UX (User Experience) is a subject that seems to popping up absolutely everywhere these days. Perhaps you have wondered how the rising standards for user friendliness will come to affect your business? In this blog post, Stratsys UX-lead Samuel Spånberger tells us about the challenges (and opportunities) concerning UX – today and in the future.
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What does a UX lead in an IT company actually do?
"To get a comprehensive understanding of our customer journey, I am in almost daily contact with diverse departments in the company – marketing, communication, support, sales and development," says Samuel. "Of course, my task is also to deliver an optimal user experience of the platform itself, which is state-of-the-art. With a multifunctional and flexible tool, this means providing a complete workflow for the individual user.”
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What are the requirements for user friendliness today versus 5 years ago?
"A lot has happened in recent years. Today we expect really good user experiences, both privately and at work. So it's important that the tools we use in our work live up to requirements, in particular to meet the needs of younger generations entering the labor market."
"The requirements for B2B can’t really be compared to the requirements for B2C – but it is still necessary to continually strive for users to experience the same nice feeling of using the same system at work as they do in their free time," says Samuel.
"Today we are also seeing increased demand for complete deliverables, which includes the user's journey from beginning to end. From initial contact, when looking at the options available on the market, to implementation and lastly the management of the platform. This is something that service providers need to consider in order to future-proof their products."
"Organisational flexibility is increasingly becoming a focus, as customers today are not necessarily working in a hierarchical workflow. A platform needs to be adaptable to different working methods for an entire organisation to benefit from it. So you can tailor a process to the unique needs of an organisation. In other words, as a technology provider you need to accommodate various working styles amongst customers and users." -
What do you see as the challenges surrounding the increased demand for user friendliness?
"As a rule, a user expects to get more out of a tool than the time and energy they spend on it. This means that service providers need to focus on developing tools that are more operational for the user. For example, if you look at a system for management by objectives (MBO), it is all about integrating strategic objectives in your daily work so you can think operationally about decisions while referencing the goals you have."
"Accessibility is also something that is high on the agenda, at least in Europe, with the upcoming legislation. When developing a system you have to think about how everything being built will be experienced by a user with a handicap, such as impaired vision or hearing." -
... and when it comes to solutions?
"Potential solutions that will be available in the future are above all AI (Artificial Intelligence) and ML (Machine Learning). With the help of AI and ML, it will be possible to refine information in the system to make it easier for the user to make the right decisions and streamline their work."
"When developing a generic feature, it is important to take into account all of the target groups' requirements for user friendliness. At the same time, with a flexible and multifunctional tool, you can't forget the user's individual needs. In short – it is not always easy. You have to be responsive and continuously evaluate various user scenarios."
Do you want to read more about the importance of UX? In the guide "How to find the right system in the GRC-jungle" we list pros and cons with different systems. You can download it on the link below!
