UX is

Nowadays, we interact with products, services, and technology almost every second of our lives. We wake up to a ringing alarm. We wear our comfy slippers, and while we’re half-awake, we turn off the alarm. Then we go back to our bed to sleep a little more. We brush our teeth with an electric toothbrush and natural toothpaste. We eat breakfast from the dishes that we got as a wedding gift. We take a shower and wash our hair with shampoo that smells like freshly squeezed Aloe Vera. We wear clothes that represent our mood that day. We drive a car that has an air conditioner. And finally, we interact with our cell phone the entire day.

Usually, we are too busy to think about our experiences with all these products or services. We take them for granted. Have you ever thought about how all these experiences change you, your mood, your attitude, and the way you live? I wonder why we don’t pay attention to something that makes such a big impact on our lives.

People have been using the term “user experience” for over twenty years. Today, when we hear it, we assume that it’s related to digital products. We don’t use the term, “UX“, in other areas of our lives that much. Is that because we live in a technology age?

Web-sites that create a great user experience have become more valuable, and have more advantages, compared to companies that still don’t value and believe in user experience. Now, users have a choice, and often know what a good, pleasant experience is. A huge demand for UX professionals in tech industry is caused by giant competition in this area. You can survive just by offering outstanding experience for your users.

I’ve been thinking a lot about the experiences we have in the service industry. Some time ago people had just a few choices of what restaurants they could go to. Now, we probably have too many choices! But unfortunately, we don’t have an amazing experience in every restaurant we go to, do we? Aren’t all restaurants supposed to design a special experience? It’s not just about the food; it’s about the overall experience with a place.

Recently, my husband and I went to “Cafe Gratitude” for dinner. First, our waitress gave us enough time to explore the menu. The menu itself was very interesting. It starts with “I am…” on top, and then all of the dishes have the rest of the sentence. For instance, during that dinner “I was humble”, because I chose a dish named “humble”. Isn’t that fun? I am very confident that they named all their dishes deliberately. Our waitress was very knowledgeable about the food they serve. She mentioned that all of the food is made from scratch and from organic ingredients. After she took our order, she asked us the question of the day, “What does love mean to you?” This question made me smile and really think about it.

The food was amazing! It tasted even better because of the overall experience we had at this place. With the check, we also got a nice postcard, and a waitress’s grateful smile.

That was an experience that made me appreciate the food I eat, and think about life.

On this place’s website I found out why they do what they do. They are focusing on YOU, they provide inspired service, express gratitude, help you love your life, adore yourself, and have fun!

It’s clear that they know their customers. Their persona would be someone who supports a healthy lifestyle and sustainable living, practices yoga and meditation; goes shopping at a local farmer’s market, cooks at home, and is grateful every day. This is what makes this place different - they design an experience for their customers, they focus on them, and through that, bring joy to people’s lives.

We often hear that great experience and design is one that we don’t notice. Sometimes that’s true. But, what if we start to notice joyful experiences?

Today, we are all in the pursuit of happiness. But we are often too busy to notice what is around us. We can’t see all the great things in our lives, but we can’t miss bad experiences because they are too bright.

Stop for a second, and pay more attention to delightful experiences. Make them bright. Give a credit to someone who created it for you. Think about how it changed you, your mood, and your attitude. I believe that staying aware of our positive feelings, when we interact with services or products, makes us more grateful and appreciative of our experiences.

My question of the day is, “What does a great experience mean for you?”