If you are working on a digital solution, one of its integral stages will be UX/UI design. While trivial projects usually have “beaten” paths for creating navigation and visuals, any deviation from the standard can lead to dissatisfaction among end users and increase the entry threshold for them. In this regard, no matter how sophisticated the logic of your project is, it is important to understand the usability principles maintained by human psychology to ensure its excellent user experience.
Theories of Perception in UX/UI Design
Generally speaking, there are several popular theories of perception in UX/UI design:
Gestalt psychology aimed at gaining an understanding of how people associate individual objects with things that are meaningful to them. The main gestalt principles include figure-ground (according to which some objects, depending on their visual appeal, are perceived as key navigation elements, while others serve as background), similarity (according to which elements with identical visual characteristics are perceived as interconnected), proximity (according to which closely placed objects are also perceived as related to each other), and closure (which states that incomplete objects, if sufficiently detailed, can be perceived by users as complete).
Affordance theory, claiming that to ensure intuitiveness, users should receive some cues from the interface from the very beginning on how to deal with a particular element – one way to do this is to use skeuomorphism;
Hick's Law, which states that the time it takes a particular user to make a decision is logarithmic to the number of available options (which means that to maximize intuitiveness, the user's choice should always be limited);
Fitts' Law, stating that the time it takes a user to reach a desired part of the interface depends on its size and distance (which means that to ensure a great user experience, you need to place interactive elements closer to the user's starting point);
Signal Detection Theory, claiming that users can subconsciously distinguish between meaningful cues (calls to action) and background noise, meaning that they should be visually separated.
Cognitive Load: Its Effects on UI Design
Now let's move from theory to practice and consider individual insights extracted from the above theories of psychology in UX.
In particular, the first insight is the minimization of cognitive load, that is, the efforts of the human brain that must be applied to perform a specific target action. Thus, the importance of reducing the amount of information or tasks provided to the user becomes clear – otherwise, there is a high probability that the user will begin to act erroneously.
In practice, such brevity can be achieved by correctly grouping interrelated elements and removing elements whose functionality duplicates each other.
Emotional Response & UX Design
Another valuable insight from UX design and psychology is to establish an emotional connection with the end user through your interface. This is a global task that begins with user behavior analysis and identifying their desires, pain points, and intentions and ends with transforming the obtained information into design elements that resonate with them.
Ultimately, you will have to walk in the shoes of the average consumer of your software solution to ensure the proper level of empathy with your emotional design. In terms of practical implementation of the emotional response, such user empathy can be achieved through the integration of “user experience stories” that can be presented by a service provider to users as they get acquainted with the digital solution, as well as the use of the right color palette, forms, audio, pop-ups, and text.
The Role of Memory in User Interaction
Since, according to cognitive psychology in design, the average person can concentrate on one object for up to 20-30 minutes, it is important to take this aspect into account if your software solution involves long-term interaction with it.
Specifically, you can reduce the load on your users' memory by implementing elements and scenarios that work and occur in a way that is familiar to them. Otherwise, if something does not function as expected, it can lead to users’ confusion and erroneous actions.
Understanding User Behavior Through Heuristics
Heuristics are specific UI design principles that can predict user psychology. Here are some of them:
Visibility of system status, which implies the importance of informing end users about what is happening with your software solution at the moment through progress bars, loading animations, or status messages;
Match between the system and the real world, which emphasizes the importance of correspondence between the system's behavior and the knowledge and experience that users received before they became familiar with your software solution;
User control and freedom, which implies the need to provide end users with the ability to freely navigate your software solution and manage negative scenarios;
Consistency and standards, which determine the significance of logical connections between elements, terminology, and layouts;
Error prevention, which consists of preventing erroneous actions by end users by providing them with unambiguous and understandable instructions;
Recognition over recall, which states that to ensure better intuitiveness, users should “recognize” familiar patterns from the real world in elements and scenarios of your interface.
Thus, you have to perform a heuristic evaluation to check whether your solution is good in terms of usability. Also, note that in reality, there are many more psychology UI design heuristics, but the above list will be sufficient for a basic understanding of what is meant by the term excellent user experience.
