We Know Why Your Web Application Isn't Working

The best innovators are problem solvers. They solve everyday issues with elegant solutions. Creating an elegant solution is about more than simply solving the problem; the defining characteristic is a great user experience. From inception to launch, user experience must be core to every solution, whether it's as complex as a custom web application development effort or as simple as a drink container.

Take for example, the issue of unquenched thirst. The problem: our customer gets thirsty during the day and needs something that can hold liquid so they can drink it. At first glance, the solution is simple – they need a paper cup!

But wait, not so fast. It turns out the paper cup solves the problem, but not elegantly. In fact, they're not using the paper cups at all. Our customer is a construction worker. They're outside all day. Sometimes it's hot, sometimes it's cold and it's always a little dusty. The drink container they desire insulates against temperature changes, protects beverages from the dusty environment and is durable enough that it won't spill when bumped.

When you look a little closer, the paper cup is completely inadequate. It solves the underlying problem, but creates so many more that it isn't a practical solution. A thermos would be a far better drink vessel. So what changed? It wasn't the need itself. The construction workers still need, at the most basic level, something to hold their drinks. The difference is our knowledge of the problem. Initially, we didn't have a full understanding of what our customer needed and provided them with an inadequate solution.

This rush to provide an answer without defining the question is very common, especially when it comes to And that's what user experience is all about. It's solving problems with simplicity, elegance and delight. To do that, you must consider people, process and technology, and in precisely that order.

Start with people

Knowing your user – what they want and what they need – can go a long way towards creating a successful product. When creating a complex data sets using predictive analytics, looking to your users and asking questions are the first steps to creating something useful.

Do you have an app your users don't seem to love? Our user experience experts can help. Contact us today!