What’s UX? Elaboration of Term
User Experience Design (UX), as it’s commonly referred to as User Interface Design (UI), This is because UI is usually the first instance of the industry that people encounter. According to Don Norman, User Experience encompasses several areas. It's not surprising that UX design encompasses the whole user journey since it includes visual design, programming, psychology, and interaction design. As defined by Interaction Design Foundation “User experience (UX) design is the process design teams use to create products that provide meaningful and relevant experiences to users”.
Due to the variety of these sub-disciplines, the role of the user experience designer encompasses a series of sub-areas which must be accurately applied for the success of any given product or service. These include Usability, Utility, Functional Integrity, Visual Design and Persuasiveness. When designing for users, it is crucial to include these principles early on, as problems resulting from a lack of this can lead to poor usability, decreasing users' likelihood of utilizing new technologies. An understanding of these user needs cannot be underestimated for the success of a new or existing product or service. The user becomes the nucleus of the whole process from research to deployment.
UX in Ghana (Africa)
Ghana ranks well among emerging markets and economies when it comes to international investment. With more than half of the entire population of the country in their youthful ages, the country is viewed as being promising, which is why investors will want to put their money there, notwithstanding Ghana’s rich, peaceful democracy and welcoming citizens. In spite of Ghana's economic downgrading in recent years, the country's natural resource riches continue to make it an attractive option on the global market.
Global interest is excellent for an emerging country; however, problems arise in the user experience and design sectors since Ghanaians import products and services made in developed and first-world nations. The country has well overrelied on importation, and such instances have forced it to adopt a paradigm shift in the field of UX and the usability of products and services. Globalization can be an attractive prospect for international brands and companies. However, in the context of a country that has over 100 diverse ethnic groups, the context itself is essential.
In our world, most of the problem is caused by a lack of participation by the users in the UX process; most of the final decisions are based on assumptions and, to some extent, on the importation of UX ideas and data that worked in first-world countries. This is massively integral to the success or failure of a product or service in the Ghanaian context. Some of these problems include e-learning platforms needing to be optimized for students, designing applications for better service delivery (Hubtel), and Fintech industries through Mobile Money incomparability. Companies like Uber, Glovo, etc. continue to face the bashing of customers and consumers because the idea was shipped to the Ghanaian market with generalized data that idolizes a bias in UX.
The challenge has been compounded by the commission charged by the owners of the app. Uber recently announced it has reduced commission to 20%. Bolt’s charge is still 25% commission.
– www.myjoyonline.com
Nevertheless, everyone idolizes the aspect of UX where the user or consumer is placed at the center of the entire holistic approach, but in Africa, or more narrowly, in Ghana, there are biases that range from cultural, educational, and to some extent, tech-savvy, and the availability of resources to build on.
To conclude, UX design may need to take into account cultural differences and the unique challenges faced by users on the continent, such as limited access to technology and internet connectivity. Designers may also need to consider the specific needs and preferences of their target audience, such as language and accessibility requirements. It's important for UX designers to conduct user research and testing in the local context to ensure that their products and services are tailored to meet the needs of their Ghanaian users.
This empirical context leads to my interest in “The Importance of UX Usability in the Ghanaian context.”
A Contextual Focus
In the Ghanaian setting, UX usability is a crucial component of user experience design since it guarantees that goods and services are simple to use, accessible, and effective for customers. Usability can be impacted by a variety of variables in Ghana, including cultural differences, restricted access to technology, and poor internet connectivity. In order to create goods and services that would appeal to the Ghanaian market, designers must take these factors into mind.
Limited access to technology, which can make it challenging for users to explore and use digital products and services, is one of the major difficulties in the Ghanaian environment. Thus, designers must ensure that their products are suitable for low-bandwidth situations and can run on a range of hardware, including older and less capable models.
Accessibility is a crucial component of usability in the Ghanaian context. Many users in Ghana can have impairments, low literacy rates, or limited command of the product's or service's language. Thus, designers must ensure that their goods and services are usable in various languages and accessible to all users, including those with impairments.
In order to provide an effective user experience for the Ghanaian environment, usability is also important. Time is a precious resource in many Ghanaian nations, therefore, users may not be motivated or patient enough to work their way through a challenging or drawn-out task. Designers must thus make sure that users can execute tasks quickly and effectively and that their services and products are simple to use. In conclusion, usability is crucial for the Ghanaian context because it guarantees that products and services are simple to use, accessible, and effective for users, while also taking into consideration the difficulties posed by limited access to technology, poor internet connectivity, and cultural barriers among a wide range of ethnic indigenes.