User Experience (UX) in software development

Developing technology solutions based on user experience (UX) consists of creating applications on which users find immediate value. This is possible as long as a proper balance is achieved between aspects such as navigability, readability, performance and other equally important aspects so that the applications fit the users' needs and the expected business requirements.

In this article we will review how user experience shapes custom software development.

User experience (UX) seeks to create immersive interactions for customers while ensuring that the costs of software development and deployment remain within budgeted margins. Beyond focusing on design and usability aspects, UX seeks to satisfy the user at the first level, and this has become the backbone of custom software development.

In today's business world, user experience has positioned itself as a competitive advantage both for companies looking for customer-oriented technology solutions and for those who need internal applications focused on their employees.

User Experience (UX) vs User Interface (UI)

It is quite common to confuse User Experience (UX) with User Interface (UI) since the latter is also fundamental to the success of applications, but in practical terms the User Interface is only one ingredient in the User Experience recipe. Before we continue, to make clear what each of these two terms in the technology industry mean, we leave the link to an article we previously developed for this purpose

User Experience as a basis for Software Development

The intention of developing custom software is to promote effectiveness, availability, usability, practicality and, above all, the satisfaction of a bilateral technological need. The approach proposed by UX concepts is able to take this to a new level, and this is how companies demonstrate a genuine concern for their competitiveness, their customers and their perception of their developments.

When implementing a UX approach within a custom software development initiative, it is imperative to include within the toolkit, to serve the end user, the creation of intuitive menus, the application of organizational logic in functions, the hierarchization of services, the structuring of interaction paths and, finally, the careful integration of corporate values.

In this sense, it is extremely necessary and favorable to make use of the knowledge of the users as a key resource for the reduction of errors, the precision of the objectives, the executive planning and the increase of productivity in the development cycles.

The above, if properly proposed and applied, is able to promote a better acceptance of the software by the users because it helps them to solve their needs quickly and fluently, making them feel skilled and competent in the use of technology because they are able to focus on meeting their objectives without worrying about the technical aspects of the application. In parallel, custom software developments work intuitively and without errors, and this optimal level guarantees a leap in business productivity leading to better results and higher revenues.

The impact of UX on business technology development

Assimilation and trust

Downtime caused by the learning curve of a new application is often the main reason why companies are reluctant to take the initiative to change their software. But, if the software has been developed according to current requirements and protocols, and its use is smooth and effective, its learning curve will be short and effective.

Brand positioning

The perception of a brand in the human brain is a determining psychological factor for business prosperity. Consequently, a properly programmed and designed application has the ability to become a driver of customer loyalty and, in contrast, a UX error has the potential to generate significant consumer churn. Internally, through customized software, UX manages to convey the corporate spirit of the company to its employees with subtlety and precision. This optimizes the fulfillment of activities and improves response times to eventualities.

Business credibility

According to HubSpot agency statistics, 97% of a customer's affirmative decision is influenced by the experience with the product. In other words, users tend to take details into account and this is why UX can turn them into loyal or lost customers. This is because custom development implicitly demonstrates that companies care as much about their customers as they do about their employees by providing them with better tools to do their jobs. In summary, a UX solution may require a significant financial investment, but once it is operational it will speak volumes about the company's commitment to delivering on its business promises. As a result, the effect of creating UX-based applications is capable of transforming customers into brand ambassadors.

Financial profitability

All of the above is intended to deliver high-value technology solutions to both customers and employees, but the ultimate indicator of the viability of a UX-based development should be measured in terms of sales and/or acquisitions. In that sense, the benefits of user experience for companies are so versatile and heterogeneous that they can promote a better interaction with customers by optimizing the reduction of times in their requests, the increase of items in shopping carts and the higher speed in their transactions among many others.

Addressing the User Experience (UX) to build software

Although it does not directly pertain to us, the world of video games turns out to be a great source of strategies if you are looking to create a positive user experience in the business world. Consequently, gamification is a quite useful approach from the premise that as human beings we are naturally programmed to seek a reward for every effort. Therefore, a custom application can provide a sense of victory after every interaction so that your users stay motivated and thus continue to use the application until their needs are met.

Nowadays, there are several software architecture and development models that have been carefully detailed to properly implement the UX approach in the creation of high quality and high value customized software for its users. However, it is still best to adopt a critical thinking mentality in terms of design but in parallel implement Agile development principles while developing the ultimate user experience.

In a general framework, the purpose of developing custom software that is based on the user experience is to create tools that are efficient, practical and above all capable of promoting corporate values. In this way, user experience has become a business catalyst for companies that take the initiative to improve their software. This is as long as all the fundamentals of UX are adopted and implemented for the creation of accurate and effective software models for task accomplishment and customer satisfaction.

If your business is looking to modernize its technological tools for both its employees and its customers in order to raise their quality, improve satisfaction rates and increase the number of transactions, at DreamCode we have the professional team and the right background to develop the UX-based application that your company needs. Get to know our services and schedule now a technological consultancy in which we can find the best alternative to position your company and increase its profitability. Visit us now