When people ask why user centric design is important, we usually start with the short answer that only scratches the surface. The general consensus is visitors will spend less than 15 seconds on your website unless you grab their attention.
That’s where this type of web design comes into play. In the end, if done effectively , it can turn visitors into paying customers.
Working With The Customer
It works by tailoring the product to the needs and wants of the consumer rather than forcing them to change to accommodate the goods or services.
Here’s How it Works
The Persona
Understanding the target market is the first step. Developing a persona incorporates the demographics and behavior of the people and/or group most likely to buy what you’ve got to sell. These personal backgrounds need to include details like ethnicity, education, age and gender.
The persona is an important part of deciding the wants and needs you need to fulfill with a user centric design. This is the first step because it defines who will be the most frequent visitors of the website.
That’s the jumping off point, but you also need to clearly lay out the different functions visitors need from the website.
Accessibility
The next step is to design the fundamentals so information is easily and quickly found. A good website with a user centric design needs to do several things. The navigation needs to allow users to get around quickly and easily without bogging down. It’s not good enough to use labels here that are generic like “videos” or “products.” Try and keep in mind that users are looking to find specific answers. Prospects and clients are looking for information that is specific to your goods and services.
So, if you’re selling fresh vegetables, put that in the navigation bar rather than the generic word products. Don’t forget that you’ll need to consider how your website will translate on mobile devices. That’s where a hamburger menu is a good choice when you’re considering navigation.
Language
The language and tone that you use is an important part of any user centric design. Avoid jargon and technical terms. Shorter sentences are best with no more than 20 words to each one. Breaking up paragraphs with sub- headers allows prospects to scan pages and get to the information they want to quickly. Active voice is another important element.
