Around 88% of users are unlikely to return to a website after a poor experience. Most software startups fail not because the tech is broken, but because the design can’t bring real value to users. Interfaces are unintuitive, navigation is complex, visuals are outdated: customers don’t feel like the product was made for them.
If you want to improve user engagement, boost revenues, gain retention, and get a competitive advantage, investing in a user-centric design is mandatory. Building a product that customers love isn’t easy, but it definitely pays back.
So, what is user centered design and its core principles? Why is user centered design important? What emerging trends should you keep in mind? In this article, we will answer these and many other UCD-related questions.
Understanding user-centric design
User-centric design in software development is an approach that puts the needs and desires of your customers at the center of the product. In UCD, designers actively involve users via research and testing techniques to create usable and convenient products. User-centric design approach requires a deep understanding of who your customers are and what they need. So, what are the core principles of user-centered design?
- Empathy and user research. Designers should first adopt the user’s perspective to understand their problems, aspirations, and feelings. To make it happen, the team should collect information through surveys, interviews, and UX testing. If you know what your audience’s real problems are, you are able to create experiences that they will value.
- Simplicity and clarity. Clean and intuitive design reduces cognitive load and helps customers complete tasks faster, avoiding unnecessary frustration. The best way to improve clarity is to use simple language and visuals, add onboarding guides, and offer customer support. Reducing complexity in interfaces and navigation boosts user experiences and loyalty.
- Accessibility and inclusivity. Another core UCD principle is to create the product with all users in mind, regardless of their cognitive or physical limitations. In the following paragraphs, we’ll discuss the best practices to make your app inclusive and accessible in detail.
- Iteration and feedback. Design is a never-ending process that improves the product based on collected information. Early UX testing reduces risks and expenses and leads to an evergreen app or software that meets people’s needs.
Business benefits of user-centric design
In today’s competitive market, building products that meet business goals is not enough. Their success depends on how well these products serve the people who use them. Around 70% of businesses fail due to a bad UX, which confirms how important user-centered design is.
Companies that put the end user at the heart of every decision and create valuable experiences not only impress customers but also see measurable results. Here are only some of the main business benefits of user centered design that your company may witness:
- Improved user adoption and engagement. User-centric design can improve your app’s adoption rates by smoothing onboarding experiences, addressing real pain points, simplifying interfaces, and ensuring accessibility for broader audiences. For example, our team simplified a healthtech platform’s dashboard, which resulted in higher adoption rates and an increased number of active daily users.
- Cost efficiency. By involving users from the very beginning of product development, companies can quickly identify and address their problems. This avoids expensive redesigns, speeds up development, and makes better use of resources, keeping products efficient and budget-friendly.
- Competitive advantage. Products built around user needs and pain points stand out in the market. UCD ensures that your application or software is intuitive, simple, and engaging, which helps your business surpass competitors and occupy stronger market positions.
- Customer loyalty and retention. Another UCD business benefit is organic growth and brand recognition. Well-designed websites can have visit-to-lead conversion rates 400% higher compared to poorly designed ones. When users see that the product meets their needs, they return, eagerly support the product, and share experiences with their friends and relatives.
Emerging trends in user-centric design
The software design industry is rapidly changing, and to provide users with seamless and tailored experiences, companies should be aware of emerging trends and patterns. And not only be aware, but actively implement them in their user-centric design strategies. Below, we want to discuss the UCD design trends that are shaping the industry while you are reading these lines.
AI-powered personalization
Artificial intelligence is no longer a simple automation tool. It allows companies to analyze huge volumes of information and identify patterns that humans might miss. AI can suggest content or features that match users’ needs and habits.
Such personalized content gives users a feeling that the product understands them, which can result in higher engagement and retention. Here are a few examples of how AI can benefit user-centric design:
- Online banking. To simplify recurring payments, AI pre-fills the form with required details.
- Fitness app. AI notices that a user enters the app after waking up, so it displays today’s exercises to reduce clicks.
- Healthcare portal. Instead of checking lab results manually, patients receive alerts when the tests are ready.
- eLearning platforms. AI sees that a student is struggling with math exercises and creates an individual program based on problematic topics.
- News sites. AI notices that a user skips the sports section but always reads tech news. Thus, it sends personalized recommendations in that category.
Data-driven design decisions
To improve the user centered design process, companies should implement data-driven decisions. Such decisions are based on real information on how users interact with the product, not on assumptions. This data not only shows what users want, but also helps to create clear and efficient interfaces and products.
