User Experience (UX) is determinant for the success or failure of a product or website. UX focuses on understanding the users, their needs, values, abilities and limitations. At the same time, has into account the company goal. User Experience is basically the quality of the interaction with the products, services or websites.
According to Peter Morville, specialist in this matter, there are 7 factors that influence a good UX, not only for websites, but also products:
- Useful
- Usable
- Findable
- Credible
- Desirable
- Accessible
- Valuable
Useful
A product or service must be useful, must find a solution for the users’ problems. If a product/service hasn’t a goal, it will be hard to maintain in the marketing. The product must awaken the user’s interest, not only by its aesthetics but also, and mainly, by its functionality.
The same occurs on websites: if a customer, or potential customer, is looking for a solution and it doesn’t exist on the website, therefore we can’t consider it useful.
Usable
Usability has to do with the fact that users may achieve their goal by using a product/service or website.
Findable
Information Architecture is important, because it must be easy for the user to find some specific information. That will define a good or bad user experience and also if the user will decide to purchase or not.
Credible
People buy products believing they will achieve their goals by using it. If the product is a lie, the user will, clearly, understand. The same happens with your website. For example, if a website of a furniture company says that certain chair is adjustable, but in fact it isn’t, the client will notice the company is lying. A fooled client will not buy again, as well as will spread this information with other people that may be potential clients.
Desirable
Brands may create the wish on users, through design, branding, identity, image, aesthetics and emotional conception. Moreover, user convince other people that a certain product is very good and useful, making it desirable.
Accessible
User experience must be projected to everyone, in other words, the experience has to work as well for users with visual, hearing and physical limitations. For example, public transports must have wheelchair ramps, as well as specifics places.
Valuable
When we talk about value, we do not refer to money, but how good and useful is the product/service for the consumer. A product with no value doesn’t survive in the market. In user experience, value means solving problems and creating an emotional connexion with the user.
All these factors, or the lack of them, are reflected in user experience, as well as determine the success of a company or brand.