What happens when you put User Experience (UX) Designers from Redmart, Foodpanda and Tradegecko together on a pleasant Thursday evening? Well, it soon turns into a very interesting discussion about users, their needs, observing their day to day behaviour and crafting a user experience they will crave again and again !
This was exactly what happened at a UX Panel organised by Growth Hacking Asia and moderated by Braintree. It was held on 31st March, 2016 at “The Co.” on 75 High street. The panel had Khairul Nizam from redmart, Erich Frankenberg from foodpanda and Naning Utoyo from tradegecko.
Many things were discussed. But what i took away at the end were 3 guiding principles. Something like a lighthouse.
Lighthouse Principle 1
Each touchpoint during a customer journey represents an opportunity for an aha moment. Design for all of those moments.
It began when Erich talked about how it is not just about the ease of ordering food from your favourite restaurant using foodpanda. If the payment system on the website is down, hungry users blame foodpanda and not the payments company. Designers need to take into account the entire ecosystem while mapping the customer journey. And all stakeholders need to set themselves up for success.
Lighthouse Principle 2
Good user experience design is like being a good host.
A UX panel is not done without discussing User Experience vs User Interface (UI). In my opinion, this is needless. It is not about one or the other. Both UX and UI go hand in hand to create a great experience for the user. A point was made here by Khairul when he asked us to think of our users as our guests. When they visit our website, what kind of experience do we want them to have? A good host anticipates the needs of guests and helps fulfill them. A good host not only keeps the house neat and clean, he also ensures that the seating is comfortable and the pantry is well stocked. So, it is not about UX vs UI. We have to get both right.
Lighthouse Principle 3
Don’t just hear your users. Listen to them.
Today, UX Designers face the problem of information overload. There is Google Analytics, Customer feedback surveys, Customer satisfaction index and many more sources of data related to your users. It is easy to get lost in the sea of supposed trends and patterns. Instead, Naning advised that the best way forward is to listen to user’s problems and use analytics as a validation tool. Continual user testing is a good way to keep improving your product.
So there you go. As an afterthought I realised that these principles are the core of any successful business. What do you think about using these principles in your ventures?
Want more? Then stay tuned for the next coverage of interesting events in your city.
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