User Experience

From a design and development standpoint, user experience is the applied practice of making technology accessible. From an end-user's standpoint, user experience determines how well elements such as layout, graphics, feature hierarchy and navigation combine to make a technology usable and painless.

As with any design practice applied to technology, user experience is a blend of both science and art. While drawing on scientific principles from the fields of cognitive psychology and human computer interaction, the creation of a positive user experiences requires both empathy and aesthetic sensibilities.

As technology becomes increasingly complex, so does the application of good user experience practices become more vital. Apple's continued success in the marketplace serves as an example that success need not hinge on superior hardware, but on the ability to imbue complex technologies with positive, personally rewarding user experiences.

User experience is also a major factor in the blogging and social media spheres: as the quantity, variety and interconnectedness of information increases, so does the importance of good user experience design in making said information more easily accessible. As information sharing becomes increasingly commoditized, the user experience of an online service can become its key differentiator.

by bravelittlememe Are you a writer, passionate about this or any other topic? Join Blogcritics!

Latest blogosphere posts tagged “User Experience”

• actface Rhythm: Mobile interface design “experience it”

  
  I2fly — Authority: 112
  I’ve recently stumbled upon an interesting interface design by teamlab , the way they designed and looked into the natural dynamics of touch interface is amazing. I liked it personally very much such an amazingly rich, engaging experience that’s just bursting with possibility for further creativity. ...
  7 hours ago

• Meet Microsoft’s antidote to Vista

  
  Putting people first — Authority: 431
  Microsoft Corp. is counting on Ms. Larson-Green, its head of Windows Experience, to deliver an operating system that delights the world’s PC users as much as its last effort, Vista, disappointed them. “She’s in charge of a wide swath of the system, from the way buttons and menus work to getting the software ...
  20 hours ago

• 3 reasons TV is about to get a facelift

  
  Gadget Reviews — Authority: 148
  GigaOm’s NewTeeVee Live event, which explores the future of TV, took place in San Francisco today. Though there were a number of interesting demos and presentations, three really stood out as being most likely to shape how we watch TV in the immediate future.The first of these was Boxee’s announcement that it will ...
  1 day ago

• New Yorks Taxis and the Power of the Nudge

  
  design mind - business. technology. design. — Authority: 582
  An NY Times article illustrates the large effects that can accumulate from small nudges that influence behavior: [T]he back-of-the-cab swipe has emerged as an unlikely savior for New York’s taxi industry, even as other cities’ fleets struggle to find fares in a deep recession. Overall ridership and revenue ...
  1 day ago

• Free DA: the Market That Never Was

  
  Internet2Go - An Opus Research Advisory Service - — Authority: 138
  Its a mystery in a way that the free DA market simply hasnt materialized as we at one time expected. Logically it should have because these services represent a mass-market form of local mobile search and a seemingly perfect ad platform. But just as PPCall never really developed online (though now theres movement ...
  1 day ago

• What is "The Fun Theory" really worth?

  
  ChaosScenario — Authority: 106
  A couple of people took note of VWs campaign " The Fun Theory ." Most recently Corley suggested it " furthers VWs corporate social responsibility ." Ultimately, I believe she is correct in saying that, but its a broad statement begging to be unpacked. To be sure, this campaign isnt about VW being socially ...
  1 day ago

• Online community best practices: Effective signup process

  
  Brian Cray's Blog — Authority: 103
  This article focuses on providing new members with an effective join/signup process. Although some of these principles may seem obvious, I’ve gone through plenty of membership signup forms that still suck. So hence the post. 4 elements of an effective online community signup process 1. Easy to use web form design ...
  1 day ago

• Nokia has designs on India

  
  Putting people first — Authority: 431
  Nokia’s senior design specialists are touring India to discover how Indians use cellphones. Leslie D’Monte reports for New Delhi’s Business Standard. Jhanvi Madan (not her real name), who lives in Mumbai , has been talking on her cellphone. Unknown to her, a stranger on the other side of the road is observing ...
  1 day ago

