UX isn’t just about creating functional products that look good. It’s about experiences that resonate with customers, meet their needs, and drive success.
I was recently asked to present a 5-minute lightning talk on ‘Why UX matters’. Condensing such a big topic into such a short time was a challenge but it did give me the opportunity to focus on the core message above.
Notice I used the word ‘customer’. That's because thinking of end users as customers is crucial, even in the public sector.
Customers aren’t passive users. They have choices, expectations, and the power to shape an organisation's success through their experiences, and the feedback they give.
By treating end users, whether internal or external, as customers, we become better equipped to identify and respond to their needs. We’re able to create positive interactions, and foster trusting, long-term relationships that directly impact business outcomes.
UX is not, therefore, just a ‘nice-to-have’ but a must-have. It helps us achieve both customer satisfaction in the services we offer, and business and brand success.
Good UX is good business
Investing in UX can be the difference between a successful product and a failure.
Contrary to what you might think, it can also speed up delivery rather than slowing it down. Think of it as an accelerator rather than a hurdle.
Focusing on user experience can ultimately lead to higher user engagement, and companies that prioritise UX see a direct correlation with increased customer satisfaction, higher retention rates, and repeat business.
Think about everyone’s favourite UX case study: Apple. They revolutionised the tech industry by designing intuitive, user-friendly products. Consider how ubiquitous smartphones have become—adopted by nearly everyone in just 15 years.
Now ask yourself, who trained you to use your smartphone? You didn’t need training because the physical product and the software it runs was designed with your needs in mind, creating a seamless and intuitive experience.
This approach is not accidental. It’s the result of years of design thinking and the establishment of patterns and standards that ensure consistency across the apple ecosystem.
This creates an experience that feels natural and effortless for us, the customer, regardless of which software we’re using on which device.
But that's not always the case.
The trouble with good UX is that it makes bad UX all the more obvious. And for every good experience we have, there are plenty of poor experiences lurking around the corner.
Every product we build has the opportunity to solve a problem for our customers, provide a satisfying experience, and drive business success.
The benefits of good UX
There are lots of reasons why it’s worth investing in UX. Here are just three:
- Increased customer retention and loyalty. Good UX enhances customer interactions, driving greater adoption, engagement, and repeat business.
- Reduced operational costs. Thoughtful design minimises redundancy, reduces support needs, and prevents costly post-launch fixes.
- Competitive advantage. Superior UX creates seamless experiences that boost satisfaction, foster loyalty, and strengthen your market position.
Poor UX doesn’t just frustrate end users. It slows down processes, increases costs, and leads to disengagement.
For external customers, poor UX can damage your brand and lead to lost business opportunities.
For internal customers, poor UX could mean hours of wasted time each week navigating poorly designed systems – time that could otherwise be used more effectively.
By focusing on improving UX, we not only save time and money but also strengthen our business performance.
Great UX doesn’t happen in a vacuum
Great UX is grounded in thoughtful, purposeful design. And when I say ‘design' I don’t just mean aesthetics.
Too often, design is thought of in terms of the superficial – luxury ‘designer’ goods, or soft furnishings. A treat that’s nice-to-have.
But true design is about disciplined problem-solving, with a robust process for identifying the right problems and solving them in the right way.
Good design focuses on the needs of end users, whether they’re external or internal, by creating solutions that are:
- desirable
- feasible
- viable
- sustainable
- ethical
- inclusive
Customers might struggle to articulate their needs. Even when they do, their perceived solutions may not be the most effective way to address the underlying problem.
That’s why customer research is such an important part of UX. It helps surface those needs without necessarily asking customers a direct question.
UX is just one component of user-centred design (UCD).
Design strategy, service design, product design, user research, content design, and user interface (UI) design are also critical components.
So really, we shouldn’t be talking about UX or UI in isolation. Instead, we should think about UCD in its broader sense, and challenge the misconception that design is merely a shiny wrapper for the product.
Design is fundamental
To round-off with a provocative final thought, there is no such thing as a technology project.
They’re all people projects, many of which have a technical angle, but all of which have a people angle. So, design with people at its heart is fundamental to your business outcomes.
Good design leads to good user experience, which is good news for your customers, but more importantly, for your business—it’s good for your bottom line and your brand.
