WHAT is User Experience

There is a whole lot of confusion to know what is user experience. Here are a few required from some interesting job listings:

- User centered design principles
- Know what user wants.
- Making things usable
- Up to date with technology
- Java script mandatory
- Great Visuals
- Table Less layouts
- Wire frames
- Voice of Customer (Interesting)
- Knowledge of Data base

Well, these are a few sample requirements what i have gathered and there could be more. This seriously confuses and puts user experience is jeopardy. Some Companies feel that user experience is a simple job and hence forth go for add-on such as technology etc.

User experience is an art of experiencing a product/commodity that is designed for a TYPICAL USER with unbiased, less egoistic and committed user needs.

It is easy to read and understand about this art, but it took a real long time to put my thoughts in the above sentence.

First of all, user experience is not measurable, it is purely an experience.

Evolution of design for every product/s can be compared to giving birth to an interactive baby. But how the interactions would comprehend to the user's mental model is the biggest challenge.
The most difficult part is to consciously penetrate into design patterns on a 360 degree view.

Many times when i design interactions for products in PayPal, we go through a lot of mentor reviews, design discussions, fight for technology and finally get it signed off. Once instance really shocked both me and my mentor was in a usability session that was held in Mumbai. We were successful in capturing the whole 360 degree angle but actually missed to map it with the Indian user. Though the designs are effective and efficient, the important aspect of how it would suffice the user mental model was taken away by storm. Though the interaction was consistent and affordable to make an action item, the way the user thought was completely different.

After this episode, my perception of user experience changed. I started to think rigorously on typical user mental model before justifying my designs. I found great results in keeping user experience at the back of my head when i do my interactions.