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Do you prefer Starbucks or Dunkin’, iPhone or Samsung, Chrome or Safari? Each example is essentially the same product, but have you ever stopped to consider why you prefer one over the other? Your choice is based on your personal opinions, past experiences, and the feeling you have when interacting with the product. Understanding this behavior is a significant component of effective User Experience and User Interface design. A product or service with a successful UX and UI can lead to a positive user experience and eventually, a loyal brand follower.
-Megha Goyal
Taking the initiative to research the psychology behind a user’s behavior has become more commonplace in UX and UI Design. Designers need to ask what motivates the user to take action. Would it help if there were fewer choices on a page? Or maybe allowing the users to earn points would help motivate them to take action? A great place for a designer to start understanding the ‘how’ and ‘why’ of a user’s behavior is to ask this ‘fill-in-the-blank’ statement: I feel __________ because my need for __________ was or was not being met.” Then ask them to explain. A list from ChooseConnection.com makes filling in the blanks much easier.
Website Analysis
Recently, I performed this exercise on myself. I selected a website I frequent, Stop And Shop and compared my experience to their competitor, Shop Rite. My main focus was on the online grocery shopping experience.
I began with the Stop And Shop website. Using the statement outlined above, I felt energetic, and my need for cooperation was met. The site was very personalized, with all of my past purchases on the main page so I could make quick work of my grocery shopping. Product Designer Megha Goyal states, “User-centric customizations make the users believe that the app has been specially designed for their individual needs.” She was right; it worked on me. The Stop And Shop website was bright and airy, and there was a lot of white space around each product, which made for a peaceful experience. The site did an excellent job of narrowing my choices. It displayed approximately five main specials, and if I was interested in more, I could use the carousel feature to get more. Overall, I was able to find my groceries quickly, select my pick up time, and be done with my weekly chore. The whole experience was pleasant and straightforward.
“People Like having a lot of choices, but that providing a lot of choices not only makes it harder for them to take action but may also induce stress.”
-Susan M. Weinschenk
I agree with Weinschek wholeheartedly, less choices on the Stop And Shop website made my shopping easier.
Once I began shopping on Shop Rite’s website, I understood the opposite side of Weinschenk’s statement. The Shop Rite website was overwhelmingly cluttered, with too many options to click. The number of choices stressed me out, giving me a negative user experience. Using the exercise statement outlined above, the website made me feel uncomfortable and my need for communication was not met. The Shop Rite site was filled with large graphics that made me continuously scroll to find the groceries I need. The number of clicks was maddening. Each time I clicked I was fearful that I would be redirected and my selected items would be lost. It took a long time to do my grocery shopping, and the experience was not pleasant.
Conclusion
Esteban Perez-Hemminger said it best when he stated, “The goal should be for the tools and products we [UX/UI designers] make to help people feel like the best version of themselves.” Getting my grocery shopping done in ten minutes made me feel like I was a rockstar mother caring for her family by providing them with fresh food. That feeling, proved to me that a successful UX/UI design leads to a positive experience and making me a loyal customer to the Stop And Shop brand.
For my complete website analysis between Stop And Shop and Shop Rite, click below.
