Have you ever been told not to judge a book by its cover? In the User Experience (UX) world, it’s not just about making things pretty—it’s about making them usable. As the insightful Mike Monteiro once quipped in his book, “Art has as much in common with design as a lobster has with a carrot cake.” (Yup, chew on that!)
You’re in the right place if you’re a Salesforce admin or someone familiar with the term ‘UX’ but uncertain about its depth.
You might have encountered UX in passing and acknowledged its importance but have yet to unravel its full potential. Well, buckle up! In this blog, we’ll explain the essence of UX and its impact on digital solutions.
Design ≠ Art.
Art gives you feels. Design solves problems.
For any of you Salesforce admins exploring UX, remember, it’s not about aesthetics; it’s about optimizing every click, swipe, and interaction within your Salesforce environment. Our role in UX is to solve problems and ensure things look top-notch and function flawlessly.
Now, while countless fancy terms exist in this realm, like “human-centered interaction” and “usability,” don’t be fooled. Again, they all boil down to good ol’ user experience. And for all the eager beavers out there, let’s clarify: UI (User Interface) is part of UX, not a separate entity.
Think of UX as the Avengers and UI as Captain America. If they were separate, it would be like putting Captain America against the Avengers, but you forget to take Captain America out of the Avengers.
Here at Red Argyle, our dedicated UX team (we call the Experience Design Studio) aims to make the digital realm work seamlessly.
The Heart of User Experience
UX isn’t just a buzzword; it’s a guiding principle. The goals of UX teams (especially the Argylers that make up the Experience Design Studio) are to solve problems through design, tame chaos, and champion the users. Beyond making experiences look nice, we UX-ers make learning to use and continually using a tool or other Digital Things feel comfortable and simple.
Let’s recap UX guiding principles:
- Tame the Chaos. Make experiences that are surprisingly easy to use for users.
- Build Trust. Earn and maintain trust through transparency and consistency. That’s something we take seriously at Red Argyle. Trust. Both between our team and our clients and between our clients and their users.
- Function Beautifully. Help users get more done in this busy world, whether in the office or on the go.
- Accessible and Inclusive to All. Ensure equally effortless and inclusive experiences for all users.
The Foundation of Stellar User Experiences
Crafting top-notch user experience, like building a dream house—starts from the ground up.
User Needs: The Foundation
You must lay a rock-solid foundation before dreaming of fancy chandeliers and grand entrances. In the world of UX, that foundation is understanding users’ basic needs. A minimalist cabin that’s warm, dry, and sturdy is infinitely better than a sprawling mansion with leaks and cracks. Similarly, a basic interface that ‘just works’ often outshines the most visually impressive yet dysfunctional one.
Ease of Use: Doors & Windows
Imagine doors that open effortlessly and windows that provide the perfect view. That’s what ease of use should feel like—accessible, transparent, and uncomplicated.
Tone of Voice – The House’s Echo
Every house has its unique echo—a resonance or vibe. A company’s communication should have that harmonious and welcoming resonance, making visitors feel right at home.
Look & Feel – Interior Design
Now, this is where you bring in those beautiful curtains, cozy couches, and mesmerizing wall colors. But remember: while aesthetics can dazzle, they mean nothing if they don’t serve or complement the foundation.
Longevity in Design
Another layer to the architectural marvel is how residents grow attached to a house over time. Similarly, users develop an emotional bond with a company, tool, or service. A stellar experience doesn’t stop at functional ease or pleasing aesthetics; it goes beyond becoming a natural, seamless part of the user’s life. It is so perfectly interwoven that it often goes unnoticed because it’s simply… impeccable.
There’s value in fostering loyalty and delight among users. Ignoring UX can have dire consequences: users get frustrated, toss their mouse across the room, or, even worse, stage a social media revolt to warn others against your product or service. There’s a lot at stake when UX isn’t a priority.
The UX Universe: So Many Terms, One Goal
You may have stumbled upon various terms like user-friendly systems, human-centered interaction, usability, customer experience, or product design. Here’s the secret—they’re all talking about the same thing: user experience.
In this wild world of UX design, there is a fiery debate about the distinction between UX and UI. Hundreds of posts argue that UX and UI are separate things with a division about what elements fall under UI and what falls under UX. Remember: UI against UX is like putting Captain America against the Avengers, but you forget to take Captain America out of the Avengers. UI is under that UX umbrella.
Why Good UX Design is Worth the Investment
Investing in UX is like planting a magic money tree.
For every buck you put into creating a great user experience, you can get up to $100 back! Here’s a good resource to speak to that ROI. In addition to money back, good UX can:
- Skyrocket user satisfaction
- Increase conversions
- Cut costs by up to 50%
Hold up. How can good UX cut costs, you ask? Well, have you ever designed something without considering accessibility and then had to redo it all when you discovered that something doesn’t work for 20% of your users? Ouch.
Experience Design Studio at Red Argyle
At Red Argyle, our Experience Design Studio is involved in five key phases of every project: strategy, scope, structure, skeleton, and surface. We’re part of every step, from laying the foundation to adding the finishing touches.
- Strategy: Figuring out who we’re designing for, why, and their challenges.
- Scope: Defining what’s in and out of the project.
- Structure: Making sure the product or solution functions smoothly.
- Skeleton: Creating wireframes and site maps, the building blocks of the user experience.
- Surface: Injecting branding and interactivity to give clients a taste of the user experience.
Where Magic Happens
You might ask, how does a UX team magic happen (and your partners should, too):
- Discover: It’s like our first day at four different jobs (intense, right?). We dig deep, uncovering user needs and understanding the business from all angles.
- Define: This is where we chalk out what’s in, what’s out, and the nitty-gritty details like site navigation.
- Design: Where our creative juices flow freely. We craft wireframes, dabble in microcopy (those tiny bits of text you often overlook), and more.
- Refine: After a design showcase, it’s time for feedback and iterations. Rinse and repeat until perfection.
And because we’re not just about pretty pictures, we craft:
- Site maps for easy navigation.
- Wireframes that aren’t just “boxes on a page”. We give ’em substance!
- Journey maps to spot those pesky friction points.
- Wire flows (like flowcharts but cooler).
- Microcopy to keep your brand voice consistent.
- Interactive prototypes because who doesn’t love a good sneak peek?
We Want Your Users to Be Your Super Fans
Now, I hear you asking, “So what can Red Argyle do for me?” Well, whether you’re just dipping your toes into the UX pool or ready to dive into the deep end, we’ve got you:
- “We have a design team, they just aren’t familiar with Salesforce” services: Where we work with your existing design team in an advisory capacity to navigate the Salesforce design waters.
- “I’m not sure where to start” services: For those a tad hesitant, we offer accessible design assessments, usability reviews, and user evaluations.
- “Show me the future” services: We’ll give you a glimpse into the innovative world of what could be for your business and a roadmap to make it a reality.
- Full-blown UX services: From discovery workshops to handing things off for building, we’re with you every step of the way.
To Wrap It Up (With a Bow, Of Course!)
UX isn’t just a buzzword; it’s a game-changer. Whether you’re looking for a minor tweak or a major transformation, we at Red Argyle are here to sprinkle a bit of magic on your projects. After all, life’s too short for bad user experiences.
Let’s make the digital world a more usable (and more accessible) place together! 🌟
