What are the Main Differences between Web Design and User Experience Design?
Web design is directly linked to how a website looks, it is the visual appearance. Think of it as the cover of a story book - Web design attracts viewers’ attention whereas User interface design defines how a user will interact with the many features and buttons on a website. Let us start this discussion by exploring the how to create a user experience (user interface development process) and then later link it to the web design process to discover the synchronicity between the two.
The user interface development process is where the physical interaction of people with your website is designed and created. There are multiple steps in order to master the user interface creation process. However, every development agency has their own unique methodologies, languages and frameworks.
What are the Steps to Create a Perfect User Experience?
As a result of this, the steps might differ from time to time. The three most familiar steps that you will find in any web-design and user interface design guide are as follow:
• Creating the site map: Defining the multiple pages of a website is usually the first step in the design process. Followed by the creation of the navigation structure so that your customers know where to find the most important information quickly and easily.
• Placement of key information and actions: The next step would be the placement of items on pages that are easy to understand and access. In many cases action buttons are used to prompt customers to the next step in the process. For example, Buy Now; Checkout, or Contact Us.
• Testing and final implementation: The last step before your website goes live involves clicking, browsing, and using every feature in the purpose of finding errors. Be sure that testing is always done on mobile and several different devices to make sure your website is as accessible as possible.
All of these steps are mandatory for creating the perfect user experience. Other important aspects of this process involves the content of course – without content and important SEO factors no website will be marketable.
Excellent User Experience Success Factors.
We’ve established that is essential to have an amazing user experience to keep customers coming back for more. In addition; here are a few tips to keep in mind following the latest user experience trends.
• Simplicity is Key: A plain and easy to use website is far more effective than one with countless buttons and options. Implement various menu structures to maintain an easy navigational model.
• Add essential information: Put the information you wish your customers to receive in the right places. For example: by adding a visible Q&A section, consumers know where to find answers to their questions.
• Add call to actions: These are ways in which you can shorten the buyer’s journey and lead them straight to purchasing your product or service. Do follow up with continuous communications until the process is complete.
• Content is king: Many websites contain Blogs which feature articles with tips and tricks and industry news. This is a great way for you to attract potential consumers to your website. Invest in content that is creative as well as informative to inspire a loyal following.
Web Design Components: What about the Graphics?
As you may have guessed the visual part of your website should not be neglected. The current trend is to keep websites as simple as possible with relatively clean backgrounds contrasted by vivid colours. Whatever your design inspiration, the objective would be to create a marriage between the functionality of your website and the visual appeal. Here are a few take away’s for good graphic design practices that are easy to implement and look great.
•Focus on your brand: keep the logo of your company and brand front and centre. Consumers tend to stay loyal to brands they recognise and like. Be sure that your branding on your website stays consistent with all other mediums; for example company brochures and social media pages.
•Implement a consistent theme: themes allow for all the pages in a website to look great together. It will also make adding and formatting new content fast and easy.
•Use high quality images: do invest in stock photography and original design as much as possible. High quality visuals reflect the quality of your brand. Steer clear of duplicating other and try to be as unique as possible. It will stand apart from your competition guaranteed.
•File size matters: be sure to design graphics, images, art etc. to the right specs. This means that file sizes must remain low to ensure that your website loads fast and displays effectively on a mobile phone.
User Experience and Web Design Go Together like Toast and Jam.
In final conclusion, it is easy to see that the one cannot function optimally without the other. Even if you do not like toast and jam, the toast provides the vehicle for the jam to be appreciated. Toast being the user interface design of course in this example. In the same way, the graphic design of a website would be the jam that makes it wonderful to taste and come back for more.
As experienced UI / UX designers we at Zapro Digital can appreciate the valuable impact a proper user experience design can have on a website. We would even go so far as to state that no website should go live without it. Contact us today to discuss how we can help you make your website user friendly and appealing at the same time. We offer exceptional website design and development services and graphic design solutions; as is evident in our online portfolio.
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