All Those Opposed

Making the case for user experience in a budget-conscious climate

by Jesse James Garrett

New Architect
March 2003

Using a Web site for the first time is an awful lot like going on a first date. It's a one-on-one interaction, and it doesn't always go as planned. Consider the difference between these two first dates: Bachelor #1 spent most of the night talking about things that he thought were important, asked a lot of prying questions for no apparent reason, and kept forgetting your name. Bachelor #2 tried to anticipate your needs, seemed interested in your perspective, and helped you decipher the menu at the French restaurant. Which bachelor would you prefer to date a second time?

In any commercial enterprise, Web sites exist for one of two reasons: to help the organization save money, or to help it make money. In both cases, the user experience can make the difference between a successful site and a failure. An intranet can save you money—but only to the extent that it helps employees find information and perform tasks more easily and more efficiently than they can through other means. Putting detailed product support information on your site can save you money by reducing the burden on your customer service department—but only if users can find the information they need.

Providing a positive user experience on a public Web site can help a company make money even if the company doesn't sell its products directly over the Web. Good experiences encourage customer loyalty; sites that are structured to anticipate user needs and facilitate user tasks convince customers that your organization is interested in, and concerned with, their satisfaction and success.

User-Centered Design

Whether your site is for your customers, your business partners, or your employees, you will always be more successful when you take user needs into account.