Creativity is more than just good looks; it must also match the wishes and needs of the end user—the customer. A website or app may look great, but if the end user doesn’t find the necessary information, the goal is not achieved. In the same way, a brand image should not only fit the organization, but also appeal to the target audience. This process is called UX design: aligning a strategy, design or expression with the user.
UX research
UX stands for User Experience. In UX research, the focus is on qualitative user research in the development of digital products. A website or app may look good, but if the end user does not find the necessary information, the goal is not achieved.
With UX research we get to know the end user; we discover what the target audience needs. Through user research and user testing we validate assumptions and map wishes, needs and experiences. As a result, question marks in the design process are removed and we design a digital product that is logical for the user.
It is therefore important to put the customer or user at the center and get to know them. Through user research we do this before we get started. We speak not only with the target audience but also with employees within the organization who deal with users on a daily basis and therefore have many insights into wishes and needs.
Depending on the question, we investigate what the end user needs and why. We map not only wishes and needs, but also challenges and opportunities. There are different ways to get to know the target group:
- Interviews: one‑on‑one conversations with people from the target audience
- Surveys: a practical way to collect information with a wide reach
- Observation: researching how people behave in a situation and take action
- Data analyses such as Google Analytics
- Brainstorming sessions with people from the target group and/or employees, using interactive working methods such as card sorting or mind mapping
User research can be conducted on a small scale (a few interviews or a survey) or on a large scale, for example as part of a complete customer journey.
User research and testing
A digital product like a website must resonate with its target audience. We want the end user to find the information they're looking for and perform the desired action. Due to the numerous layout and navigation options, this can be challenging, especially for organizations with a wide variety of products, services, or disciplines.
The question is therefore what works best for the specific target audience. Before designing, b creative agency likes to conduct user research to map out their needs and desires. Based on this research, we create an information structure, a wireframe (a rough sketch that serves as a framework for the website), and ultimately, a design. To ensure this resonates with the user, we conduct qualitative user testing.
For this, we create an interactive version of the wireframe or design, a prototype. We formulate research questions and assignments and invite people from the (potential) target audience to complete them. To put the research into perspective, we often combine this with interviews. Through observations and follow-up questions, our UX researchers identify areas for improvement and areas for improvement. We incorporate the results of the user tests into improvements to the information structure, navigation, wireframe, and design.
This way, we collaborate with the target audience to create a customer-focused and user-friendly website.