Whether you’re a business owner or a consumer, understanding the ins and outs of UX can improve your daily life.
UX stands for user experience. Its purpose is to solve common problems in a user’s path and create the best possible experience for a customer.
A UX designer will look into the flow and design without sacrificing basic necessities like function and aesthetic appearance.
One great example of profitable UX design was the renovation of the Gusto workspace.
The Gusto Renovation:
After outgrowing their current workspace, the people of Gusto realized they were in desperate need of a larger, more refreshing space for both the employees and customers.
This wasn’t any old remodel, however. Gusto challenged its designers to create a bigger workspace that not only fostered growth and productivity for its workers but also catered to the client’s specific needs.
To do this, the designers went to the general employee population of Gusto to identify current workspace problems, needs, and dreams. After compiling this information the designers had a clear sense of what the values and personality of Gusto were as a whole. Additionally, this process made employees feel heard by their employer. A list of non-negotiable qualities was then put forth for the designers to use as a guide throughout the renovation.
For the remainder of the construction and design process, the company was adamant on keeping all of the employees in the loop about the remodel. This small and simple act was enough to make all of Gusto feel included and heard, and in turn, the employees felt that they were in a very positive environment. This in itself led to more productivity and happier employees.
The Results:
In the end, the Gusto employees were able to create a one of a kind workspace that catered specifically to the needs of the employees and clients. The resulting environment also promoted a welcoming and safe place for all kinds of people (those with disabilities and varying backgrounds).
Aside from the tangible benefits that came from the remodel, Gusto saw positive growth in its employees and customers because of the care the company exhibited for its users throughout the entire process. Rather than focusing on money-making, they focused on the needs of their users.
Your number one priority should be making sure your users are happy. Beyond this, good UX will also increase sales, productivity, and even credibility.
So how can you improve the quality of your user experience?
- The first step is to understand the problems your business has. Are your users often failing to complete a purchase? Are your employees dragging all day long and losing motivation as time goes on? Ask your consumers and employees to tell you what they don’t like about your business, website, or the office space you are in. Research these problems until you have found as much information on them as possible.
- Begin brainstorming solutions to these problems. Ask for advice from other people on how they would fix them. Bring together a random group of your employees to brainstorm ideas. Debate the pros and cons of each potential solution. Make it your priority to analyze everyone involved with a given problem: employees, consumers, maintenance, etc. You want to create the smoothest path for all of them/
- Implement your final decisions.
- Track the changes that result for a period of time and tweak until you are happy with the outcome.
- Repeat! The world is always evolving and you can too! Continue improving various pieces of your business for as long as it runs.
Good UX will never hurt anybody, but bad UX will. Don’t let bad UX hurt your business.
For more information on the Gusto workspace, check out this article.