• The social dimension of environmental sustainability

  
  Putting people first — Authority: 431
  Experientia collaborator Irene Cassarino went yesterday to the international “ The social dimension of environmental sustainability ” conference, organised at Turin’s Environment Park with the support of the City of Turin. The event, which focused on the importance of social aspects in achieving ...
  1 day ago

• Three reasons TV is about to get a facelift

  
  Gadget Reviews — Authority: 148
  GigaOm’s NewTeeVee Live event, which explores the future of TV, took place in San Francisco today. Though there were a number of interesting demos and presentations, three really stood out as being most likely to shape how we watch TV in the immediate future.The first of these was Boxee’s announcement that it will ...
  1 day ago

• 3 reasons TV’s about to get a facelift

  
  Gadget Reviews — Authority: 148
  GigaOm’s NewTeeVee Live event, which explores the future of TV, took place in San Francisco today. Though there were a number of interesting demos and presentations, three really stood out as being most likely to shape how we watch TV in the immediate future.The first of these was Boxee’s announcement that it will ...
  1 day ago

• BIGresearch: Dislike for Mobile Marketing Has Increased

  
  Internet2Go - An Opus Research Advisory Service - — Authority: 138
  Flying in the face of several recent reports that argue people are becoming more comfortable with mobile marketing BIGResearch has found the opposite. According to the firm, based on surveys of more than 15,000 US adults, "the percentage of people who don’t like mobile marketing has increased": read more
  1 day ago

• Leveraging amazon for learning

  
  Design for Learning — Authority: 113
  Key take aways: 1. We don’t leverage data we collect to improve learner experience in the now 2. Amazon uses 3 things to personalize user experience: user created content (reviews); analytics/data; collaborative filtering 3. Personalization can be scaled see white mindmap.
  1 day ago

• Remote control design, makes its use remote and inaccessible

  
  disassociated.com — Authority: 443
  I am yet to encounter a TV or DVD/video remote control that is intuitive to use beyond its most basic functions such as play, stop, rewind, etc. In fact it is one device whose design has so far evaded a much needed user experience (UX) makeover. I can’t tell you how many design presentations I have begun with ...
  1 day ago

• Onitsuka Tiger Consumer WebsiteI just heard today that we have...

  
  6ix Passions — Authority: 434
  Onitsuka Tiger Consumer Website I just heard today that we have won a gold Digital Marketing Award for Onitsuka Tiger in the category best consumer site. I’m very happy of the outcome . It is always great when someone else, as prestigious as  the DMA, recognize your good work (specially when more than a ...
  1 day ago

• 3D Perspectives: How To Create Products for Our Digital Future

  
  Daily PLM Think Tank Blog — Authority: 126
  My new post on 3D PERSPECTIVES . Best, Oleg      
  1 day ago

• 5 Damn Easy Ways To Improve User Experience

  
  DesignBump - Published news — Authority: 448
  Let’s see what we can do to improve the UX on our sites. Those are very simple tips but we sometimes forget about them.
  2 days ago

• Apple iPhone Tech Talk London 2009: iPhone User Interface DesignEssentials

  
  Expanding horizons — Authority: 133
  Eric Hope ehope@apple.com — User Interface Evangelist solve a problem clearly defined style axes: (usage) serious / fun; (content) tool / entertainment serious tool use alignment well — see address book & settings for examples avoid redundancy if a word is showing up more than once on a screen, ...
  2 days ago

• Designing for a sustainable world

  
  Putting people first — Authority: 431
  To celebrate World Usability Day 2009 , System Concepts has put together a video podcast exploring how different stakeholders can enhance the user experience of their designs by including sustainability as a key requirement. The interviewees include: - Professor Ben Shneiderman – User Interface guru from the ...
  2 days ago

• Towards human-centred knowledge management tools

  
  Putting people first — Authority: 431
  Institute for the Future just released its latest research report, Knowledge Tools of the Future , written by Alex Pang and Mike Love. The report takes an in-depth look at signals, drivers, and trends shaping how organizations will utilize knowledge management in the future, particularly how humans will drive ...
  2 days ago

Comments about User Experience