behind gamification and discover how to apply them to create engaging user experiences
Building Loyalty Programs to Retain Users Lesson
Lesson

Building Loyalty Programs to Retain Users

Craft compelling loyalty initiatives that transform customers into devoted brand advocates.
Cognitive Biases Lesson
Lesson

Cognitive Biases

Learn to spot and mitigate the most common cognitive biases in UX design
Introduction to Churn Metrics and Analysis Lesson
Lesson

Introduction to Churn Metrics and Analysis

Learn the essential metrics for understanding and reducing customer churn
Microinteractions in UX/UI Design Lesson
Lesson

Microinteractions in UX/UI Design

Explore the role of microinteractions and how to effectively implement them in design projects.
What is UX Design? Lesson
Lesson

What is UX Design?

Learn UX fundamentals to create user-centered products that balance customer needs with business goals for maximum impact.
Gamification Principles in Non-Game Contexts Lesson
Lesson

Gamification Principles in Non-Game Contexts

Explore the application of gamification principles in non-game contexts and unlock new ways to engage and motivate users
Progressive Disclosure in UX Lesson
Lesson

Progressive Disclosure in UX

Harness the art of presenting information to users without causing overwhelm through the technique of progressive disclosure
Minimizing Cognitive Load Lesson
Lesson

Minimizing Cognitive Load

Discover ways to avoid and minimize cognitive for a smooth and delightful user experience
Intro to UX Copy Lesson
Lesson

Intro to UX Copy

Learn the basics of writing helpful and effective UX copy for users
UX Laws Lesson
Lesson

UX Laws

Explore the UX laws on how the human brain processes information to create intuitive and effective interfaces
UX Design Deliverables Lesson
Lesson

UX Design Deliverables

Find out what exactly UX designers are expected to create and deliver
UX Design Principles Lesson
Lesson

UX Design Principles

Learn how to differentiate your product with the UX Honeycomb of 7 principles for irresistible user experiences.
8 Design Tips to Reduce Cognitive Load Lesson
Lesson

8 Design Tips to Reduce Cognitive Load

Uncover 8 valuable design tips to reduce cognitive load and create user-friendly interfaces
Basic Journey Mapping and Service Blueprinting Lesson
Lesson

Basic Journey Mapping and Service Blueprinting

Create comprehensive visualizations of citizen experiences and government service delivery using journey maps and service blueprints
Personalization Strategies to Reduce Churn Lesson
Lesson

Personalization Strategies to Reduce Churn

Craft tailored user experiences that keep customers engaged and loyal.
How Human Memory Works Lesson
Lesson

How Human Memory Works

Learn how human memory works and how to apply this knowledge to enhance UX
Re-engagement Campaigns for Dormant Users Lesson
Lesson

Re-engagement Campaigns for Dormant Users

Revive inactive users with targeted re-engagement strategies.
Segmentation and Churn Prevention Strategies Lesson
Lesson

Segmentation and Churn Prevention Strategies

Learn how to use customer segmentation to deliver tailored retention strategies that reduce churn and increase customer loyalty.
UX Culture in Design Teams Lesson
Lesson

UX Culture in Design Teams

Explore recommendations for introducing UX culture and establishing its role within design teams
Exploring the Power of AI in Visual Design Lesson
Lesson

Exploring the Power of AI in Visual Design

Explore how AI is transforming visual design, from automating tasks to creating user-centric experiences
Persuasive Design Practices Lesson
Lesson

Persuasive Design Practices

Discover how to ethically utilize user psychology for persuasive design
Deceptive Patterns Lesson
Lesson

Deceptive Patterns

Practice identifying and avoiding deceptive design patterns to build user trust
Feedback Loops and Continuous Improvement Lesson
Lesson

Feedback Loops and Continuous Improvement

Master feedback loops to boost retention and minimize churn.
Fundamental User Needs Lesson
Lesson