The Impact of Attention on User Experience
Many designers, in order to encourage the user to perform a particular action, abuse pop-up notifications and other features to attract attention, thereby increasing the cognitive load, the inadmissibility of which we have already discussed earlier.
Instead, you can use such approaches as the correct building of a visual hierarchy, optimization of the color palette, breaking down complex processes into several simple ones, etc. And, of course, do not forget to appeal to the memory of users, which already contains some experience of interaction with other digital solutions and can automate some processes of dealing with them due to the familiarity of the mental models implemented.
User Motivation & Reward Systems in UX/UI Design
Finally, from the point of view of UX psychology, many UX/UI designs benefit from gamification, which motivates users to move toward the target action. In general, gamification is aimed at boosting user engagement and creating an exciting user experience that they don’t want to interrupt. Its main elements are rewards and recognition.
At the same time, it is crucial to note that some reward systems are too confusing for the average user and, thus, create unnecessary cognitive load instead of motivation. Moreover, gamification is not considered a universal approach that could be used in any project. Therefore, you have to always start with the appropriateness and the affordance of implementing this concept clearly and simply for the consumer.
Conclusion
We hope that with the help of this article, you were able to understand the importance of UX design psychology and how it is implemented in UI/UX principles like heuristics, emotional response, lowering cognitive load, user motivation, and others. If you are interested in creating a digital solution that fully meets all these psychological principles, feel free to contact us.
The main goal of UX/UI design is to create a user-friendly and intuitive digital solution that meets the needs and expectations of its users.
Why is emotional response important in UX design?
Emotional response creates a connection between the user and the interface, making the experience more engaging and satisfying.
What are the heuristics in UX/UI design?
Heuristics are guidelines that predict user behavior. Principles like system status visibility, real-world match, user control, and error prevention help create a more intuitive user experience.
How can visual hierarchy improve user attention in UX/UI design?
Visual hierarchy arranges elements in order of importance, guiding users' attention to key information first. This can be achieved through size, color, contrast, and positioning of elements.
If you are currently looking for a web agency that you can safely entrust with your task regardless of its complexity and scale, this article is for you. Below, we will find out how to identify the best web design agencies and also consider several aspects that will lead you to the best choice.
What Sets Apart Top Web Design Companies
So, what distinctive features should top web development agencies have? In general, you have to check four fundamental ones.
Innovative Design and Cutting-Edge Technology
If we are talking about a top web solutions agency, you should visit and analyze its website – this way, you will be able to understand whether its specialists follow web design trends, use modern technologies, and whether all this is reflected in the design of their website as well. Just check how modern their website looks, and also visit the Blog, Our Services, and Niches We Cover sections – here, you can get a complete picture of how regularly these guys up their skills.
Client-Centric Approach and Custom Solutions
The best web agencies should have a client-focused design approach, and this is always reflected in their values and mission, which can be described either in the same sections of the website or in the more general About Us block. You can also look through their web design portfolio to make sure that the projects they worked on look diverse and do not repeat the same or a couple of good templates.
Case Studies: Success Stories
In general, today, it is difficult to find digital web agencies whose websites do not have a blog with case studies (or a private resource where they are posted and to which you can get access upon request), but exceptions do exist. Ultimately, you are better off avoiding those who fall into the second category because no matter how visually attractive their works are, the benefit of the created UX designs can always be measured by specific metrics. This means that if this analysis was not carried out on any of the previous projects, the same thing could happen to yours, and you will simply get pretty pictures instead of an innovative design that will provide you with the necessary conversion rates, user traffic, etc.
Client Testimonials
Finally, you will need to check reviews about cooperation with web development agencies of your choice, left by real clients. It is better to do this on third-party independent web resources where companies post their short presentations, such as Clutch, Upwork, etc. This way, you will be sure that the insights you received are honest and that you did not just read the praises left by employees of the specific agency about themselves.
Key Considerations When Choosing a Web Design Agency
If, after the research briefly described above, you already have a couple of agencies in mind, you can easily narrow down your choice for one by clarifying the following details.
Setting the Right Budget
If you think that you have already found your ideal web design agency and you truly like its ultimate web designs, make sure that your budget allows cooperation with it. The fact is that the pricing policies of agencies can differ greatly from region to region, as well as depend on their position in the market (experienced ones usually have a higher price tag because of their positive reputation and image).
