UX is People

When people ask me what is UX?

I usually have a one word answer.

One word answers are even more thoughtful than an entire book on a particular subject. You tend to consolidate all your understanding and experience on a subject and end up with that one word, a word that gives you the real definition and right dimension to a concept.

UX is Dialogue.

UX is all about People, their motivation, aspirations, culture, value systems and of course their needs specific to a context, product or a service.

Understanding people's needs is only the tip of an iceberg.

What drives these needs is what Designers, Entrepreneurs & Product Managers ought to delve into. Once you know people, your product or service can have the perfect dialogue, set with the right tone and language, be it visual or otherwise.

Well, is UI important? Absolutely, yes!

However, without people, there is no meaning to pixels at all.

In this context, the UI a digital medium to create an interaction, have a dialogue and deliver the experience for people. If you go deeper, today UI is going even beyond pixels of a screen, with progressive interfaces, virtual reality, metaverses, or no interface at all in some cases. No matter what, these digital worlds of pixels of blocks should work for people and their needs.

The interface is an extremely important aspect of a product as its the direct touchpoint with the user. However, a user's drive to use an interface precedes the importance of an interface.

Here is an example.

Let's say a particular cash back app has an award winning interface and you have been using this for years. Would you still use a cash back app if cash backs are reduced significantly? The interface is great and fun right? Why would you stop using it?

You're hooked to the app, because its solving your needs and motivation to save money, grab deals or whatever the case might be. Users are not in the game for the interface, it means nothing to them, if you remove the motivation of rewards in this context.

Its game over, when needs are over.

User rewards matter more than design awards.

An interface might augment the user experience. However the interface alone, has no merit in it, by itself.

So the next time you start changing your product design to suit latest UI trends, think about why you started in the first place building a product.

People first. Pixels next.

Want to build a great product? Learn people!

There is enough tech, material and skill out there to solve the other problem for you.