The Six Stages Of The UX Design Process

In one of our previous blog posts we had a look at what UX is and what the differences between UX and UI are. In this blog post we are going to have a look at the six stages involved in the UX design process.

Just to recap, UX or user experience is a term used to describe how users interact and engage with your brand. It encompasses all the factors that describe the human-computer interaction. For example, how your website works and functions, the navigation of the website, the speed, the flow and credibility of the information provided.

The first step when it comes to designing a user experience is knowing what the process entails. A good UX design creates a positive experience for the user by anticipating and fulfilling their needs.

Stage 1: Understand

Before getting started you need to understand the basics; your user and your brand. Once you understand the problems facing your users and how the design aligns with your brand’s mission and goals, you will be able to create a successful design strategy.

Stage 2: Research

User research is a crucial step in discovering more about your user and will lay the foundation for your entire UX design. Good user research will challenge all your assumptions and ensure a successful design. Some methods of user research include interviews, focus groups, surveys and usability testing.

Stage 3: Analyse

All the information you’ve gathered can now be analysed and the most important elements can be distilled. Two ways in which you can analyse your research is user personas and user journey maps. User personas is the creation of a profile of your most ideal customer and are used to give brands a better understanding of their customers. It includes their user’s goals, background, age, gender, spending habits, needs, pain points and behaviours.

User journey maps are a representation of a user’s interaction with your product. These maps are crucial as they help your brand understand what your user will go through when using your product or service. This way you can build a product or service that is best for them.

Stage4: Design

Now it is time to start designing. This stage includes designing the site map, user flow, wireframes, mockups, images, icons and colours. This is a continual process of designing, redesigning, making changes, scrapping ideas and designing again.

Stage 5: Launch

It is now time to implement your design with help from a team of developers. It is extremely important to make sure everything is perfect before launching your product. A few ways to do this is by giving your team or a small group of your target audience the opportunity to test out your product. This allows you to observe how they interact with the product and could identify any issues which could be fixed before the launch.

Stage 6: Analyse again

Once your product launches, it is important to analyse it again. By analysing your product and the UX process thoroughly, you will gain more out of the experience than just a product. You will gain knowledge that will be invaluable for your brand and the future of your product.

Contact PURE on accounts@purecreative.co.za or call on +27 (21) 424 6918 to set up a complimentary 20 minute consultation, let’s create something great together.