Fundamental User Needs

Learn how to integrate fundamental psychological needs in design to enhance user loyalty and engagement
Common Causes of Customer Churn Lesson
Lesson

Common Causes of Customer Churn

Identify and address the key factors driving customer churn to improve retention and satisfaction.
Designing for User Delight Lesson
Lesson

Designing for User Delight

Understand the psychology involved in building delightful products that satisfy users
Mastering Email and In-App Messaging for Retention Lesson
Lesson

Mastering Email and In-App Messaging for Retention

Craft compelling email and in-app messages to boost user engagement and retention.
The Nature of User Errors Lesson
Lesson

The Nature of User Errors

Explore the nature of user errors and learn how to prevent them during system interactions
Building User Trust Lesson
Lesson

Building User Trust

Learn how to establish user trust, identify its components, and increase it
Predictive Analytics and Machine Learning for Churn Lesson
Lesson

Predictive Analytics and Machine Learning for Churn

Learn to predict and prevent customer churn using machine learning and data analytics.
Turning Friction into Positive Experiences in UX Design Lesson
Lesson

Turning Friction into Positive Experiences in UX Design

Learn how to turn points of friction in UX into delightful interactions for users.

Exercises

Exercise

Equity assessment

Multiple levels of progressive disclosure
Exercise

Multiple levels of progressive disclosure

Pleasure needs
Exercise

Pleasure needs

Minimize the learning curve
Exercise

Minimize the learning curve

Exercise

Feature usage patterns

What is progressive disclosure?
Exercise

What is progressive disclosure?

What is UX design?
Exercise

What is UX design?

Authority
Exercise

Authority

Tracking net promoter score (NPS) to predict churn
Exercise

Tracking net promoter score (NPS) to predict churn

How to leverage anchoring bias
Exercise

How to leverage anchoring bias

Establish an omnichannel presence
Exercise

Establish an omnichannel presence

Provide scannability
Exercise

Provide scannability

Define the gaps in UX culture
Exercise

Define the gaps in UX culture

Facilitate UX design workshops
Exercise

Facilitate UX design workshops

What are mistakes?
Exercise

What are mistakes?

Exercise

Early warning signals in churn

Customization
Exercise

Customization

Include onboarding for new users
Exercise

Include onboarding for new users

Badges
Exercise

Badges

UX designer
Exercise

UX designer

Allow undoing recent actions
Exercise

Allow undoing recent actions

Other progressive disclosure examples
Exercise

Other progressive disclosure examples

Exercise

Churn risk patterns

Simplify the checkout process
Exercise

Simplify the checkout process

Facilitate communication between users
Exercise

Facilitate communication between users

How to prevent confirmation bias
Exercise

How to prevent confirmation bias

Exercise

Preventing rework & errors

Include badges
Exercise

Include badges

Calculating and interpreting churn rate
Exercise

Calculating and interpreting churn rate

Offer multiple interactive options
Exercise

Offer multiple interactive options

The $300 million button
Exercise

The $300 million button

Differences between product, UX, and engineering
Exercise

Differences between product, UX, and engineering

Secondary features
Exercise

Secondary features

Why gamify
Exercise

Why gamify

Place buttons intuitively
Exercise

Place buttons intuitively

Measure user satisfaction
Exercise

Measure user satisfaction

The need for social relatedness
Exercise

The need for social relatedness

Integrating internal processes
Exercise

Integrating internal processes

Show error warnings
Exercise

Show error warnings

Creating lasting delight
Exercise

Creating lasting delight

Usability
Exercise

Usability

Underlying AI algorithms
Exercise

Underlying AI algorithms

Chunking
Exercise

Chunking

Design for mobile responsiveness
Exercise

Design for mobile responsiveness

Challenges and quests
Exercise

Challenges and quests

Ease memory burdens
Exercise

Ease memory burdens

Miller’s Law
Exercise

Miller’s Law

UX design vs. UI design
Exercise

UX design vs. UI design

False consensus effect
Exercise

False consensus effect

Work on visual design
Exercise

Work on visual design

Tutorials

Gamification Principles in Non-Game Contexts
Tutorial

Gamification Principles in Non-Game Contexts

Alesya Dzenga
Alesya Dzenga
Explore the application of gamification principles in non-game contexts and unlock new ways to engage and motivate users
Mastering UX Writing Tones
Tutorial

