DXP

UX and UI, where diversity is an asset

19 July 2019

DXP
UX
UI

IT has a tendency to use loads of abbreviations. Popular terms such as UI and UX reveal little about their content at first glance. What do all these abbreviations stand for and what can they do for you? Meet our diverse DXP Design UX/UI team and find out in detail.

Part of a greater whole

'DXP' stands for 'Digital Experience Platforms'. A digital platform can be seen as an environment to connect an organization to its customers and partners, and facilitates interactions between end users and companies or public institutions, linking together all existing systems, services and processes where possible. It's much more than just an online platform with a website, e-commerce system or customer portal. This is certainly part of it, but the ultimate goal of a digital platform is to open up the doors to the digital world, creating a total user experience for customers, employees and partners.

Design, UX and UI

Admittedly, the term 'Design' could lead to people focusing on the 'outer beauty' of the end products. And while appearance does count and is definitely included in the service, we actually go much further. 'UX', or 'User Experience', involves using testing, user research, statistics and analysis to determine how a user will experience the end product. Is the product useful and effective? Is it reliable and user-friendly? And most importantly: does it achieve its ultimate goal? The design aspect within UX is about shaping the interaction a user has with the application (or platform) that is yet to be developed. This is always done on the basis of input from such an end user. The typical activities of a UX designer therefore transcend graphic design or integration of corporate branding. UX designers spend the bulk of their time analyzing end user needs and issues, and charting the possible paths these users might take – what we call 'customer journeys'. Of course, we also have to consider the various technical factors along with the available data. Using this, a plan is drawn up for further development and implementation and proposals for improvement are developed and tested using interactive prototypes or wireframes.

CE

 'UI' stands for 'User Interface'. The UI is the visual result of all UXD efforts. Digital communication between a company and its customers often takes place through interaction with a system. Such a system is often presented in the form of a user interface. Whether this is a contact form, a search page or a product configurator, end users expect a seamless experience. They want to be served at their beck and call, in a way that suits them best. This implies that these interfaces have to be very well attuned to the goals of customers or end users. New and innovative solutions need to be found to meet these needs. For a specific application, the solution may exist in the form of a chatbot platform, for example. Chatbot specialists make sure end users are able to find their way through a company's products and services using natural language, at any time of day and through a variety of channels. It is even possible to simply ask questions out loud, though suddenly starting to talk to a laptop or tablet does take some getting used to. However, in time this may well become the next common way of interacting with platforms and apps.

An interesting mix of profiles

As you can see, 'UX/UI' and 'Design' are rather broad concepts, and it should come as no surprise that our team is as diverse as the tasks it performs. The team is now made up of various different roles, and together the individuals who perform these roles help to provide the best possible customer experience. And although it may sometimes be a challenge to have this diversity of expertise and personalities work together perfectly, it is also an extra asset.

It may seem like a strange combination, but bringing together the right analysts, UX experts, graphic designers, engineers and developers results in endless possibilities.

Wondering what UX and UI can do for you?

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