The 'WOW' Factor in UX Design

What you can do to make 'lay-users' go WOW? · 1. Stop being a hardcore designer · 2. Presenting designs as stories · 3. Focus on UX writing · 4. Presenting UI ... GetstartedOpeninappSigninGetstartedFollow430KFollowers·Editors'picksReceiveournewsletterPublishastoryAboutGetstartedOpeninappThe‘WOW’FactorinUXDesignKiritLakhaniSep1,2017·6minreadSource:MuzliWhatshouldbetheoutcomeofadesign?Isitsomethingsospectacularthatwillmaketheproductownersawestruck?Whatexactlydowethinkistheroleofdesign?Isittoimpress,seduceoramazetheCEO,VPortheproductmanagers?Areweapproachingdesignwiththerightattitude?Source:TenorAfewmonthsbackIwasworkingondesigningane-Commerceportalforaclientwhichwouldconnectfarmersinvillagestohyperlocaldeliveryconglomeratesincities.Clearly,therearetwodistinctuserpersonastobeserved,Firsttheuneducated,lesstech-savyfarmersinvillageswhereassecondareprofessionaltech-savyusers.Thegoaloffarmerswouldbetolisttheproductstheyaresellingandthepriceatwhichtheyareselling.Theywouldalsowanttodoallthefinancialtransactionsthroughthisportal.Ontheothersidethegoalofthedeliverybusinesseswastobuythelistedproductsandassuredeliveryoftheproductsfacilitatingthetransaction.Theentireproblemwasveryinterestingandprettychallenging.Soafterweeksofuserresearchdoingaffinitymapping,userinterviews,taskflowsetc.Icameupwithawireframefortheportal.Thewireframeswerethenconvertedmid-highfidelityprototypesfordoingusabilitytesting.Afterincorporatingalltheinsightsfromusabilitytesting,IcameupwithaprettygoodUXfortheportalwhichhelpedtheuserstoachievetheirgoalswithdelight.Imadesurethattheyfoundouteverythingtheyarelookingforrightwheretheyarelookingforandtheproductturnedouttobehighlyusableforboththeuserpersonas.OnceIwasdonewiththefinalUIfortheportal,Iwaspresentingittomyclientsintheirboardroomwhichhasnicewoodenartscarvedontothewallsoftheroom.IwasexcitedabouttheentirepresentationandIwasproudofmyselfbeingabletoachievegreatresults.TheentirepresentationwentprettywellandIwasabletoconvincethemajorityofaudiencethatthisisthebestsolutionforthee-commerceportaltheyarelookingfor.ButallofasuddenasIwasabouttoendmypresentationwithmyselfontopofcloudnine,ayoungladywhowasVPoftheirsalesandmarketingdivisionsaid“Okitworksverywellandsolvesthepurpose,butwedon’treallyseeaWOWfactorherewhichcouldamazeourusers”andIwaslikeSource:TenorFortunately,IwasreadyforthisandIalwaysmadethismyhabittogotosuchmeetingswithabackupsolution.MybackupsolutionwasverycontrastingwiththesolutionIproposedandhadallthefancyanimations,colourfuliconsandpopups.Ithentookthisasanopportunitytoshowcasemyothersolution.Thesamemarketingladythensaid,yeahthisisreallycoolwithalltheanimationsandimageswhynotusethissolution?ThenIshowcasedmyusabilitytestingresultsforboththesolutionsandtheonewiththewowfactorconfusedthemajorityoftheusersfallinginthefarmerpersona.Postwhich,allthemembersinthemeetingagreedtogowiththesolutionIpresentedfirsttakingsomeaspectsofsolutionBincorporatedinit.Thequestionwhichariseshereisarebusinesses,productcommissionersawareabouthowtocapturethepowerofdesignincreatingvaluefortheirbusinessesratherthantomakeitlook‘beautiful’?Italsomakesanimportantpointaboutgivingfeedbacktowardsadesign,feedbackshouldbesuchthatitavoidallthevaguetermslike‘WOW’,‘beautiful’,‘catchy’,‘exciting’.Feedbackshouldmajorlyfocusonwhetherornotthesolutionsolvestheproblemoftheusersandhowcanweimprovethesolutiontogiveusersaseamlessexperience.Whatyoucandotomake‘lay-users’goWOW?Now,Icanassumetherewouldbemanydesignerswhowouldhavefacedthesamesituationandendupbeingfrustratedthattheviewersjustdon’tgettheirdesign.NowImaynottotallyagreetothestatement,thattheguyslikeCEOorVPofanyorganisationdonotunderstandwhatUXdesignis?