<p>Published on <a href="https://blog.prototypr.io/what-experience-are-you-actually-trying-to-create-2b6086e86de?source=rss----eb297ea1161a---4">| Prototyping: From UX to Front End &mdash; Medium</a> Nathan Allsopp <img alt="" src="https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/max/1024/1*355s5lwqHjIpHYxphYW2YQ.png">Is this person walking, hiking or exploring? <a href="https://unsplash.com/@kalenemsley">Unsplash</a></p>
<p>User Experience (UX) designers play a key role in creating user-friendly interfaces. They utilise a range of techniques to ensure the experience is optimised to achieve such friendliness.</p>
<blockquote><p>Wireframes. User Testing. Information Architecture. Interviews. Personas.</p></blockquote>
<p>Such techniques are common-place in the realm of UX. However, what often ends up being pushed aside when designers are “doing UX” is a key consideration.</p>
<blockquote><p>How can we provide a great user experience that is intrinsically tied with our company’s brand?</p></blockquote>
<p>This means more than the colours and the navigation type. More than the layout of information, the user flows and the button colours.</p>
<blockquote><p><strong><em>It means finding ways to inject the essence of a company into the experience.</em> </strong><a href="https://ctt.ec/tI2Aq"><em>Click to tweet.</em></a></p></blockquote>
<p>Every company wants an experience that feels distinctively “them”. This means designers need to consider whether the “type of experience” they are creating matches the company’s context.</p>
<p>The problem for a designer is that understanding a company and its brand takes a lot of time<strong>. </strong>You can’t gain that degree of understanding from sitting around using Sketch all day.</p>
<p>But it doesn’t have to be incredibly time-consuming either. Here’s a few simple tips to help you better understand the “type of experience” you may be trying to create.</p>
<h4>1 — Speak to the Founders and/or Head of Marketing</h4>
<p>Nobody knows and understands the soul of a company better than those who founded the company.</p>
<p>If you are able to talk with the founders, ask them about the soul/essence of the company — why it formed, what it stands for, why people choose to use that company.</p>
<p>If you’re unable to chat with the founders, seek out the Marketing team. They may be able to provide insights that are just as valuable when you’re crafting the experience.</p>
<h4>2 — Take the time to thoroughly read any materials provided to you</h4>
<p>Ignoring the information provided to you is a surefire way to create what you think is right and not in line with the company.</p>
<p>Take the time to read materials and understand what they’re really saying to you. Understanding the business’ context for yourself is a great way to ensure the experience incorporates elements of the company’s soul into it.</p>
<h4>3 — Look at any existing interfaces/design materials</h4>
<p>Existing design materials are a great way to get insights into a company’s experience principles. Being able to visually see what aspects of the product are highlighted and hidden away help highlight what they’re trying to achieve.</p>
<p>A great way to create useful thoughts and questions is to look through the existing designs and write remarks/questions/notes. Jot down anything that says something to you — the flows, the copy, placement, colours, etc.</p>
<p>I’m not at all suggesting to copy existing designs, but to consider what the previous design was trying to achieve.</p>
<h4>4 — Ask a lot of questions</h4>
<p>Questions are a simple and obvious way to understand the context better. Trying to make your own assumptions in order to “look good” can mean wasted time designing what you think is right, only for a client to send it back to the drawing board.</p>
<p>Ask questions that help you understand the soul and vision of the company. Use these and craft them into the experience.</p>
<h4>So, next time you’re UX-ing, think to yourself — what experience am I actually trying to create?</h4>
<p>Nathan Allsopp is a <a href="https://www.nathanallsopp.com">Freelance Product/UI/UX Consultant</a> based in Sydney, Australia.</p>
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<p><a href="https://blog.prototypr.io/what-experience-are-you-actually-trying-to-create-2b6086e86de">What Experience are you actually trying to create?</a> was originally published in <a href="https://blog.prototypr.io">Prototypr</a> on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.</p>


What Experience are you actually trying to create?

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