For example, data shows that users leave the payment page without completing the purchase, and designers simplify the form, which results in higher completion rates. Data collected from streaming platforms indicates that customers often abandon TV series after the first episode. To improve user experience, designers implement clip previews to match their preferences.
Voice and conversational interfaces
Voice recognition has existed for over 70 years, but has witnessed a rapid growth with the appearance of smartphones and smart assistants. In the US alone, 153.5 million people use voice assistants on a regular basis.
This technology is no longer a simple command recognition. Together with artificial intelligence, it has made people’s experiences more immersive. Voice and conversational interfaces let users interact with software using speech, not just buttons and menus, leading to faster and simpler results, especially if users prefer devices with limited screens like speakers or wearables.
To use voice recognition in UCD, teams need to understand how people communicate: what phrases, questions, and language models they use. Conversational design may also include chatbots for instant responses and assistance.
Inclusive and accessible design as a priority
According to the World Health Organization, 1.3 billion people, or 16% of the world’s population, live with a form of disability. Thus, the adoption of accessibility-first design has become a necessity. It not only ensures every user can access the main features but also broadens your audience, shows commitment to responsible development, and builds a stronger brand. Examples of inclusive and accessible design include:
- High-contrast themes for better readability
- Screen reader support to help visually impaired users navigate the app better
- Full mouse navigation for users limited in mobility
- Videos complemented with transcripts and subtitles
- Smart home apps with speech control features
- Multilingual support to make the software accessible for non-native speakers
Eastern Peak’s approach
For Eastern Peak, user-centric design is more than a development process stage. It is a philosophy that influences every milestone of the project, from the discovery phase and prototyping to continuous iteration to create software that meets user needs.
Our work starts with the discovery phase, where we collaborate with product managers and founders to understand what problems and aspirations their users have. This allows us to align business goals with user needs and define clear functional requirements, which will soon turn into a product that people will love to return to.
Due to iterative development, the product continues to evolve along with user feedback. By releasing it in cycles, we can use insights, improve user experience, and adjust priorities without slowing down.
Key takeaways for founders and decision-makers
User-centric design is not just a methodology. It is a comprehensive approach that impacts a product’s success and business growth. By placing users’ needs and experiences at the center, companies can outdo their competitors and reach business goals faster. Here are a few tips to apply UCD effectively:
- Prioritize users early. Engage with the target audience from the very beginning, and don’t wait until the problems pop up. Start product development with surveys, interviews, and observations to understand what people are struggling with and what they need. Early prioritization allows you to solve actual problems, not assumptions.
- Invest in research and validation. Never stop testing ideas and prototypes with real users. Usability testing allows for identifying pain points before the release, saving time and money on redesigns in the future.
- Balance business goals with user needs. Both established companies and startups can balance business goals with users’ needs in software design by defining priorities, focusing on high-impact features, and prioritizing transparency. Following your business goals while bringing value to the users leads to long-lasting and sustainable outcomes.
- Leverage data and feedback, and keep iterating. Data is king, and all your decisions should be based on user analytics, qualitative feedback, and other valuable metrics. Use these insights to improve the product even after launch. User-centric design is a never-ending process of trial and error.
- Partner with experts who understand both UX and business outcomes. To reach significant results, team up with UX researchers, designers, and product managers who can transform user expectations into powerful design decisions. If you don’t have enough resources to build such a team, outsource the process to experienced software development companies.
User-centric design: driving growth and loyalty
User-centric design is transforming the software development industry and allows us to create products that are not only functional but also relevant and engaging. UCD reduces costly redesigns, improves retention, and builds customer loyalty.
Whether you are launching a new MVP or improving existing software, placing users at the heart of the product ensures a stronger market position and competitive advantage.
If you have any questions or want to start the software development process, don’t hesitate to contact us. Eastern Peak consists of seasoned developers and designers who successfully implement UCD principles and know how to make users return to your product again and again.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is user centric design?
UCD is an approach that puts users at the center of every design decision. When you address customers’ problems, needs, and goals, your product becomes intuitive, convenient, and valuable.
When should user testing happen?
It should happen as early as possible. Implement continuous user testing to reduce redesign costs, save resources, and create products that customers will love.
How can startups implement user-centric design effectively?
Startups can effectively implement UCD by developing a Minimum Viable Product with users in mind. When building an MVP, apply a user-centric design by researching people’s needs, focusing on the features that solve their main problems, and creating simple interfaces.
Can user-centric design be applied to existing software?
Yes, UCD can be applied to existing software through user surveys, usability audits, and iterative redesigns. Step-by-step, these approaches improve functionality and responsiveness, and lead to long-term engagement and user satisfaction.
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