What is UX design? - AHN Media Group

Design

March 13, 2025

What does UX stand for? Learn more about what UX means, why it’s so important and what defines good UX.

“UX” stands for “user experience.” It describes the quality of the experience an end user has with a specific product, service, company or brand.

Although it’s often talked about in relation to digital products, like apps and websites, UX can relate to anything that an end user can interact with or encounter.

Take the example of going into your local bank to open a new account. If the process is quick and simple with clear instructions, easy-to-find information and friendly customer service, you’d come away feeling like you had a good user experience.

The same goes for ordering something online or using an app on your phone. If you’re able to accomplish your desired tasks with minimal effort, you’ll find the user experience to be a pleasant one.

UX doesn’t relate to one specific thing. It’s the sum of all the smaller parts that determines whether the overall encounter between the product/service and the user is a positive one. You can think of it as the impression the user leaves with and whether or not they’d be keen to repeat the experience. To learn more, keep reading.

What is user experience (UX) design?

If UX describes the quality of a user’s encounter with a particular product or service, UX design is the process of creating and shaping these experiences, with the goal of making them positive, pleasant and valuable for the end user.

UX design isn’t about how a product looks; that’s just one aspect of the overall user experience. It’s about ensuring that the product is logical, functional, easy to navigate and generally user-friendly.

There are 5 elements of UX design to consider:

Strategy: Deciding which objectives the product should meet, including both end user goals and client/business stakeholder objectives.
Scope: Fleshing out the details of the product, determining which features and functionality it should offer.
Structure: Mapping out the structure of the product, considering how users will navigate from one point to the next and what information they’ll need to move around the product and accomplish their goals.
Skeleton: Drilling down to the finer details of how each page should be structured and which elements (buttons, menus and other content) will go where.
Surface: Considering the user’s sensory experience of the product, defining how the product will look in terms of colors, imagery, spacing, typography and so on. This is where UI design comes in.

Where does the term “UX” come from?

The term “UX” was invented by Donald Norman, a cognitive psychologist who started working at Apple in the early 1990s. He took on the role of User Experience Architect, making him the first (known) person in history to have UX in their job title.

Explaining the origins of UX, Donald Norman said:

“I invented the term because I thought human interface and usability were too narrow. I wanted to cover all aspects of the person’s experience with a system, including industrial design, graphics, the interface, the physical interaction and the manual.”

What is the difference between UX and UI?

If you’ve heard of UX, you’ve probably also heard of UI. The terms are often used together but it’s important to be clear on the difference between them.

UX is a much broader term, covering everything that influences how a user feels when they use a product or service. It’s a comprehensive discipline that involves research, analysis, and understanding user needs.

UI stands for “user interface”, which is the point of interaction between an end user and a digital product. It’s a more narrow discipline that involves the visual design of the screens, buttons and other touchpoints you might use to navigate an app or a website.

The way the user interface (UI) is designed has an impact on the overall user experience, so UI is an important part of UX.

UX	UI
Stands for “user experience”	Stands for “user interface”
A broad discipline	A narrow discipline
Involves the quality of the experience as a whole	Involves the design of the user interface
Concerned with research, analysis, and understanding user needs	Concerned with visual design

You can learn more about the difference between the two, as well as how they go hand-in-hand, in this guide to UX vs. UI.

Why is UX important?

UX is important for two reasons: business value and human value. Let’s look at both.

The business value of UX design

If you have a positive experience with a product or service, you’re more likely to use it again and become a loyal customer. You might even recommend it to friends and family. That’s great for the brand reputation, which ultimately determines whether or not the product or service is successful and profitable.

On the flip side, a negative user experience leaves a bad impression of the product, service or brand. If it’s less than satisfactory, you’ll be inclined to go elsewhere, like a competitor with better UX.

Wherever there are two similar products or services offering the same functionality, the one with the best UX will always win out. UX is therefore crucial for winning and keeping customers, developing a positive brand reputation and, ultimately, for driving profit and business growth.

In sum, the business value of UX design includes:

A competitive edge in the market
Increased sales and revenue
Higher conversion rates
Better word-of-mouth marketing
A strong brand reputation
Improved customer loyalty and retention

We compiled some interesting statistics about the business value of UX, like the fact that 66% of customers are willing to pay more for a great user experience.

The human value of UX design

In addition to being valuable to businesses, end users also value good UX even if they don’t know it. UX influences whether we enjoy an experience or not and whether products and services are efficient and easy or frustrating and difficult.

In addition, UX determines whether products are accessible and inclusive for as many users as possible. Whether they are disabled, come from a different place with different needs, or have different requirements, good UX make products and services accessible for all.

