Good design is easy to spot but often hard to pin down. What exactly makes a product effective to its users? Is it a matter of simplicity, structure, or functionality? The answer depends on the product in question.

Some of the primary characteristics of good UX are usable, equitable, enjoyable, and useful. These characteristics can help you evaluate a product’s design, and we’ll go into each one in this post.

Usable

If the product is usable, it means that its design, structure, and purpose are easy to use. As you evaluate a product, you might want to ask the following questions: Is everything in the design easy to find? Is the design’s functionality easy to understand? Can users accomplish specific tasks within the design? As you evaluate, these questions can help you determine whether the design delivers a usable experience.

Using a website that you use to find cheap fly for your trip. The design should provide a clear and easy way to complete that task. For example, a section where you can easily enter your destination and time details on the homepage would be an example of good usability.

Equitable

If a product is equitable, it means a design is helpful to people with diverse abilities and backgrounds. In other words, the product’s design addresses the needs of a diverse audience and ensures a high-quality experience is delivered to all users regardless of background, gender, race, or ability. Equity means providing people with the tools they need to accomplish their goals and support improved quality of life. Equity is when everyone is given equal resources because people often need different tools and support based on their needs. It is important to keep in mind the marginalized group that often leaves out. Therefore, it is important to ask the following questions in UX: Are the needs of a diverse group of users considered? Does the product’s design address the need of traditionally underrepresented and excluded groups? These questions can help you determine whether the design delivers an equitable experience.

Equity in real life example would be different types of body is being considered in the clothing website. All types of body and height user should have a choice to choose what would be best for them.

Enjoyable

When a product is enjoyable, it means the design delights the user. The design reflects what the user may be thinking or feeling and creates a positive connection with them. A product’s design doesn’t have to be enjoyable for it to function properly. But, an enjoyable design adds to an already functional product and can enhance the user’s feelings about the experience. As you evaluate how enjoyable a product’s UX is, you can ask questions like: Are there aspects of the design that consider the user’s feelings? Does the design inspire delight in the user? Does the design keep the user engaged throughout their experience? These questions can help you determine whether the design delivers an enjoyable experience.

An enjoyable product will allow you to do many things that suit your needs. For instance, the reading app lets you bookmark the page, take notes, read mode, and have other micro-interactions. It enhances the overall user experience, and thus it is an enjoyable experience.

Useful

The product is useful when it solves user problems. In other words, the design intentionally solves a user problem that the designer has identified. In other words, the design intentionally solves a user problem that the designer has identified. It is important to note that being useful doesn’t mean it’s usable. Some products are useful, but not always usable. The main distinction between the two is that usability refers to the product working well and being easy to use, while usefulness refers directly to the ability to solve user problems. As you evaluate how useful a product’s UX is, you can ask questions like: Does the design add value to the user’s experience? Does the design solve a problem for the user? Does the design help the user achieve a specific goal? These questions can help you determine whether the design delivers a useful experience.

The usefulness of public transportation app is that it allows you to purchase tickets at your convenience. The aspects of usefulness might include the feature to buy bus passes with either credit cards or a virtual wallet. Users can add the pass to their pass holder app for later use.

Read more on good and bad UX design.

• Check out the article about good design from the Google Design team to discover the genius in the designs of everyday objects.

Happy learning and good luck!