User experience (UX) is most definitely not a new concept. As long as there have been users, there has been user experience. I would even equate it to customer experience at a store… it’s one way to ensuring the user has a positive experience and continues to come back for more. A positive user experience can lead to a repeat customer which translates to achieving the results YOU are looking for (i.e. a purchase, or a click, or a share). User experience is much greater than the small arena of web design. It is more than creating better software designs. It is every aspect of the experience: every image, every color, every bit of text, every popup message, the location of elements… everything a user interacts with directly or indirectly.
Focus Shift
In my opinion, the emphasis on UX really started to heighten in 2006. That year, everything began to focus on the user more than ever before. In December of 2006, Time Magazine announced its Person of the Year as “You”. Also in 2006: Web 2.0 becomes common nomenclature with site designs more focused on the end user, Facebook became available to the public in September, and YouTube was purchased by Google. Google was to become the future spearhead of the user experience evolution. As the digital space grew, so grew the emphasis on the digital user’s experience.
TIME Magazine, December 2006
Google and UX
Google’s focus really culminated in 2011 when they began releasing updates their system to make sure the end user was getting the best results possible. See my post about Google. This shifted the focus away from bogus and annoying sites to focusing on the web user’s experience. Again, a positive experience translates to repeat experiences and can lead to sales and brand loyalty.
The references mentioned above are primarily those within web. To go further back, one can determine user experience to many things: Pinball machine design, video game design, tool design, automobile design and many more. Your television remote has the buttons it does because someone figured out what a user would want to do and made changes. The first remote I remember only had four buttons — they have come a long way since then. User experience is not a new concept — it’s the focus on the user’s experience in the digital space. And, when done right, can positively impact the user and positively impact your business.
Vintage Zenith TV Remote
If you need help, or would like a UX Review of your website or application, please contact Cranson Solutions… we are happy to help!