User Experience and User Interface
Definition by UXdesign.com:
“…the judicious application of certain user-centered design practices, a highly contextual design mentality, and use of certain methods and techniques that are applied through process management to produce cohesive, predictable, and desirable effects in a specific person, or persona (archetype comprised of target audience habits and characteristics). All so that the affects produced meet the user’s own goals and measures of success and enjoyment, as well as the objectives of the providing organization.”
What this really means:
I use proven design techniques and practices that capture your clients’ attention and give them the experience they need to accomplish the tasks that you want (See Client Conversion)
A Few Examples of how this is done:
- Large, Obvious buttons that your clients can’t miss
- Encourages visitors to know where to go next
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Good: Large Button
Smaller, easily missed:
- High contrast text to background
- Makes the text easy to read for everyone – especially those with any type of vision issues. White on black is generally the easiest to read. Black on white is ok... but, light gray on dark gray can be very difficult to read.
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This is good contrast This is much harder to read - Large graphics that point to the next step
- Arrows, banners, stars, etc... capture attention… and, when used correctly, can focus your users attention on specific elements in your website - especially useful for call to actions (see conversion)
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- Big titles (with h1 tags) and subtitles
- Titles help visitors know that they have found what they are looking for - especially when they are scanning content
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Big Title
Longer Sub-Title
- Lists
- Allows visitors who are scanning content (verses reading content) to get a quick idea of what you are offering
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- Item 1
- Item 2
- Item 3
- Item 4