Good design is easy to spot but often hard to pin down. What exactly makes a product effective to its users? Is it a matter of simplicity, structure, or functionality? The answer depends on the product in question.
The primary characteristics of good UX are — usable, equitable, enjoyable, and useful — can help us evaluate a product’s design.
Usable
If a product is usable, it means the design, structure, and purpose of the product is clear and easy to use. As you evaluate a product for usability, you can ask questions like: Is everything in the design easy to find? Is the design’s functionality easy to understand? Can users accomplish specific tasks within the design? As you evaluate, these questions can help you determine whether the design delivers a usable experience.
Equitable
If a product is equitable, it means a design is helpful to people with diverse abilities and backgrounds. In other words, the product’s design addresses the needs of a diverse audience and ensures a high-quality experience is delivered to all users regardless of background, gender, race, or ability. Equity means providing people with the tools they need to accomplish their goals and support improved quality of life. Equity goes beyond the concept of equality, where everyone is given equal resources, because people often need different tools and support based on their needs. This is especially important to keep in mind for those in commonly disenfranchised groups. As you evaluate the equity of a product’s UX, you can ask questions like: Are the needs of a diverse group of users considered? Does the product’s design address the needs of traditionally underrepresented and excluded groups? These questions can help you determine whether the design delivers an equitable experience.
Enjoyable
If a product is enjoyable, it means the design delights the user. The design reflects what the user may be thinking or feeling and creates a positive connection with them. A product’s design doesn’t have to be enjoyable for it to function properly. But, an enjoyable design adds to an already functional product and can enhance the user’s feelings about the experience. As you evaluate how enjoyable a product’s UX is, you can ask questions like: Are there aspects of the design that consider the user’s feelings? Does the design inspire delight in the user? Does the design keep the user engaged throughout their experience? These questions can help you determine whether the design delivers an enjoyable experience.
Useful
If a product is useful, that means it solves user problems. In other words, the design intentionally solves a user problem that the designer has identified. It’s important to note that, while similar, useful and usable have different meanings. A product that is useful isn’t always usable. The same is true for the opposite. The distinction between the two is that usability refers to the product working well and being easy to use, while usefulness refers directly to the ability to solve user problems. As you evaluate how useful a product’s UX is, you can ask questions like: Does the design add value to the user’s experience? Does the design solve a problem for the user? Does the design help the user achieve a specific goal? These questions can help you determine whether the design delivers a useful experience.
Observe the world around you and you’ll find endless examples of great UX design. Good design is marked by simplicity, structure, and functionality. As UX designers, it’s our job to help users avoid mishaps and roadblocks by designing useful, equitable, enjoyable, and usable experiences.
Check out this article about good design from the Google Design team to discover the genius in the designs of everyday objects you might have previously overlooked.
~Kishore Nagarigari is an Indian designer, UX, product designer, photographer, and startup advisor working remotely from Hyderabad, India.