User Experience (UX)

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