(thoughtheremaybemismatchesaboutwhatthegoalofdesignis)Weasdesignersshouldtakethisasanopportunitytoeducatethemaboutthevaluebeingdeliveredbydesigninalanguagewhichtheyunderstandandinvisualstheyliketosee.Youcandothisby:1.StopbeingahardcoredesignerSource:PinterestDonotusetermslikekernel,gutter,typography,iconography,responsive,cognitivewhilepresenting.Trypresentingthevaluebeingdeliveredbysaying85%ofuserswereabletosuccessfullycompletetheirgoalandup-sellopportunitiesroseby20%takingtheconversionratetoover11%.Forthis,youmustneedtounderstandthebusinessbygettingtothecoreoftheproblemyouaretryingtosolve.2.PresentingdesignsasstoriesSource:RomanpichlerYoucouldreallyachieveanupperedge,ifyoucouldincorporateareallifescenarioinyourdesignsandshowhowtheflowofinformationinyourdesignshelpusersachievetheirgoals.Forthisyoucanuserealdataratherthanloremipsumtexts.Startbytheproblemoneoftheuserisfacingandhowheusesyoursolutiontosuccessfullyachievehisgoals.3.FocusonUXwritingSource:UXPlanetThisisstillanewfieldandmanybiggieslikeGoogle,MicrosofthavestartedputtingoutdesignationslikeUXwriter.ThemainroleoftheUXwriteristochurnoutproperwordsfromthelanguageoftheuserssothattheusersareeasilyabletounderstandtheinformationwhichisbeingdelivered.Foreg.,acalltoactionbuttoncouldhave‘Submit’,‘Next’,‘Gotonext’etcasthetext.Thefinaltextshouldbesupportedbysomeusertestingandethnographicdata.4.PresentingUIinteractionsSource:GalshirSeeingtheactualanimations/interactionsinsteadofstaticimagesalwaysgivesaclearerpicturetotheviewers.Ithelpsthedesignerstorightlypresenttheideatheyaretryingtodeliver.Iwouldsaymorethan70%ofthevisualWOWfactorcouldbeachievedifalltheinteractionsarerightlyplacedwitheveryclick,hover,swipeortap.TherearemanytoolswhichcanhelpincreatingsomeamazinghighfidelityinteractionslikeOrigami,Principle,Flintoetc.5.CreatingtheactualuseenvironmentSource:MuawwaazItisalwaysadvisabletopresentdesignsinthedevicesitismeantfor.LikeaniOSappcanbepresentedonaniPhonedevicewheretheuserscanactuallyexperiencevibrations,swapinteractions,soundsandotherhaptics.Similarlyawebdesignshouldbepresentedonadesktop/macdevices.Ifthereareotherphysicalfactorslikelocation,temperatureorpositionofthedevicewhileusingtheapp,thesamecanbesimulatedwhilepresentingthedesigns.Thiswaytheviewerscangetintotheshoesoftheenduserswhoaregoingtoeventuallyusetheirproduct.ThelistmayevencontinuelongerastherecouldpossiblybemanyotherfactorswhichmaycontributeineitherthefunctionalorthevisualWOWfactorbutitcanbesurelyconcludedthat:Conclusion:“FancyandWOWinterfacesmayattracttheusersatonce,buttoretainthoseusersithastobefunctionallyWOWratherthanvisuallyWOW”KiritLakhaniProductDesigner@ClearTax|Founder@TechByDesign|[email protected]|Ex-FractalAnalytics,Zycus,Care24|ThinkTank|Entrepreneur|Value-DrivenDesignFollow9615961 9615UIUsabilityInteractionDesignUserExperienceMorefromUXCollectiveFollowWebelievedesignersarethinkersasmuchastheyaremakers.CuratedstoriesonUX,Visual&ProductDesign.ReadmorefromUXCollectiveMoreFromMedium5UXDesignMythsYouCanFixAndyLaymaninUXPlanetServicedesignbriefswithupstreamchallengesMelanieRaymentStakeholdersTooBusytoReadYourEmail?RebeccaCressmanDesignforTransformationStephenBauWhatArchitectureSchoolTaughtMe — AndWhatItHasn’t(Part1)rileyL.Theblendisnearinfashion,forreality&virtualthatis.SaskiaFairfullMindMapJohnCourington3CommonCustomerProblemsUXDesignersStruggletoSolveJustinPybusinUXPlanet