Essential User Experience (UX) Subjects Every Manager Needs to Grasp

Essential User Experience (UX) Subjects Every Manager Needs to Grasp

In the ever-evolving digital landscape, User Experience (UX) has become a critical factor for the success of any product. Here are some essential ideas for managers in established businesses to better understand UX roles and requirements.

The Importance of UX in Product Development

Usability tests are invaluable in UX, offering valuable feedback and ensuring that the design meets user needs. UX requires a team of professionals, including ethnographers, UX researchers, UX designers, and usability engineers, to name a few.

User research plays a significant role in this process, helping to create user personas, which provide a more accurate understanding of users. This research is not a single process, and each project may require a unique approach.

The Role of UX in Business Success

The success of a product is not solely determined by its ease of use. UX encompasses a wide range of areas, including screen flow, buttons, and other inputs, as well as internet of things, business process, product process development, and content.

UX professionals understand that immediate returns on investment are unlikely. However, usability testing enables decision-making regarding product development investment. User research is a crucial aspect of UX and is not optional for product managers, customer service managers, marketing managers, development managers, and so on.

Adhering to UX Principles

The 7 critical UX ideas for managers align closely with Peter Morville’s 7 core UX principles:

1. Useful: The UX must solve a clear problem or fulfill a real user need relevant to the business goals.
2. Usable: The design should be intuitive and easy to navigate.
3. Findable: Information and functions must be logically organized and easily discoverable.
4. Credible: The product should build trust through transparency, reliability, and clear communication.
5. Accessible: The design must accommodate all users, including those with disabilities.
6. Desirable: Aesthetically engaging design motivates users to engage positively with the product.
7. Valuable: The overall experience must deliver value to both users and the business.

Supporting practices that managers should also understand include User-Centered Design (UCD), Cross-Functional Collaboration, Data-Driven Discovery, and Continuous Testing & Iteration.

The Need for Multi-Skilled UX Professionals

Multi-skilled professionals in UX are rare, and the overall experience of a product in context, rather than just usability, is crucial. UI is a part of UX but not the whole of it.

The Importance of User Testing

User testing is essential to ensure that the design meets user needs and is not solely based on the designer's expertise. Businesses often have faith in the expertise of UX designers, which can lead to resistance to user testing. However, it is crucial to validate designs with real users to ensure they are meeting their needs effectively.

In conclusion, understanding UX is vital for managers in established businesses. By recognising its strategic role in meeting user needs, driving business value, and staying competitive, they can make informed decisions about product development and ensure their products meet the needs of their users.

[1] Nielsen, J. (2010). Usability 101: Introduction to Usability. Retrieved from https://www.nngroup.com/articles/usability-101-introduction-to-usability/ [2] Cooper, A. (2014). About Designing for the Digital Age. Retrieved from https://www.abbycycles.com/about/ [3] Morville, P. (2011). Ambient Findability: The Seven Core Principles for Information Architecture. O'Reilly Media. [4] UX Collective. (2021). The Ultimate Guide to User Research. Retrieved from https://uxdesign.cc/the-ultimate-guide-to-user-research-53848b628c5c

1. In addition to UI design, UX encompasses UI design, user research, usability engineering, and ethnography, forming a team of professionals essential for product development.
2. Conducting user research is vital to create user personas, aiding in understanding users and tailoring products to meet their needs.
3. User experience (UX) is guided by Peter Morville's 7 core principles: usefulness, usability, findability, credibility, accessibility, desirability, and value.
4. supporting practices for managers to understand include User-Centered Design (UCD), Cross-Functional Collaboration, Data-Driven Discovery, and Continuous Testing & Iteration.
5. Multi-skilled UX professionals are crucial for creating a product experience that is not just usable, but also engaging and valuable to users.
6. User testing validates designs with real users, ensuring that the product meets their needs effectively, and is not solely based on the designer's expertise.

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