Mastering UX Writing Tones

Alesya Dzenga
Alesya Dzenga
Learn how to effectively convey emotions, guide users, and establish a consistent brand voice through tones in your UX writing
Mastering the 60-30-10 Rule in Design
Tutorial

Mastering the 60-30-10 Rule in Design

Hamad Tanveer
Hamad Tanveer
Learn the 60-30-10 color rule to make your designs look great! Follow along to improve your skills.
Mastering Elevation for Dark UI: A Comprehensive Guide
Tutorial

Mastering Elevation for Dark UI: A Comprehensive Guide

Elene Chekurishvili
Elene Chekurishvili
A comprehensive guide to mastering elevation in dark mode, ensuring your designs are both functional and beautiful.
16 Best Practices for Posting Your First Project
Tutorial

16 Best Practices for Posting Your First Project

Alesya Dzenga
Alesya Dzenga
Learn the best practices for preparing your first project to get noticed by the Uxcel community and become a gem in your portfolio.
 Storytelling, not reporting. Engaging case studies
Tutorial

Storytelling, not reporting. Engaging case studies

Anfisa Bogomolova
Anfisa Bogomolova
Turn your portfolio into a story that stands out on the market with 10 practical tips and examples.
8 Design Tips to Reduce Cognitive Load
Tutorial

8 Design Tips to Reduce Cognitive Load

Alesya Dzenga
Alesya Dzenga
Uncover 8 valuable design tips to reduce cognitive load and create user-friendly interfaces
Framing in UX Design:  A Big Guide to Shaping What Users Think and Do
Tutorial

Framing in UX Design: A Big Guide to Shaping What Users Think and Do

Fedir Davydov
Fedir Davydov
Let's dive into this big world of framing and see how it shapes what we think and do online.
11 Best Practices for Designing 404 Pages
Tutorial

11 Best Practices for Designing 404 Pages

Nadzeya Lipskaya
Nadzeya Lipskaya
Discover how to turn a potentially frustrating 404 page into a memorable and delightful interaction.
14 Dark Patterns Examples in Design You’ll Want to Avoid
Tutorial

14 Dark Patterns Examples in Design You’ll Want to Avoid

Gene Kamenez
Gene Kamenez
Have you ever found yourself doing something you didn't want to do while using an app or website? You're not alone.
A Guide to Conducting Effective Usability Testing
Tutorial

A Guide to Conducting Effective Usability Testing

Nadzeya Lipskaya
Nadzeya Lipskaya
Embark on a comprehensive guide to conducting effective usability testing and gain insights into optimizing user experiences
Step-by-Step Video Accessibility Audit Guide + Free Checklist
Tutorial

Step-by-Step Video Accessibility Audit Guide + Free Checklist

Oksana Derkach
Oksana Derkach
Explore the importance of accessible video controls and take actionable steps to ensure compliance.
How To Celebrate Failures With Your UX Team
Tutorial

How To Celebrate Failures With Your UX Team

Christopher Nguyen
Christopher Nguyen
Learn how to make failures part of your UX team's culture.
Improve your UX & Product skills with interactive courses that actually work

FAQs

What is the difference between UX and CX (Customer Experience)?

UX focuses on product interaction, while CX covers the broader journey, including customer service and brand perception.


How is UX measured?

UX can be evaluated through metrics like task success rate, error rate, time on task, and user satisfaction scores.


Is UX design only for digital products?

No, UX principles apply to physical products and services as well, though it's most commonly associated with digital interfaces.

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