Performing a Thorough Agency Search
If you had several agencies in mind, you may have filtered out the vast majority (or even all) of them in the previous step. In this case, in order not to be limited to a small sample, you will need to expand your list. To do this, you can use not only Google search results (although this is quite an effective tool for such tasks) but also all kinds of online rating platforms, LinkedIn, and, of course, your personal business connections. It is recommended that, at this stage, you have at least five agencies under consideration.
Asking the Right Questions
Now, it is the time to communicate with representatives of your chosen agencies personally and discuss issues that are critical to your possible cooperation with them. They are typically related to experience in your business niche, experience working on projects of your size, understanding your vision for the financial solution, and the supporting collaboration models and types of services (custom design, redesign, template-based design, etc.) that suit you best.
Conclusion
Now, you know the main criteria by which you can distinguish top web design agencies, and you can safely go in search of such one. And, of course, we cannot miss the opportunity to recommend ourselves to you. In particular, you can clarify the considerations that we provided above with our sales representative to gain confidence that your project will fall into the right hands.
In 2024 alone, the medical imaging software market size reached $8.11B. By 2029, it is projected to grow to $11.83B and up to 7.84% at a CAGR. This is a fairly predictable trend due to the development of AI. Especially since big data, cloud technologies, and other advancements are already significantly speeding up the accuracy of diagnostics.
If you are considering custom development of medical image analysis software, now is the most favorable time. Below, we will reveal the specifics of creating such solutions and describe the requirements and the challenges you may face.
What is the definition of medical imaging software?
Medical imaging software — it's the digital tool doctors use to examine medical images. Think X-rays, MRI and CT scans, ultrasounds, PET, and other radiology scans. Basically, it helps to see the details of every complex illness and make informed decisions about patient care.
To maximize efficiency, medical imaging software integrates a range of advanced technologies. These include AI for anomaly detection, ML for image segmentation, and methods for filtering, contrast enhancement, and noise reduction to improve image quality.
Also, 3D reconstruction technologies create volumetric models of organs and tissues. Developers also rely on the DICOM standard for medical images as it allows seamless transfer. They also use cloud tech to access data, integrated medical records, and VR and AR to visualize data and create interactive interfaces.
As a result, with medical image analysis software, healthcare organizations reduce the workload of their doctors and researchers and minimize the likelihood of misdiagnosis.
Examples of medical imaging software
To better grasp how these solutions work, we suggest you look at several medical imaging software examples that have gained worldwide recognition.
RadiAnt DICOM viewer
It is a high-performance medical imaging software that processes DICOM images. Due to its rich functionality, both doctors and researchers use it in their work. It has smart multimodality tools for 3D and 2D visualization and MPR (multiplanar reconstruction). Moreover, developers made the interface very user-friendly, so this software is also a great choice for users with low technical skills.
OsiriX MD
Specifically designed for macOS, OsiriX MD is a powerful DICOM platform that meets the needs of radiologists. Its advanced capabilities support 3D and 4D image analysis, hybrid imaging with PET-CT and PET-MRI, and integration with PACS servers. Crucially, it is FDA- and CE-certified for clinical use.
Horos
Horos is a free OsiriX-based DICOM viewer available on macOS. It has rich customization options for analyzing volumetric data, such as 3D reconstruction, and is especially useful for students and researchers.
GE Healthcare Centricity PACS
GE Healthcare Centricity PACS is a proprietary enterprise medical image analysis software that analyzes medical images. It has EHR and EMR integration, real-time collaboration, advanced AI analysis, DICOM standards, and format support. It can be a full-fledged assistant for doctors and researchers.
Philips IntelliSpace Portal
Tailored for large clinical institutions, Philips IntelliSpace Portal excels in medical image analysis and visualization. It integrates AI-driven automation and tools for multiparametric imaging in cardiology, neurology, and oncology; this medical imaging software supports multi-user collaboration.
Key features of medical image processing software
This section explores the key functionalities typically found in standard medical imaging software.
Tools for viewing and processing medical images
Ensure your medical imaging software works with various input data (CT scans, MRI scans, X-rays, ultrasounds, and hybrid studies like PET-CT and PET-MRI). Usually, this is done by supporting the DICOM format. In addition, you will need tools to scale, rotate, and adjust image contrast. So, optionally, develop a panel for 3D and 4D visualization, including multiplanar reconstruction.