What defines good UX? The fundamental principles of UX design

Defining good UX can be tricky. It’s not down to one specific thing. There are seven principles of UX design that all designers should follow. They are:

User-centricity — Design products and services in a way that centres the user’s needs and helps to solve their problems.
Consistency — This can mean keeping your designs consistent across all pages, screens, and products within the same product family. It can also mean meeting the user’s expectations for the kind of product you’re designing.
Hierarchy — This includes putting more important elements in more prominent positions in both a site’s information architecture and in the visual hierarchy.
Context — Consider the circumstances in which your products of services will be used and how that will effect the user experience.
User control — Give the user the right amount of control over their interactions with a product, such as being able to reverse or undo errors to a text message without throwing the whole user experience into disarray.
Accessibility — Ensure your product or service is accessible to as many users as possible, including people with disabilities or in other environments.
Usability — Usability relates to how easy a given product is to use and it’s influenced by things like:
- Learnability – how easy it is for a user to learn how to use the product for the first time.
- Efficiency – how quickly and seamlessly the user is able to complete their goals and tasks.
- Memorability – how easy it is for the user to jump back into the product after not using it for a while.
- Errors – how many errors does a user typically make when using the product.
- Satisfaction – how pleasant or enjoyable is the product to use.

What is the UX design process?

The UX design process focuses on identifying and solving a problem for a specific target audience. It includes:

Conducting user research to understand who you’re designing the experience for and what problems they need solving.
Narrowing it down to one problem and coming up with potential solutions.
Designing the chosen solution.
Making prototypes to test and validate the design, i.e. to make sure it will actually solve the user’s problem.
Developing the prototypes into a fully-fledged product or service which people can use.
Continuously improving the product/service (and thus the user experience) based on continuous testing and feedback.

News, Stories

Young Siblings’ Pest Control Startup Skyrocketed In Two Months After Their Tiktok Video Went Viral

In just two months, these two siblings launched a pest control business that now serves a wide area around Quezon Province and nearby cities in the Philippines. They are like any other young adult with unfortunate life prospects, but they’ve persevered because they know there must be a better way.

Pesconex Pest Control Services is owned jointly by its co-founders, Clark Dennies and Clarissa Joyce Demejes. They started their team with their cousin, who has grown to include four more members.

What began as a training ground provided by their uncle is now a well-recognized business offering services with a quick phone call around Quezon Province and even reached the island of Palawan.

Their uncle quickly loaned them money to help them start their own business. The effective pest control technique they use is a standardized process and is a convenient way to get rid of pests. They also made sure it is safe and environmentally friendly.

Within the first month, they serviced only a handful of clients, including a few homes, small sari-sari stores, and some bakeries — their parents even drove them to their clients. Nowadays, certain large companies and grocery stores are among the few that hire the team.

Their success and customer acquisition began when Clarisse posted a TikTok video demonstrating the service they are providing. Many netizens have praised what the two have been doing, and some are so impressed that they would like to utilize their services.

In just two short months, the siblings have established themselves financially and have also acquired their company car with their first significant earnings successfully.

Instead of focusing on the possibility that the endeavor will be unsuccessful, Clarissa encourages taking the risk. “Manifest that your business will be successful, do your best to succeed.” — she added.

Aug 26, 2022
2 min read

Stories

Asian-American Woman in Law On Finding Her Voice That Lead To Her Success In The Courtroom

When looking at an Asian-American woman, certain implicit biases exist. They are often judged as being too meek, timid, or passive to achieve their goals. They may be held back by such an evaluation, preventing them from realizing their full potential.

It was difficult for Asian-American lawyer Debra Wong Yang to speak up throughout her early career. In the long run, she realized that her inability to stand up for herself did not only hurt her but also her clients.

“Eventually, we all find a voice — my advice is to just make sure the one you ultimately adopt is actually yours,” she advised in her essay published by Law360.

Yang graduated from law school in 1985 when women were still relatively powerless in the legal field. Since she was still working toward the goal of following the path she had chosen, she has faced many challenges along her journey. She has witnessed it all, from the very traditional Chinese upbringing she received to the various sacrifices, frustrations, and challenges she must face on a day-to-day basis in her chosen field.

After years of practicing law and facing challenges in the courtroom, she came to a number of important realizations that helped her become a successful attorney. She remembered when she thought up some strategies that she hoped would assist her in communicating effectively with others.

Yang also tried to conquer her fear, and her motivation helped her cope with the situation and make further progress. With a lot of the many books she has read on leadership, she knows she has finally found her own approach to developing herself.

