What is good UX?

User Experience, or UX as it is referred to, can make or break a digital product.

Websites, apps, databases and other digital products are there to serve a purpose – and an important one at that. They provide users with information, enable them to undertake specific tasks or functions and can provide important insight and intelligence, which enables them to make informed decisions. If the key elements which drive the usability of the digital product don’t meet the needs of the customer, the product itself simply becomes a vanity project.

Good User Experience (UX) creates a journey that is easy to navigate. It’s intuitive, enjoyable, and the interactions are seamless, helping the user to achieve what they set out to do. Good UX results in high user satisfaction and builds trust in the brand.

• Simplicity – the journey is simple, efficient and easy to follow.
• Well designed – the design is appealing, consistent and developed with the target user in mind.
• Intuitive – Users can navigate without too much effort.
• Useful – the information and functionality fulfil a purpose and need for the user.  
• Joyful – Using the digital product is a pleasurable experience. The user feels emotionally connected and is satisfied that the product has met the needs they set out with.
• Meets the needs of the business – The experience helps to meet the defined goals of the business.

The face of UX is changing. At its heart are still user-friendly products and beautifully designed functional interfaces; however, UX has a much deeper meaning in today’s digitally driven world. 

UX today is a strategic function. It’s multi-disciplined, working with departments across the business. Good UX uses insight and makes decisions that are informed by data to achieve better outcomes. Outcomes which emotionally connect with customers and help shape the future of the organisation.  

This shift from execution to strategy, coupled with the increase in AI technology and good UX, is very powerful indeed.

Research is the first port of call when it comes to crafting super user experiences. We usually start by looking at the current user experience to understand what’s working well and what’s causing pain points for visitors. With this high-level understanding, we can begin competitor analysis and interviews with key stakeholders. All of this vital research forms a package for us to start mapping out user journeys and developing wireframes that align with the overall project objectives. Grounding any design project in detailed UX research ensures that the finished product serves the user and client a beautiful and purposeful user experience.

We are Olamalu, technical experts and website developers. We’re a friendly and down-to-earth team based in West Oxfordshire who work together to achieve brilliant outcomes. We’ve been developing websites and designing tailor-made tech solutions for nearly 16 years. We’re proud to say that brilliant UX is part of our DNA.

We work with many of our clients as an ongoing technical partner, but we also offer a consultancy service to solve a specific strategic challenge.