Aesthetic-Usability Effect Paves Way for Great UX

There is a famous saying, 'Don't judge a book by its cover.' However, most of the time, it goes otherwise. Reasons are simple: visibility and beauty matters for everyday objects, and books are no exception to it. The same can be applied to UX design. Good looks, attractiveness, and beauty collectively create an aesthetic appeal for a product. In the field of UX design, aesthetic and usability work together and complement each other.

Aesthetic Appeal Portrays Positive Vibes about the Product

According to the basic cognitive psychology, users get influenced by the visual attractiveness of a product’s interface, even before they could explore its core functions and actual use. In Don Norman’s book ‘Emotional Design’, he explores the aesthetic factor in depth and puts up that it is applied to everyday life for whatever products we come across or use.

The aesthetic-usability effect in any product works in tandem, as people assume that more-aesthetic designs are easier to use than less-aesthetic ones. This observation has been brought forward after conducting many researches and experiments, the noted one occurred in 1995, when Hitachi Design Centre created some designs of ATMs and asked the surveyors to provide feedback on the basis of ease of use and aesthetic factor. It was surprising to note that surveyors gave high rating to visually appealing ATMs without testing them, i.e. they perceived that ATMs with captivating aesthetics are bound to perform better than the normal-looking machines. Aesthetic and usability have the power to set either positive or negative correlation between the product and the user. And it decides the success of the product in longer run.

Bad Design Works like Self-destruction

With well-designed interface, people think it’s easier to use, well in reality it maybe not. Hence, it’s often said that it is the aesthetics that develop positive vibes and positive attitude of users towards the product. In the event of minor flaws or pitfalls, they ignore and less likely think of getting rid from the product. However, poorly designed interface, by default creates negative vibes and negative attitude in users’ subconscious. Maybe the product is good while using, but it requires the initial hurdle to be crossed i.e. visual appeal. Your product can be simple in design, but it should never be poorly designed, it is as bad as self-destruction.

Findability Powers up Aesthetic-Usability Effect

Clearly, aesthetic creates the level of trust and a sense of acceptance among users. So, you can understand what wonders a well-placed and beautifully chiseled design is capable of, otherwise the bad one usually leaves scope of debate about usability. However, other than usability and aesthetics, there comes very vital factor that cannot be ignored and it is the major trump card in the overall success of the product. That is findability – it lies between aesthetics and usability. What is the use of a highly aesthetical website or app that has no content or information? In this scenario, users for sure will leave the website and delete the app. The basic law of e-commerce industry states that if a user can’t find, then he/she will not buy. So, poor findability ultimately affects the scope of aesthetics and usability.

Aesthetically attractive interfaces not only promote the usability of a product but also outpace the competitors by giving an edge over professionalism, design, order, and outlook. As design evokes a lot about the product, it is imperative for UX designers to consider the aesthetic factor at every juncture of the interface.

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By Zahid Ahmed / May 31, 2019