AI-driven image analysis
AI is key in automating the detection of anomalies in medical scans. It can identify cancerous tumors, blood clots, and fractures early, with a high degree of independence. Also, AI in your medical imaging software can classify pathologies using trained models. It can segment organs and tissues on scans and analyze multiparametric data.
Diagnostic and treatment planning tools
This includes tools for creating 3D models, surgical planning, and evaluating the effectiveness of treatment. You should also consider integrating your medical imaging software with robotic surgical systems.
Medical data management tools
To implement effective medical data management, you will probably need to integrate your medical imaging software with PACS (for storing and transmitting data), EHRs (for centralized access to personal patient information), and cloud solutions (for unimpeded access to images from anywhere in the world where there is an Internet connection).
Collaboration tools
It's mainly for remote access so doctors and specialists can chat and comment on each other's actions. It also involves integrating telemedicine platforms to discuss complex cases and hold educational seminars.
What types of organizations need medical image analysis software development?
A wide range of organizations can benefit from medical image analysis software development. Now, let's find out which areas of healthcare benefit from medical imaging software the most.
Cardiology.
In this field, medical imaging software is mostly used to analyze CT and MRI of the heart and angiography. In addition, it monitors treatment effectiveness, plans operations, and predicts cardiovascular disease risks.
Dentistry.
Inevitable for 3D scanning when planning dental implants, diagnosing jaw diseases, visualizing root canals, etc.
Oncology. Here, medical imaging software detects and classifies tumors, tracks their growth, and assesses treatment effectiveness.
Neurology.
In this sector, medical image analysis software analyzes brain MRIs and CTs and provides 3D visualizations to assess the spine and nerves.
Orthopedics.
Orthopedics studies thrive on precise X-ray analysis, which includes 3D joint modeling and spinal disease diagnostics.
Mammology.
Medical imaging software can detect microcalcifications and early breast cancer through comparative analysis of changes in mammary gland tissue.
Urology.
In this industry, medical imaging software helps diagnose kidney and bladder diseases. It does this by analyzing CT and ultrasound images. Additionally, the software can help plan operations and monitor patients with chronic diseases.
Pulmonology.
Industry specialists can use such software to diagnose lung diseases, analyze chest CT data, and assess COVID-19 damage.
Gynecology.
In most cases, medical image analysis software is used to perform pregnancy ultrasounds. It helps monitor the fetus, find pelvic tumors, and analyze the endometrium and other tissues.
Traumatology and emergency medicine.
In traumatology, 3D medical imaging software can quickly diagnose fractures and internal injuries. It can also visualize organs for urgent decisions.
Still, deciding on the right healthcare sector for your medical imaging project? Contact us and discuss the possibilities of its practical implementation with Darly Solutions' experienced developers.
Medical imaging software development: Steps to follow
Custom development must follow clearly defined stages that most teams use. But, it can still be approached in various ways. Below, we outline how healthcare software development services are delivered in our company.
Concept formation
Start your medical imaging software project with market analysis. Define the target audience, prioritize tasks the software should solve, and research competitors (to identify their strengths and weaknesses). Based on the insights, our medical imaging software development team assesses the functional requirements and evaluates the need for specific technologies to handle image processing. This ensures that the chosen solutions align with the project's technical needs and optimize the processing of healthcare-related images.
Planning
Once we agree on the conditions with all stakeholders, we will write a technical specification for your medical imaging software. This document will describe its functionality, interface, API, security, and integration requirements. We will also approve the tech stack and necessary integrations. Finally, we create a roadmap that defines the milestones and deliverables for each medical imaging software development project stage.
Prototyping
Now that everything is ready, we can begin creating user stories. They include handling DICOM file uploads and 3D models, among other key tasks. For UX/UI best practices of safe data, we follow the WCAG 2.1 guidelines. They ensure accessibility for users with varying technical skills. We also test prototypes with focus groups to see feedback on complex features, which is helpful for future design improvement. Finally, after the edits are done, we develop a full-fledged design.
