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Can anyone afford to ignore UX?

This is a question raised by Johan Ågren, lecturer in UX Product Development at Berghs. We asked him to share his thoughts on UX and companies he thinks have done their homework in user experience.

Written by David Lindh

August 28, 2018

Johan.Ågren Johan Ågren has years of UX experience under his belt. We asked him to explain why UX matters, and to share some of his knowledge and practical examples.

Who should pay attention to UX?

I'd prefer to turn the question on its head and instead ask: Who can afford to ignore UX? The answer is: the end user. For them, your product should just work. Everyone else in the product chain should pay attention to UX!

Which companies or services succeed with their user experience?

Slack has a good approach to their UX. It's playful, yet helpful. Apple is a very classic example but still relevant. Tesla really creates that want-it-now-feeling and continues to nurture that feeling even after your purchase. There are of course products or parts of products with poor UX even in these companies, but they have all come a long way overall.

The most important thing in UX is that every step must in some way include the perspective of the end user. A poorly written 404-page could affect your entire business. Loyalty is built when the whole experience is positive, as customers return to products and companies that treat them well. This is something I believe more companies should focus on. There is no such thing as a good sales process without every part of the product chain contributing to overall customer satisfaction.

What tools are there to create a dialogue about UX between you and your target audience?

Companies must dare to actually meet their target group. You should of course observe their behavior, but the main thing is that the meeting between you happens. That is slightly more difficult after the GDPR regulation, but most people usually get excited about being able to influence your product. Today, there are huge opportunities to reach a carefully selected audience. You could for example use Facebook or Twitter. Be creative and have the mindset that a discussion anywhere is better than not having one at all.

Which UX trends do you believe are here to stay?

Trends in UX come and go pretty quickly, but it would be really cool if the trend of greater focus on Service Design continues. We need to look at the whole business, not just the digital landscape. I also think we just started to scratch the surface of VR, AR, and IoT (the Internet of Things). Something more needs to happen to achieve the greater impact - but when it happens, it will be huge. I am also excited about how the AI field is developing and how companies will put it to use.