The term user experience describes the impressions and emotions that people experience while using a product. It is therefore about how a person perceives, experiences and uses a product. A good user experience contributes significantly to the success of a product – whether it is software development or physical products like household appliances or cars. This is why companies and designers should not underestimate the importance of UX design and should deal with the needs and characteristics of their target group intensively. Because that is the only way they can develop a product that is not only functional, but also emotionally appealing. This will generate a positive experience for users. So how do you create a positive experience for people? And what factors play a part in that?
The most essential aspects can basically be divided into two main directions:
• Rational aspects like function, usability and physical ergonomics
• Emotional aspects like aesthetics, surface feel and mental ergonomics
In addition to rational and factual factors, both psychological and cultural factors play an important role.
Our personal experiences and behavior patterns influence the way we use products on the psychological level. Good UX design cannot fully take into account the individual ideas and personal preferences and needs of everybody; but it can be oriented towards the target group-specific characteristics of users as well as generally applicable rules. Furthermore, different countries or regions are associated with different cultures and customs. These can also affect product perception. For example: Text is usually read from left to right in Western countries. But in Persian- and Arabic-speaking countries, people read from right to left. This must of course be taken into account if a website is to be designed for both target groups.
Color choices can also be interpreted differently depending on the culture: For example, red stands for happiness and joy in China. In the West, however, it stands for danger, warning or even eroticism.
So when it comes to UX design, it is important to make sure that the design is not only functional, but also adjusted to mental as well as cultural ways – to provide a positive experience for as many users as possible. Designers should therefore always attempt to put themselves in the shoes of their users and target group in order to best meet their needs.
In all, it is clear how important it is to approach user experience in a holistic manner – taking into account both functional design and mental and cultural backgrounds, as well as the individual needs of the different user groups.