Coding
The frontend has algorithms to process and analyze medical images. The backend ensures secure data transfer between the medical imaging software and storage. It also encrypts data and protects against vulnerabilities like SQL injections. These involve writing database queries for smooth software interactions and data storage interactions. And last but not least — we also integrate with your healthcare org's existing systems and services (if any).
Testing
Once the code for your medical imaging software is ready and all components have passed unit tests, we run complete test cases. We check for load, functional, non-functional, security, and usability issues.
Deployment
At this stage, we are choosing hosting for your medical imaging software (usually either cloud or local servers), setting up CI/CD, and training end users, for example, by providing them with documentation, training materials, or live courses. Once we've done it, we deploy the solution (first in the test environment and then — in the actual usage environment).
Support and updates
Finally, after the medical imaging software is deployed, we set up monitoring systems to track its performance and detect errors, fix post-release bugs, optimize it according to user feedback, and add new features if required.
Key tech specifications for medical imaging software development
Such software development can be complex, especially in its early stages. Basically, there is often no clear way to turn an abstract idea into actual requirements.
So, let's examine all the key tech specifications that are usually implemented in medical imaging software apps:
Support for common medical image formats such as DICOM (including DICOM tags for metadata) and standards for storing, transmitting, and processing medical images (such as C-STORE, C-FIND, and C-MOVE).
Compatibility with various devices (CT, MRI, ultrasound, etc.).
Image processing can improve images by adjusting contrast brightness and applying filters. It can also segment them to highlight organs and tissues. Lastly, it can register them to compare scans over time.
2D and 3D visualization, including volume rendering (CT/MRI), support for iso-sections and reconstructions, and interactivity (e.g., rotation, zoom, and pan).
Data security, including HIPAA and GDPR compliance, support for TLS (for data transfer) and AES-256 (for image and metadata storage) encryption standards, as well as access control with role-based authorization and two-factor authentication.
PACS and EHR/EMR integration (e.g., via HL7/FHIR).
Annotation (adding labels, arrows, and text comments) and providing real-time collaboration tools.
PDF report generation and image export.
Scalability (including horizontal scaling via the cloud), multi-threading, and hardware acceleration.
WCAG 2.1 compliance and user interface customization.
Logging and monitoring events (including loading, processing, and exporting scans), auditing user access, tracking system performance, and setting up failure notifications.
Local deployment of software on physical servers (most likely, this will require ensuring compatibility with Linux and Windows OS).
Setting up regular data backups and automatic recovery after system failures.
Of course, this is just a basic list of specifications. In practice, your project team will expand and refine the list of features while specifying the tools and technologies for the project's unique needs.
Medical imaging software development cost
When it comes to the development cost of medical image analysis software it depends on its complexity and the technologies used. Without data and business needs — it's hard to define the precise price, but on average, basic DICOM (Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine) typically ranges from $30K to $300K. A customized version of Basic DICOM may cost $30K to $50K. Advanced customizations could cost $70K to $150K.
Implementation costs differ based on the size of the practice:
Small practices typically cost $5K to $10K and take 1 to 2 weeks.
Medium facilities cost $20K to $50K and take 1 to 3 months.
Large enterprises may cost $100K to $200K and take 3 to 6 months.
Please complete this form to calculate the precise budget for your medical imaging software development idea. We will contact you shortly.
Challenges in medical imaging software development
Let's examine the main challenges encountered when developing medical imaging software.
Regulatory compliance. Software handling sensitive data, like patient information, must comply with HIPAA, GDPR, FDA 21 CFR Part 11, and CE Marking regulations. Key security measures include code audits, RBAC, 2FA, and strong encryption (e.g., AES-256, TLS). To avoid fines, consult a local lawyer on medical standards.
Integration with existing systems. Integrating PACS, EHRs, and other systems requires DICOM, HL7, and FHIR support. Also, medical organizations have very different established IT infrastructures, which makes it hard to unify their software. If you create a universal solution, you must provide some middleware. It will help users adapt to various services and systems.
High performance and scalability.
Medical images, especially CT and MRI, are large. This can slow their processing and increase resource needs. In this regard, you may need to implement lossless compression mechanisms for images and multithreading and parallel data processing algorithms. By the way, a common fix is to move your software to a cloud solution designed for healthcare businesses.
The complexity of big data management.
