If you’ve ever been to a car museum showing the history of automobiles, it is notable just how much cars have changed over the years. However, while engines have improved and have become more efficient over time, it is not the inner workings of the vehicles that stand out first. Instead, it is the aesthetics and features that have transformed the most over the years.
The worlds of web design and automobile design may appear worlds apart. Curiously, however, the same catalyst that drove these changes in the automobile industry is currently at work in the world of web design. This catalyst is the ever-increasing importance of the user experience.
Mature Industries
Gas-powered automobiles was an industry that matured rather quickly. In many ways, our modern, gas-powered vehicles operate on the same basic principles as the very earliest versions. Fuel is put into a combustion engine that propels the vehicle forward. This means that, as an industry, the fundamentals of the product were established very early.
Web design is quickly becoming a mature industry. The basics of what a website does, whether presenting information or as a platform for commerce, have now been around for decades. People know what to expect from a website, much like they know what to expect from a vehicle.
Marginal Innovations
Just because the gas-powered automobile industry has matured, doesn’t mean there haven’t been any innovations around the fundamentals. However, these innovations have primarily occurred on the margins. Improvements like better fuel efficiency and reliability have been the primary advancements.
Drivers benefit from these innovations, but they are on the margins and not easily noticeable. They are also often quickly matched by competing manufacturers, and no longer a significant point of differentiation.
As a quickly maturing industry, web design is also still making innovations to the core of the product. However, these innovations are often very much “under the hood.” They are often not what customers first notice.
Websites are becoming smoother to navigate. Integration with customer relationship management software is becoming stronger. Perhaps most importantly, e-commerce tools have become more secure, trustworthy, and seamless parts of a website. These improvements, though, are much like greater fuel efficiency in that they are not as easily recognizable and are quickly duplicated.
Innovation You Can See
It’s not the marginal innovations that stand out over the years when you look at automobiles. Instead it’s what you can see. The shapes and design of cars over time change and evolve. New features start to emerge, like radios, air conditioning, and cup holders. Manufacturers compete to be the first to create a new style or offer some standout feature, like rear-facing backup cameras or integrated GPS systems. They are constantly seeking new perks to offer customers.
The driver for these automobile innovations was the user’s experience with the vehicle. The more that engine power, reliability, and efficiency has improved, the opportunity to compete began to shift away from the core of what the automobile does, into what the user’s experience with the product was like. This same shift is currently underway in the world of web design.
A Shift in Innovation
Improvements to the functionality of websites are going to continue, but they are no longer the point of differentiation. Having a secure website is not the exception; rather, it is the new standard. Functional e-commerce systems aren’t a sufficient reason for customers to go back to the same site; instead, they are the expectation. What makes a site standout now is the experience that someone has while on that site.
User experience is now one of the primary factors in whether an average user spends more time on a site and is a repeat visitor. Those are two of the most important metrics for any website, and it’s what makes consideration of the user experience critical to the process of modern web design.
Users want to visit a site that isn’t abrasive, difficult to navigate, or bogged down by irrelevant information and a confusing design. They are drawn to layouts that are easy to decipher. They remain longer in digital environments that seamlessly bring them to whatever they are seeking out without making them have to hunt very hard.
Just as critically, users remain on websites where what they are seeking to find is presented without distractions from unrelated content. These are the user experience aspects of web design that make sites stand out and are critical to any website thriving in the crowded digital space.
User Experience as a Signal
The Toyota Prius was a controversial design when it came out. Some people loved it, but many proclaimed it to be an ugly car. What mattered, though, was that it stood out. Toyota had inverted expectations and used the aesthetic design, part of the user experience, to signal technical innovation. This is something manufacturers continue to do. Companies like Tesla, Rivian, and Lucid Motors have chosen distinctive designs partially to signal innovation.
As we look ahead to the future of web design, including something like the possible integration of AI assistance into a website, we can see the same kind of importance coming to user experience. We are fast approaching a time when you may want to create a unique user experience for your website, as a primary means of signaling the distinctiveness of what you’re offering.
A Team That Understands User Experience in Web Design
With the rapidly increasing importance of user experience, it’s critical you work with a web designer who understands this vital component of the process. The team at Imagine Monkey understands how to create the right user experience for your website. Contact our team today to discuss your web design needs.
