Storytelling Through Designed User Journeys for a Seamless User Experience
No matter the medium or outlet for creativity, every creation possesses an underlining story. Whether the story describes the oscillation of the creation process or the chorography of emotion that arises from the end result, storytelling attains the ability inspire the process from start to finish. With digital and UI/UX design, there too lays possibilities for storytelling through designed user journeys and the way it affects the user experience and a brand identity.
User Journeys: The Roadmap to Design
A user journey attains many layers at the core of story building. User journeys describe the user’s experience as they navigate through a website or mobile application, which unfolds within the actions they perform to achieve a goal or result. A user journey for example, can be understood when a user navigates the homepage to a product page, and from the product page to the checkout within key touch points.
To firmly grasp a deeper understanding of a user and their relationship with a brand or product, user journeys can be analyzed through journey mapping. Journey maps allow a clear visualization of a user’s relationship was it spans over time. In a business and development perspective, it is an immensely valuable component to track, as it allows UI/UX designers to understand what works and where pain points emerge when a user is navigating an interface — tailoring a precise and unparalleled user experience.
The composition of journey pathways and the way in which they are designed allows the opportunity for a user to become engaged with a website, which in turns solidifies a relationship with a brand or company.
Aligning with Brand Identity
UI design formulates the visual storyline of a company or brand’s identity and tonality. When design purposefully elevates a company/brand’s identity, it begins to build upon visual association and recognition. Through innovation in design that feels specifically curated for a brand and stimulates an engaging, unique feel, UI design can inform a user’s journey by encouraging touchpoints that drive engagement.
An analysis of user’s behavior within their journey can also clarify what design aspects within the finer details makes a user’s attention peak, and how exact design directions align with a brand’s aesthetic to build upon a user connection. Through this analysis, a comprehensive plan on the development side can permit a user’s perspective to come into full view. Understanding the persona(s) puts developers at the forefront for better UI/UX implementation and opportunity development for any possible pain points that need to be soothed.
Authentic Connection Builds User Experience
Strengthening the foundation of a user journey and pathways can be rooted in the emotion of the user. Pathways need to have a user at center-focus in order to curate that relationship and incite conversion. Not only does design need to ignite excitement and interest as previous stated, but it is also paramount for navigation within the journey to be as seamless as possible. Advanced and introspective UI design should not equate to a complicated user experience.
When designing pathways within a user journey, there is a standard for the flow that a user may embark on such as on an e-commerce website, this form could be movement from a homepage to the product page. However, moving from point A to point B is not always going to be chronological or linear, since every user is different.
It is imperative that the pathways of their journey, are structurally intact and cohesive no matter the order of navigation a persona decides to traipse. When designing an interface, these possibilities need to be kept in mind, and thus designing from the perspective of a user, forms developed UX details. Disorder when a user journey map is formed can lead to cognitive friction and the only emotion that will result will be frustration.
Designed user journeys and the layers of information they can inform on a targeted audience is essential in truly uncovering a positive user experience. A journey map not only benefits the user, but also aids UI/UX designers and developers to leverage those details into strategic decisions. User journeys narrate the flow of an interface, and of a brand’s distinctiveness for a compelling story and experience.
