What Matters is More Than Just a Good Design

Imagine walking into a library designed with proper lighting, appealing colors and plenty of shelves to accommodate a large collection of books. However, everything is cluttered, the signs are confusing, and books are scattered everywhere. With no one to guide you, it's nearly impossible to find your intended read. This is what a poor user experience feels like. 
In the digital space, the success of a product is not just the design, but the overall experience provided to its users—including its features, functionality, feel and user journey. User Experience (UX) is critical when developing a website, application or software. Good UX results in higher user engagement, increased conversions, enhanced customer satisfaction and greater customer loyalty. What are the factors that influence user experience in the digital landscape? 

1. Usefulness

The product must be of some use to the user. It should be created to serve the purpose. If the product does not provide what the user is actively seeking, it is non-beneficial to the user. 88% users are unlikely to revisit a website after a bad initial experience.
An HR management app helps in streamlining HR functions, thereby reducing HR workloads and enhancing employee experience. Its usefulness lies in solving unstructured HR workflow, data inaccuracies and inefficient communication.

2. Usability

The product must be intuitive and user-friendly, enabling users to navigate its features and use it to its full potential with minimal effort. Better usability is achieved when an application has minimal errors, reduced clicks and less confusion.
With its clean, simple and focused layout, Google’s Homepage remains exemplary in terms of usability. Users can easily type and search without any confusion or effort.

3. Findability

Products, services and the information provided within the product must be easy to locate and clearly visible. Strong findability can be established through proper navigation structure, efficient search functionality and well-organized content. 
Amazon’s advanced search filters and product categorization make the products an easy and quick find. This helps in customer retention and lead conversion with improved customer satisfaction. 

4. Credibility

The product must be reliable to the user. It should be trustworthy and authentic. Credibility can be offered through professional designs, security frameworks, clear privacy policies and genuine content.
According to Stanford University, three out of four users assess a company's credibility based on the design of its website. In the publishing field, credibility can be achieved by providing proper citations, listing author qualification and ensuring the content is well-researched. 

5. Desirability

Desirability defines how compelling and engaging a product can be with its unique designs, interface and branding. A desirable product grab user attention with its interactive features and compelling visual designs.
Characterized by the vibrant design, personalized playlists and smooth transitions, Spotify remains a desirable product for over 600 million active users around the globe. The desirable experience offered by the product keep users coming back for more unique experiences.

6. Accessibility

A product or service must be accessible to all its users irrespective of their physical or cognitive ability. With users having a wide range of abilities, considerations like keyboard navigation, screen reader compatibility, color contrast, text resizing and voice input must be taken to make the product or service accessible to all.
Around 15% of global population has some form of disability, making accessibility essential. Microsoft Word and Teams offer inclusive features like immersive reader providing tools to aid dyslexic and visually impaired individuals. 

7. Value

The product should be of some value to the user. It can be tangible benefits, cost efficiency and other advantages. A valuable product strikes a balance between user satisfaction and business success. 
Netflix delivers value to over 260 million global subscribers through its vast content library and powerful recommendation engine, keeping users engaged while supporting its business goals.

UX is slightly more than just a good design. It’s about understanding the users and delivering a seamless experience throughout the user journey. Focusing on these seven factors—Usefulness, Usability, Findability, Credibility, Desirability, Accessibility and Value—can significantly enhance the user experience of the products and services. Careful consideration and implementation focused on each factor can create a memorable and functional user experience. In today’s digital landscape, a great UX drives enhanced user satisfaction and delivers exceptional business advantages.