A well-designed product that provides an exceptional user experience (UX) is what sets successful companies apart from the rest. In today’s fast-paced and highly competitive digital landscape, consumers are bombarded with an endless array of products and services. The challenge for companies is to create a product that not only meets the needs of their customers but also provides an experience that stands out from the crowd.
While having a strong brand is important, it is no longer the only factor that determines a product’s success. In fact, a great UX can often be more important than having a well-known brand. In this article, we will explore why a good UX is better than a good brand and what this means for companies and product developers. We will examine the importance of user-centered design and why it’s crucial to focus on the user experience over branding and marketing initiatives. So, let’s dive in and discover why a great UX is vital to building a successful product.
Newly launched startups
Small companies, products, or newly launched startups, with only a few thousand or tens of thousands of customers, will not benefit from a strong brand as users only care about what the product or service allows them to do. A product that improves their lives and enhances their productivity is more important to them than the brand. This is also the competitive advantage for small businesses against big, established brands that have to adhere rigidly to brand guides.
The brand guide should not dictate the product’s design, as this can lead to unreadable brand typefaces, weird-looking UI controls, intensive contrast ratios, and unnecessary microcopies. These elements are not that important to the user and can ruin the overall experience of the product. Brands can help to enforce consistency, but a decent designer should not need a brand guide to create a consistent UI.
A good UX
A good UX is about creating a visually appealing product and understanding the user’s needs, goals, and motivations. The goal is to create a seamless and intuitive experience that meets users’ needs and enhances their overall satisfaction. The focus should be on the user, not the brand guide.
To create a good UX, designers need to consider the following factors:
User research: Understanding the user’s needs, goals, and motivations is the first step in creating a good UX. This can be done through surveys, interviews, and user testing, depending on the maturity of the design operation in the company.
Usability: The product should be easy to use and navigate. The user should not have to think about how to use the product, always consider usability evaluation to improve your product.
Accessibility: The product should be accessible to everyone, regardless of their abilities or disabilities.
Responsiveness: The product should work seamlessly on different devices and screen sizes.
Content: The content should be clear, concise, and easy to read.
Navigation: The navigation should be intuitive and allow users to find what they are looking for easily.
Feedback: The product should provide feedback to the user, such as confirmation messages or error messages.
Consistency: The product should be consistent in terms of design, language, and behavior.
Simplicity: The product should be simple and not have any unnecessary features or elements.
Flexibility: The product should be flexible and allow users to customize their experience based on the product type.
Aesthetics: The product should be visually appealing and have a modern design.
Functionality: The product should have the necessary functionality to meet the user’s needs.
Speed: The product should load quickly and not have any lag.
Security: The product should be secure and protect the user’s information.
Support: The product should have good customer support and help the user with any issues they may have.
Continuously improve: The product should be continuously improved and updated to meet the changing needs of the user.
UX vs. brand
A great user experience (UX) should always take priority over a well-known brand. Brands may provide consistency, but they should not dictate the design of a product. The UX should be the primary focus of product development, as it is the experience that users ultimately care about. Marketing and branding teams may want to impose their vision on the product, but UX professionals should fight for the user and make sure the product meets their needs and expectations.
It’s important to note that larger brands like Apple, Google, and Microsoft can get away with a strong brand because they have already established a reputation and have millions of customers. For smaller companies and startups, their product experience is what sets them apart from the competition and is what will ultimately determine their success.
A good UX can be the difference between a product that is loved and used by many and one that is quickly forgotten. So, it’s crucial to invest time and resources into creating an experience that is intuitive, seamless, and meets the needs of your users. A good UX will help you stand out from the competition and build a loyal user base who will help spread the word about your product.
In the end, a good UX is the foundation of a great brand. So, instead of putting all your energy into trying to build a brand, focus on building a product that provides a fantastic user experience. The brand will naturally follow, and you will have created a product that people love and want to use.
