You Have Beautiful UIs

Hi everyone

We can talk about Web 2.0 strategy and functionality, but the design of the User Interface (UI) is fundamental to the success of any Web Site.

Too often in the past different industries have adopted a cookie-cutter approach to Web Site design, but that is changing dramatically.

Most companies now realize that they need a unique Site design approach to support their new customer centric content and tools, whether it’s a major Brand Site or a campaign specific Micro-Site.

Here are some starting points to consider when thinking about creating a great UI:

1. Create your Own Voice: Does your web site design truly reflect your company/brand/campaign story? The best web sites acknowledge industry norms but are not afraid to make things better, simpler or faster. They are not afraid to let the brand personality shine through in unique or innovative ways. These days Web Sites are often the first place people experience brands in any significant – across many industries such as travel, automotive, finance, fashion, technology – you name it.

But it doesn’t mean you need to look exactly like your competitors just to be in the game. The same customer that goes to your site visits many others, and is not locked into only one way of doing things. Look at best practice across different industries then create your own voice. This article on the design approach from Virgin.com’s new Web Site is a great example how a brand can go about creating something that speaks in a unique and engaging way through UI design.

2. Be Purpose-Oriented: What this means is simply being aware of the different types of users you have to your site. When designing a site our Information Architecture (IA) needs to consider the different types of users and different purposes they have in visiting your site. And we need to plot these user personas and ensure we optimize each journey for a particular customer. Does the site template design, navigation design, iconography, image presentation, information display, etc. actually make it a better experience for ALL your key customers?

Check out this great Web Site from Volkswagen UK, designed from the very beginning to be tailored to different needs of all its audiences.

3. Make it Useful/Usable/Enjoyable: Which brings me too the 3 elements that are a great checklist when deciding whether your design approach adds to the Web Site experience. Does the Web Site actually help you get something done that you need to get done. Many sites now are about providing transactions or tools to help you achieve a specific aim – buy something, test something, play something. So if your site is not interacting or engaging me – why would I visit?

In this article, UI Matters: How an Interface Lift Can Make or Break a Brand, Garrick Schmitt provides a number of great examples of brands such as Mint that combine utility, usability and yes are actually fun to use.

4. Be Organic: The pace of change in ALL marketing means that Web Sites need to be flexible enough in conception and design to cope with constant change in a brand’s involvement in things like consumer-centric content, social media, mobile utility, etc. We call this an ‘organic’ approach to Site design, and something that major Japanese clothing retailer Uniqlo does with sites like this so well. The Japanese retailer creates striking visual interfaces that enable to users to look at the company’s fashions in a completely unique, and yet intuitive manner.

And one that is constantly evolving.

What are your favorites?

Cheers, Rob

Feel free to add comments below, or for further questions or advice contact me at rob.h@th.arcww.com