The importance of user experience design

Although user experience design is sometimes dismissed as the latest marketing gimmick or just another buzzword, the reality is that UX is essential to the success of a product. In today's media environment, companies must do everything they can to ensure that their apps and websites empower users and provide a satisfying and rewarding experience. Taking UX training at the American Graphics Institute is an excellent way to learn about these subtle yet crucial design principles and enable you to create interactive experiences that will keep users coming back for more.

Reading between the lines
In addition to offering users a streamlined and enjoyable experience, strong UX design must also convey your brand's message. Jay Samit, chairman of Realty Mogul, recently wrote in The Wall Street Journal that striking a balance between sophisticated functionality and an intuitive experience is one of the greatest challenges for any UX designer.

"By leveraging each consumer interaction to improve your UX, companies can channel their data into insights for great UX," Samit wrote. "Design is how you make your first impression with your consumers. Make sure it is a lasting one."

Samit also recommended that UX designers test their products extensively before launch. Although some startups embrace "the hacker way" favored by companies such as Facebook, the mantra of "move fast and break things" can result in missed opportunities from a UX design perspective.

Every second counts
Of course, even the most aesthetically pleasing designs will fall flat if a page or app takes too long to load. Media consumers' attention spans can now be measured in mere seconds, necessitating optimized code that provides users with the information they need - and fast.

According to UX magazine, removing unnecessary Javascript libraries such as jQuery is one of the fastest ways to speed up a page or app's loading times. This can reduce the burden on a mobile device's CPU, and with many users accessing Web-based services exclusively from smartphones and tablets, this step should be considered by designers seeking to make their apps more responsive.

In addition to optimizing your site or app's code, it is imperative that various layouts and features be extensively tested across both desktop and mobile platforms. This will ensure a consistent and rewarding user experience across a range of devices, which is essential for brand continuity, particularly for sites and apps that serve large user bases.