In recent decades, digital products have been in constant interaction with people and their context. That’s why they must align harmoniously and fulfil the needs of those who use them.

Usability is one of the most important criteria in software development, both so that more people can use this software efficiently and to make it more sustainable.

And because easy access to and use of digital products is becoming imperative with each passing day, it is also essential to raise awareness of good UX Design practices. World Usability Day is therefore celebrated on 9 November.

To mark this day in the best possible way, we spoke to Maria Fraga, one of PrimeIT’s Senior UX Designers.

In conversation with Maria Fraga, Senior UX Designer

We know that usability is more than just a concept within the field of UX Design. How would you define it?

Usability is one of the main criteria for developing a product that responds to user needs in a clear, efficient, and satisfactory format. It is present at every stage of the process of creating user experiences, from informed research to the design of the final product.

As a UX Designer, how is the usability of a website affected?

Usability can be affected in many ways, as it is made up of different criteria. From the performance of the product to its structure, to the visualisation of the content. All these and many other needs must be met so that users can interact as efficiently as possible with the website or any digital product.

And what practices are best used to improve the User Experience?

The best practice comes from understanding the problem in which the UX is framed. Only by understanding the problem in an informed way can we develop solutions that respond to users’ real difficulties. We can gain this understanding through research, critical analysis and different methodologies that may be appropriate for the product and its context.

Based on your experience, what elements and practices have had a positive impact on a digital product you’ve worked on?

The main and most essential practice is informed research. For any product, the most important thing is that the UX responds to the needs of the user and the environment in which it is inserted, something we can only know through research methods that are appropriate to the scope. With a good foundation and consideration for usability, any product can reach its full potential.

What are the most significant usability challenges and how can designers overcome them?

Several problems can arise concerning usability, one of which is the visualisation of content. We often come across sites that have a bit of everything, from animations, transitions, or different styles of typography, which ends up leaving the content/message of the product open to misinterpretation. Like many things in life, less is more: start the process by defining principles, creating hierarchies, defining dimensions and a visual style that allows the user to navigate the website map intuitively and clearly.

If you had to advise a budding UX designer, what good practices would you emphasise?

I’d say the most important thing is critical thinking about the product. Attention to detail in the design process and execution, always being as considerate as possible about users and the audience you’re creating for. And of course, applying all this knowledge in a visualisation that is clear to stakeholders and team members.

In the future of usability, what trends or changes do you foresee happening?

Anything is possible for the future of usability; we live in a reality that has never been so close to digital. From artificial intelligence to virtual spaces, the simplest usability (such as that of a website or an app) already simulates this immersion in the technological dimension, which will only intensify.