Storing and processing massive data, like images and metadata, require a careful choice of databases and storage. In particular, this implies a preference for distributed databases and object storage. For even greater reliability, do not forget to provide backup and auto-recovery.
Risks associated with cyber attacks.
Cyber attacks that leak medical data are a serious problem for healthcare software. To solve it, you must implement constant monitoring. Also, set up regular security updates, including patches and OS updates. Finally, train your staff on social engineering. It can reduce the risks of phishing attacks. Providing a user-friendly interface. Interfaces for doctors and medical personnel should be user-friendly and intuitive, requiring minimal technical training to operate efficiently. To achieve this goal, you must test hi-fi prototypes on the real target audience and perform subsequent optimizations. Also, do not forget to ensure your interface is created under the WCAG 2.1 guidelines.
The future of medical imaging software
Medical imaging software development will advance by adopting the newest technologies, process optimization, and increased integration with other medical systems.
So, here are the core areas in which medical imaging software can be optimized:
Speeding up diagnostic.
Increasing image recognition accuracy.
Costs reduction.
Improving user experience.
This can be achieved through the implementation and development of the following technologies:
Artificial intelligence and machine learning.
For highly accurate and automatic analysis of medical images and accelerated diagnostics.
Cloud computing.
To provide quick access to medical images from anywhere in the world, process large amounts of data without the need to upgrade local infrastructure, and implement remote collaboration between healthcare specialists.
VR/AR.
Medical imaging software development allows anatomy and pathologies to be studied using interactive 3D models and visualize the patient's anatomy before surgery.
Quantum computing.
While most quantum computers are not yet available for widespread use, they will speed up processing large datasets and training neural networks for image recognition in a few years.
Blockchain.
To guarantee the immutability and protection of data from medical imaging software while providing patients with comprehensive control over their medical information.
Our experience in medical imaging software development
This section covers the development of the PrismaORM brain scanner. This platform was crafted for chiropractors, neurologists, and neurosurgeons to monitor brain activity and brainwaves before, during, and after chiropractic treatments.
First, we assembled a team of eight experts to bring this vision to life. They worked closely with two external teams of medical imaging software engineers. We've pointed out a tech stack based on PostgreSQL, Typescript, React Native, Nest.js, Expo, Three.js, and SQLite. This tech of choice lets us build a platform that processes real-time data from brain activity helmets. The BLE protocol transmits this data. A tablet interface visualizes it. A key to the project's success was optimizing the user experience. This included better platform performance and integrating 3D models.
As a result — we've made a powerful tool that empowers medical professionals to conduct more precise diagnostics and offer more effective treatment recommendations.
Now that you understand the specifics of medical image analysis software development, you can begin searching for a team to bring your project to life. We are a reliable provider of custom healthtech solutions, ensuring a smooth, transparent, and predictable collaboration. Simply fill out the form, and we'll get in touch as soon as possible to discuss your medical imaging software project in detail.
In terms of IT, design means much more than just creating visuals for a digital solution. Specifically, while the concepts of UX and UI design have long been familiar to anyone who is at least a little involved in software product development, the "product design" term is a relatively new one. Based on its name, we can already make a preliminary conclusion that the work of product designers involves something more than creating a visual for a product, but what exactly? Let's figure it out right now.
What Is UX Design?
UX design is everything that is aimed at the end user getting a certain experience/impression from interacting with the interface of your solution. Its quality can be measured by whether the user manages to achieve the specific goal, and how easy and pleasant it is for him/her.
Usually, the UX design process includes the following stages:
End-user research;
Building information architecture;
User flow creation;
Creating visuals;
Ensuring the convenience and accessibility of the created solution.
Let's dwell on these stages in more detail.
Key Elements of UX Design
So, below we will consider the above stages (elements).
End-user research. It all starts with a survey of the target audience representatives to understand their needs, desires, and pain points. Then they are provided with raw prototypes for testing so that specialists can identify typical problems and imperfections in their concepts.
Building information architecture. The next step of UX product development is to build low-fidelity wireframes that demonstrate the hierarchy of the product’s elements and functions. After that, designers build an information architecture, which implies dividing the content into categories that simplify the search for information.
