Let’s start by defining the UX terminology. It represents the emotional experience of a user facing an interface, an object or a service.

UX design is done by professionals whose job is to define the user experience.

By definition, it is a discipline whose objective is to design a product to serve users. It is a multifaceted profession, complex at first sight and requiring reflection.

To sum up, the UX designer is focused on user satisfaction, in one word: the human being.

Let’s deep dive: why do we talk about UX design today? Today, design is no longer just visual. It is no longer a simple display where no questions are asked in its conception.

UX design is now going further and brings another dimension to design. User experience design comes from the human sciences (see why: here) as well as from the ergonomic approach.

This design will study users’ behavior with a single objective: to increase their satisfaction with a product or service by improving one or more of its aspects.

The aim is therefore optimal use of the interface by the users. Emotions are also taken into account, as we will see later.

UX design in the world around us

In the field of digital, we are obviously thinking of interfaces such as websites, smartphone applications or tablet applications and games.

UX design goes far beyond the digital and the web, despites on what one might think.

UX design can be found as interactions at the terminal that allow us to order in our fast food restaurants, in the voice interfaces with connected speakers, in the handling of the vehicles we use every day, the SNCF stations or the queues in our favorite theme parks.

It is important to understand that all our senses: hearing, sight, smell, taste and touch, are constantly on alert. They induce reactions and therefore behavior. There are a multitude of devices and interactions where there has been a questioning of the user and the human.

As each user is different, the reactions are also different.

By using repeatable methods and protocols, UX design aims to better understand users.

Designing user experiences at Menaps

At Menaps, experts in digital service design think first of all about the aspects they want to improve in the user experience. The UX expert can have several specialties: User Interface, User Research, Development, Interaction Design, Product Owner, Ergonomist, Writers, Workshop coach… It’s up to each of us to choose its expertise.

What specialties come with the UX Designer?

UX Designer: His/Her role is to design an interface that anticipates users’ expectations while meeting their needs

UX Researcher : His/Her role is to better understand the users in the context of use.

UX Architect / Information Architect: He defines the information architecture, information and content of a site to facilitate navigation by the user.

UX Manager : His/Her role is to make the use of an interface or product as pleasant and intuitive as possible.

Lead UX Designer : Head of the UX/UI Design team, he is responsible for creating a pleasant user experience.

UI Designer : He is in charge of the graphic design of all digital products.

Interaction Designer (IXD): His objective is to work on the behavior of digital objects during the exchange with the user and the environment.

HMI ergonomist: Leader who ensures that the interface developed meets the standards of ergonomics as well as the functional requirements and expectations of users.

This is a non-exhaustive list, there are many others such as UX Writer, Content Designer, Product Designer, Creative Director. To approach this field more closely is to discover its many facets.

By definition, a UX designer cannot work alone, it’s a “central pillar” job, but he needs to be surrounded as much as the teams need him to collaborate and render satisfactory interfaces to users.

How to approach a project?

Professionals in different industries and large communities have developed tools and methods to better approach projects that integrate UX:

At Menaps we start by evaluating a project before starting. We do that following 3 criterias:

• Desirability / Usability: Is the creation or modification of an application or any other interface in line with the wishes and expectations of the users?
• Problem solving – User needs – Graphic aspect
• Feasibility: Is it useful according to time context? Is it feasible? Is it beyond the technical skills of the team?
• Deadline – Team skills – Technology
• Profitability / Viability: Is the client able to maintain the model and follow its evolution?
• Business goals – Budget – Return on investment (ROI) – Maintainability

The main methods :

Several user experience design methodologies exist, the trick is to adapt and choose the one that suits best to the project context. Among the multitude of these existing methodologies, here are three that have proven their effectiveness.

• Design thinking
• Lean UX
• Design sprint

As you can see, a Menaps UX design expert is someone who knows how to surround himself with tools and above all with different people in order to reach the objective of his mission. UX Designer is a human based job in the true sense.

A vision to develop around oneself

This human-centered approach that we develop around us by working with our teams and exchanging with them allows us to design products/services that are useful to our users.

UX design is fascinating, it can be both complex because of all that it entails and simple when reduced to its primary objective which is user-centered. At Menaps we like to imagine it as a core with a multitude of branches rising ever higher.

Do not hesitate to call upon our services by contacting us directly on this page or by email.

Our teams will be happy to answer as best as possible and to accompany you on your problems concerning your users.

Aurélien Llado – Digital Project Manager