User experience (UX) is the deciding element of taking action in website development. Depending on the nature of the website, “action” usually implies making a purchase. Nowadays, companies are dealing with tremendous competition in web design. Looks matter, but making sure that users stay on a website matters more. Let us have a closer look at some of the challenges of UX design, as well as the solutions that can be implemented to delight the modern user.
- Challenge: bridging the gap between web development & design
Both designers and developers are equally important when developing a UX-friendly website. There has to be collaboration for the end product to exceed customer expectations. The challenge is that designers think too much about the journey of the user, whereas developers deal with technical elements. In general, lack of communication and knowledge gaps result in project delays and missed deadlines.
Solution: Agile communication is the key to aligning both design and development. Developers must be kept in the loop on a constant basis regarding adjustments that need to be made. As for designers, they should spend some more time understanding the developer’s workflow.
- Challenge: Time & budget restrictions
Time and budget impact both design and development when working on a UX project. An underpaid designer will provide poor design. Although adjustments can be done directly by the developer, the process takes time as developers are more technical and less creative. Creativity takes time and it can’t be rushed. That’s something companies must understand to have a successful end product.
Solution: A UX designer’s contract should be properly negotiated from the start. The terms and conditions of the contract must be flexible and work in the best interest of the designer. This way, interest in providing quality work will increase.
- Challenge: Unnecessary catbots
Chatbots are useful when developing a website. Regardless of industry, solving client concerns and answering questions in real-time increase user experience (UX). However, many virtual assistants are doing more harm than good. Rather than provide support, they tend to confuse the customer with unnecessary answers and functions.
Solution: The key is to focus on conversational UX. Rather than attempt to solve an issue as soon as possible, a smart AI system could be a better alternative as it uses machine learning to understand the client and his pain points first. Chatbot relevancy is the key to boosting UX.
- Challenge: Little understanding of assigned roles
The multidisciplinary nature of user experience (UX) design creates confusion. The role of a UX designer is to create a customer journey, not just a pretty design. Behind the UX of any website, there has to be business value, and company leaders must acknowledge that UI/UX design works best when designers and developers collaborate.
Solution: Setting clear expectations from the very beginning can help prevent confusion. Designers are in charge of a set of tasks that are different from a developer’s task. Also, designers don’t know software development and coding languages. They might have knowledge of the principles, but their focus is creativity-based, not technical-based.
- Challenge: A/B testing
In general, A/B testing is a designer’s first approach to comparing results and assessing designs. However, it’s a limited strategy because most tests provide inaccurate results. Merely comparing 2 design variants at the time create inconsistencies. It could take months to compare multiple variations, not to mention that it put pressure on the edits done by the developer.
Solution: Combining machine learning with AI systems streamlines the testing phase as AI is capable of comparing multiple design variants at the same time extremely fast. Furthermore, a smart system can also provide results on what needs to be improved to get the final project completed faster and accurately.
As technology advances, the tools and resources used by UX designers bring about numerous challenges. To increase user experience, the key is to face the challenges and work together with the rest of the team to find solutions. By carefully assessing client demands, needs, and expectations, designers can collaborate efficiently with developers to build a website that is truly user-friendly.
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