She aspires on detailing how she was preparing for her court session with an outline of her questions and concerns, and other litigants will be able to better manage their time with counsel. She realized she was getting better at defending her clients in court because she was able to keep her attention solely on the issues and evidence in her case.

When she was currently going through a period of learning and challenges, she learned that holding a position of authority does not guarantee respect from subordinates. She came to understand that one of the responsibilities of a leader is to address concerns raised by those who doubt one’s abilities.

In her courtroom sessions, Yang strongly suggests analyzing the situation first and looking for authentic solutions carefully. She strongly believed that the solutions to some problems sometimes are not immediately obvious and have never been tried before, or that it’s extremely straightforward. However, she is challenged to keep turning the issue over and over in her mind until she begins to see it from a new perspective.

Yang also stressed the importance of having mentors to turn to for advice and insight. She was assertive in her belief that one should be guided by the process of sitting down, thinking it through, and acting in a way that is most beneficial to them. She went on to say that if the message comes from within, the receiver will perceive it as more genuine and at ease.

In 2002, She was appointed by President George W. Bush as United States Attorney and became a former judge serving the Los Angeles County Superior Court. The fact that her success can be attributed to her strong leadership and the bravery that she possesses as an individual is a reason why she wields her power.

Not only does Yang share her own experiences, but she also provides valuable advice that other women can use to advance their careers. She stated, “My wish for each of you is that you will be brave when facing self-doubts, challenges, and obstacles. That you will dig deep, reach out if needed, do the research, make the tough decision and not be afraid of losing.”

The fact that Yang, an Asian American woman-in-law, was able to take control of her power demonstrates that one’s race should not determine the opportunities available to them or the path they choose to take in their professional advancement. However, by maintaining a positive attitude and giving oneself the power to make decisions, one will be able to live up to the standards and goals that have been established to assist in one’s own success.

Aug 25, 2022
4 min read

Blogs, Development, Ideas, Stories

Teen Student Entrepreneur Earns Millions Through Online Business Thanks To Mother’s Mentorship

16-year-old Irish Oloris from the Philippines has not only been successful in launching her beauty products business, but she also inspires others to follow their dreams and make them a reality.

She wasn’t interested in starting her own business when she was young, but after being mentored by her entrepreneur mother, she learned the strategies and tried them. Today, she was able to make her first millions from the sale of skincare and other beauty products in her online shop Irish White Corp.

Irish has decided to invest in land in Zambales, Philippines, and is now a property owner at a very young age. With her motivation and inspiration, she desires to continue her online business to generate additional funds for her college education.

The young CEO encourages other young people like her to dream big and begin early. One of her favorite quotes is ‘Dream at a very young age,’ because for Irish there are no limits to dreams. She thinks it’s wise to lay the groundwork for future success by first focusing on the little things.

Irish proved that any young person with an entrepreneurial spirit can establish a business at any age. Can you imagine what you could accomplish if you get going right this minute?

Aug 23, 2022
2 min read

Stories

TukTuk Box Founders Highlight Southeast Asian Flavors With Snack Kits

Laotian American Christy Innouvong-Thornton and Beatriz Aurelio-Saguin of Filipino and Indonesian descent use food to explore and share their heritage.

“Food is our love language. In the Asian community, sometimes our parents don’t like to express their emotion,” Beatriz told the Guardian, “But they’d give you a big bowl of rice and your favorite dish when you’re sad, and you know you’re loved. For us, food is also an ever-changing storytelling vehicle.”

They wanted to find a way to debunk racist stereotypes about the foods they grew up eating while giving back to Southeast Asian communities.

In 2020, Christy and Beatriz founded TukTuk Box to raise money and awareness for Thai refugees.TukTuk Box is a specialty food retailer and subscription box company focusing exclusively on Southeast Asian products and purveyors, working with people from the diaspora or identifying as BIPOC.

For Christy, starting TukTuk was also a way for her to heal and create a relationship with my biological mom.

Most of Beatriz’s dad’s siblings were born in Jakarta, while her dad was born in the Philippines, which made him only know a few staple Indonesian dishes. But because of Tuk Tuk Box, he’s been able to learn more about his own background.

They told The Guardian that they’ve curated their products from Asian stores all around California, Thai Town in LA, and Cambodian communities in Orange county. Before the pandemic, they also had a lot of snacks directly imported from Thailand and the Philippines.

Christy and Beatriz are publishing a cookbook soon featuring different stories and recipes from folks in our community that they have collected over the last two years.

Aug 23, 2022
2 min read