I’m not saying your website is lame. But, if it was your party invite to the world would people RSVP or throw it in the trash?
Bear with me. This party analogy is going somewhere, I promise.
See, it’s not too far of a stretch to compare user experience (UX) design to planning a party. It’s an enhancement to an overall experience. And like any good party, the right party items can transform a run-of-the-mill get-together into a head-banging rave! Okay, maybe not a rave, but you know what I mean.
The question I have for you is: Are your selected party items making you or are they breaking you?
Failing to plan is planning to fail.
Allen Lakein
Sometimes not having a plan is the best plan, BUT, party planning isn’t one of those times. You need details before you dive into having hundreds of people over. Otherwise, you can plan on disaster.
It’s the same principle for UX Design. You need to have an idea of what you are doing, why and the strategy behind it. Otherwise, hundreds of people will be visiting a website that has no context or continuity behind it.
We’ve seen it happen.
Research. Research. Research.
Why are you having the party? Why should people care? Why is it necessary?
In other terms, why should people choose your party over another?
Let’s be real here. In the world of web design, the competition is having a ‘party’ at the same time as you all day, every day. You have to know your why.
You’ve got to get all your ducks in a row and get a strategy together with all that research!
Who you plan on inviting to a party and who you plan on bringing to your website all go back to the same idea of having a target audience.
Who do you plan on targeting?
Know your audience, what they want, crave, expect and ultimately who they are.
You cannot understand good design if you do not understand people.
Dieter Rams
You can go beyond target audience here and ask yourself who you plan on eliciting help from. Will you need others to contribute their expertise? Surely, you aren’t perfect at all things party or UX design related.
If so, you’re a medical marvel and should be studied.
This is the easiest part. The timeline. When are things expected to be done? How long will it take to set-up, execute and launch?
It’s that simple.
Alright, you have the plan. Now you have to execute that plan. This is where the fun stuff happens because you get to be creative in your delivery.
Design is not just what it looks and feels like. Design is how it works.
Steve Jobs
Your invitation, in this case, is your homepage.
The homepage is the first touch point someone has with you and can make or break you in terms of conversions.
Just as the goal of an invite is the RSVP, the goal of a website is to get some form of conversion. You’re only going to get these with a good call to action. Something that engages the user and makes them want to interact with your brand.
Clutter is a failure of design not an attribute of information.
Edward Tufte
Let’s set the scene.
You’re at a party with hundreds of other people.
The room is packed with little room to move.
But it’s not because of the people, it’s because of the amount of tables, chairs, furniture and random knickknacks everywhere.
The clutter is making you claustrophobic and sweaty.
What’s your first instinct? Ours is to leave as fast as humanly possible.
Same goes for your website.
Whitespace is your friend. It gives design elements room to breathe and users space to take in the necessary elements and information.
Party planning is exhausting. But that’s not the point.
The point is, you have to get your users excited to visit your website and make them want to stay. You can’t just skip right to the party phase. There are some key steps between.
When you’re ready to make your website the ultimate UX Experience Party Hub, let us know. We’re happy to do the work and make your website the place to be.