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Submitted by: Web Onise

The best interfaces leave tech behind and address larger systems of interaction. – Helen Waters, 4 Elements That Make A Good User Experience Into Something Great

It has long been acknowledged that user goals are entirely different from business goals. Butbecause of their inevitable involvement and indispensability in the delivery of web design and development services, there is a need to set a balance, to create equilibrium between the two of them. Creating a complimentary relationship between the user experience and business objectives ensures that the product we arrive at will not only provide customer satisfaction but prove to be of value to the business as well. The question is: How do we do that?

The Great Divide: Are you user centered or business centered?

There is a strong notion that User Experience Design is, in general, user-centric; UX designers prioritize user experience that satisfies user goals more than the accomplishment of business objectives. Being user-centric isnt really a bad thing; in fact it makes UX designers good at what they are do. Through being user-centered with their designs, they can successfully give users a platform that provides the ease of use and usability that they expect and would like to experience. But what makes it disadvantageous at some points? Along with the satisfaction of the user goals, business objectives need to be meet to adequately sustain the continued operation of the product. Without achieving set goals directed at returning the clients investment, theres a chance the project will end up failing.

Through these clashing ideas and beliefs, where do we establish a truce? A meeting point where both ends meet and agree on amicable yet workable terms?

How to Create a Balanced and Symbiotic Relationship Between User Goals and Business Objectives through Empathy

There is no one-size-fits-all methodology in achieving a balance between the user goals and business objectives, just like there are no two projects (and clients) alike in software product development. Through empathy, youre taking the first few steps towards a better relationship with your client, a necessary step to ensure you are developing UX design solutions that are directed at pleasing not just the users but the business owners as well.

1. Setup a planning session with the client.

Before the commencement of a project, set up a planning session aimed at understanding the client and the business, their business objectives, the products most critical requirements along with how you can reach a consensus on the projects design and development approach. This is also a great opportunity to discuss assumptions about users that may not be entirely at par with how the business understands their customers behavior.

2. Communicate openly, ask questions all the time and never assume.

Its worth emphasizingthat without an open communication with your client, youll most likely be making mistakes and assumptions that should have been prevented if you only knew them better.Take into account the history of the product involved; did they have previous ideas that didnt work out? What led to its failure? What were the consequences of such events? What is the reason behind certain features of their products current design? The key is to ask first. Business owners are humans as well; they do have emotional and personal preferences that may affect their decisions and choices in business. Knowing if a certain aspect of the product has a personal significance to the client, would help you understand why fighting for a certain aspect of the design is already a lost battle. Thus, before presenting anything, before recommending drastic changes, it would be worth it to stop for a minute and ask.

3. Encourage a constant communication.

Change is inevitable and encouraging a constant communication with your client ensures that you are updated with any changes that may have occurred within their business, whichmay have a subsequent effect on the product.

4. Hold one-on-one interviews with business owners.

Not everyone is comfortable to voice out their opinions in group discussions, especially if its in disagreement with what the majority thinks. Holding one-on-one interviews with the client and other stakeholders, AKA your development partners,gives you a more individualized perspective of the business and provide you the opportunity to established a more personal connection with the stakeholders, in turn helping you build a trusting relationship with each one of them. Investing your time in holding these interviewsdisplays your dedication in knowing each stakeholders opinion, however their influence may be in making decisions regarding the project.

5. Identify expectations and define success.

Each stakeholder has different expectations and views on how they measure the success of the project. Help them determine which metrics to measure and encourage them to ponder in terms of real numbers and timelines. The numbers do not need to be realistic; the objective is to understand their expectations and what success means for them.

6. Encourage a more involved client role.

Innovation takes many forms but the most brilliant and innovative products are created through the collaborative work of creative minds. With your design experience and your clients expertise in the field, there is no doubt youll be creating a great product. But the less you know your client, the more you are prone to mistakes and assumptions, which renders your time and effort worthless. Giving your client a more involved role, hastens feedback generation, lets you develop better ideas, alongside your client instead of for your client and helps them think critically of the project while revealing individualized concerns and pain points.

Empathy is a trait inherent to UX Designers. But the best ones know how to empathize and put themselves in the shoes of not only the end-users but into their clients as well. Empathy lets designers go the extra mile in developing a deeper understanding of the business behind the project and of the very people in charge of the business. It urges them to reach out to better comprehend each of these business owners individual goals, concerns, needs and apprehensions, which ultimately help them visualize the project in a more diverse perspective. Just like how Leon Ho, founder of Lifehack, has narrated in one of his posts on Quora,

Empathy gives you the reasoning, the information, and sometimes reduces the negativity and lets you get a glimpse of the whole story. Without empathy, you may create a product that no one wants, a business proposal that no one agrees with, or assess a situation that looks pretty different from the actual truth.

About the Author: Webonise Lab is a development and design company. Our mission is to transform great digital ideas into a reality, all driven by the concept to launch methodology. Our passion? Building web and mobile apps that we believe in, clients love and people can use in the real world. Through our wildly talented team of 200 (and counting!) talented software engineers, usability experts and business analysts, we bring innovation to life.

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