TRINIDAT-WIKI
UX Design
How to develop software aesthetically and efficientlyWhether data analysis, machine control or customer service – we plan and control almost all areas of life with software. Applications should not only be functional. The design is what makes good software really successful. It has a decisive influence on the user experience. User experience design (UX) and user interface design (UI) ensure that the application is easy and intuitive to use – and that users are satisfied when working with the software. We explain what characterizes good UX and UI design and why this is so important in the development of individual software. .
Who starts a software, finds himself today usually quickly and without much time to get used to. Clear menu areas, clear function buttons and intuitive control provide a positive user experience. Whether color scheme, shapes, fonts and sizes – design elements ensure a good user experience. Responsible for the positive user experience are a mature UX design and a modern UI design.
What is UX Design?
First of all, the term UX design refers to product design that is geared towards people. This does not only mean digital products such as software, but all products that are used by people. UX design is about making the “product experience” as pleasant, simple and meaningful as possible. A good UX design creates such a product experience for the user. This is not just about visual aspects, but about the overall experience of the product. UX design for software is about controlling the user intelligently and efficiently – and avoiding negative user experiences. The focus is therefore not only on usability, i.e. the self-explanatory usability of an application, but also on the most positive user experience possible when using the software.
» If you've ever tried to buy a ticket at a train station in a hurry, you've probably had a negative user experience. «
Christoph Spielmann, Managing Director
To ensure that software does not cause frustration for the user, UX designers fine-tune a practical UX design of the application even before the actual software development begins. When developing custom software, it is important to create software that looks good and is easy to use. Users are used to working with applications that are easy to use and actually simplify their work. UX design is not an end in itself. Even small adjustments can make business processes much more efficient. Example: When opening a web application, the language of the browser used should be preset. If the language is not available, English should be preset as a fallback language, for example. As a result, users save time and unnecessary clicks even with such small default settings.
» If you've ever tried to buy a ticket at a train station in a hurry, you've probably had a negative user experience. «
Christoph Spielmann, Managing Director
What goals UX design should achieve:
1. The solution to the riddle
Software should help people. UX design makes sure that the software really solves the questions and problems of the users. Which function is relevant for the user? Which software features distract from the goal or even cause confusion and extra work? UX designers analyze in advance of programming exactly which users need which functions – and which do not. The goal is to avoid negative experiences for the user and make it easy for them to use the application in a comprehensible way.
2. Focused on the essentials
Theoretically, the functional range of software is infinite. But what user would want an application that provides hundreds of functions when all they need is the spreadsheet? In addition to the aforementioned relevance to problem solving, feature set is also a factor in user experience. Less is more is also true in the UX design of software. The goal is to get users to their goal in simple steps, quickly and without detours. Too many unnecessary functions and extras clutter the interface and make working with the software complicated.
3. Software that simply stays simple
Gone are the days when software was used exclusively on the desktop PC for concentrated work. Today, we select the new series in the web application and search for the tastiest sushi in the delivery service app. What distinguishes web applications and modern desktop software is intuitive user guidance. It’s about being able to operate a software as easy as child’s play from a computer, tablet and smartphone. UX therefore aims to ensure that the main functions of a software can be operated as intuitively as possible. Page-long manuals or even prior training are real no-goes from a UX perspective.
4. Architecture and aesthetics
Simple navigation, precisely fitting functions and intuitive user guidance are not only made possible by good software architecture. There are also aesthetic aspects. An appealing appearance of the software interface increases the perceived value of the application. Even though beauty is always in the eye of the beholder, general design principles help to improve the user experience.
5. In parallel with product development
UX design is based on precise analyses. Who are the users of the software? For a game app on a tablet, completely different elements of user guidance come into question than for accounting software. Therefore, UX designers look in advance exactly who the so-called user personas are. During software development, wireframes, i.e. schematic representations of the later appearance of the application, help to identify possible weaknesses in the user experience at an early stage. And customer journey maps provide an overview of how the software actually fits the question posed by the user persona. For example, the online store can test whether the customer’s “journey” from the product search, through the selection, to the payment process is designed stringently and accurately.
Efficiency meets aesthetics
Good software developers consider UX design and functionality of the application holistically. Thus, at trinidat, we take relevant UX aspects into account from the very beginning when designing the software. In doing so, we make sure to develop software that is as functional as it is pleasant to use and that optimally supports users in their tasks. We are concerned with efficiency. Therefore, we also optimize the UX design of the software to achieve the highest possible increase in efficiency for the user.
We do not use expensive and unnecessary design elements. Our programmers prefer to develop individual software with which users can work successfully and, if possible, still have fun. In doing so, we also attach importance to a sophisticated user interface design (UI).
What is UI Design?
UI design is about designing the user interface of software in such a way that the application can be used as easily and intuitively as possible. UI design thus builds on the analyses of the UX designers and optimizes the software with creative means. The aesthetics of the user interface are not the least important factor for comfortable use. After all, studies show that around three quarters of all users judge the quality of software on the basis of its appearance. The UI designer’s toolbox includes fonts and font sizes, spacing between control elements, button colors and shapes, animation effects, white spaces and much more.
What modern UI design should be able to do
One reason for the success of the tech company Apple was the visibly better design of the user experience compared to the operating systems of the competition. Today, a user-centered design of the interface is standard for software. The technical term for this is User Centered Design. This involves designing the user interfaces of software purely from the perspective of the subsequent user: Who uses the application and how? On which devices and where will the application be used? The trend towards strictly user-centered UI design has been fueled by the trend towards mobile use of software on cell phones or tablets. UI designers always have the respective expectations of the users in mind and align the visual design of the user interfaces with the core purpose of the application.
Manfred Hoffbauer, Managing Director
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Do you want your software to be intuitive and efficient? Then contact our managing director Manfred Hoffbauer. Get a free, no-obligation consultation on UX and UI now.