User flow creation. Now, everything is ready to recreate the sequence of steps that the user must take to achieve the goal with the help of a specific product. After the main steps are reproduced, microinteractions have to be implemented – we mean system feedback that improves the quality of the user experience. Additionally, the product is analyzed in accordance with the WCAG 2.0 guidelines – this is necessary for its accessibility for people with disabilities.
Creating visuals. At this stage, specialists create the visual part of the user interface including the color palette, icons, typography, etc., and also ensure consistency with the previously created templates.
Ensuring the convenience and accessibility of the created solution. To assess the convenience of the created solution, designers usually use a heuristic approach. Also, they check compliance with the required WCAF 2.0 level. If significant deficiencies are detected, the product is returned for optimization.
Why Is UX Design Important?
UX design services are primarily focused on ensuring end-user satisfaction with the product – that is, it means that the product is comfortable to use and intuitive, and, in general, allows users to quickly complete the tasks assigned to it. In the long term, a properly created UX design can provide a boost in business revenue, an expansion of its consumer base, an increase in competitive advantage, a reduction in the expenses on regular business operations, and many other things. Ultimately, it is important to understand that all this is a necessary but not sufficient condition for the product success.
UX vs. UI Design
Many people don’t understand the user experience vs design difference. However, while UX product design is aimed at creating a positive user experience when interacting with a product, the UI design is about creating a certain, aesthetically attractive appearance and conveying specific feelings to the end user through it.
What Is Product Design?
Now, let's talk about product design: it is a much more comprehensive term than UX and UI design. It ensures that users do not just enjoy dealing with a specific software solution – instead, they should help the owner of this solution achieve specific business goals through this interaction.
Key Elements of Product Design
To better understand the product design vs UX design difference, we suggest, as in the previous case, to consider the key stages of the first term.
Planning. It starts with comprehensive market research: analyzing its trends, identifying competitors’ advantages and disadvantages, defining the target audience, etc. After that, specialists must align the client's business goals with the collected information and develop a product roadmap (this is performed in collaboration with other project team members).
Ensuring end-user focus. Now, having information about the target audience at hand, specialists can create user personas by using their demographics, behavioral patterns, pain points, needs, etc. After that, they begin to build user flows and optimize them through testing.
Interface design. This stage of the product design process involves creating medium-fidelity prototypes that not only describe user interactions with individual interface components but also contain microinteractions and visual detailing.
Interaction with the project team. Typically, product designers work in teams that work according to the cross-functional methodology – here, they are encouraged to work closely with specialists from other areas. This allows them to reach alignment on goals and their achievement. At this stage, they use prototypes, which, as their details are agreed upon, specialists optimize into a full-fledged product design.
User feedback analysis and optimization. Finally, the completed solution is presented to end users (depending on the stage of development, these can be representatives of a focus group or real users) to obtain and process their feedback. After that, the obtained insights are gradually implemented through optimization of the presented version.
Why Is Product Design Important?
Its importance is hard to overestimate: product designers collaborate with other members of the project team throughout its life cycle, thereby ensuring the joint achievement of the goals set by its owner. Even though, as in UX design, the convenience of the user’s interaction with the product also plays an important role, it is perceived as something more global – something that is aimed at solving specific problems within one business.
UX Design vs. Product Design: the Differences
From all of the above, we can conclude that the main goal of product design services is to create a comprehensively successful product: that is, one that surpasses its competitors in some way and satisfies the client's business needs, the specifics of their business niche, the needs of the target audience, market trends, etc. This, in turn, imposes on product designers the need to participate in all stages of product development.
As for UX design, its task is to make the product user-oriented, without covering or only partially covering the business aspects declared by the product owner. Thus, without thinking about the need for product design and implementing the UX design stage only, you can lose sight of the factors that hinder the long-term product’s viability on the market (in particular, this often happens with startups and projects with a non-standard approach to solving ordinary problems).
Conclusion
Now, knowing the difference between the two above concepts, you can understand who exactly your team needs – a UX/UI service provider or a product designer. Whichever option is closer to you, you can always contact us, and we will select a specialist according to your project requirements or assemble a team that will accompany you from collecting project requirements to its launch and optimization.
Connect with us
At this stage, we get acquainted with your needs, outline the goals and desired results. We are always happy to take your project to the next level, and then beyond
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