The Importance of Human-Led UX & UI design

Amazing design often goes unnoticed, not because it is undervalued but because it simply just works! That quiet effectiveness is the essence of Human-Led UX, design that feels so natural you barely notice it’s there.

Quite often, we are taken aback by a new drink bottle’s label that stands out on the shelf, making us want to choose it even though we know deep down we aren’t too fond of the taste. Now that is a scenario where obvious/attention-grabbing design has done its job perfectly.

But what about the apps we use daily on our mobiles that intuitively guide us through the experience without any friction? Behind these apps is a team of unsung heroes who have no doubt spent years perfecting their craft, learning its nuances and applying those insights into every interaction. This is where Human-Led UX proves its value, in the thoughtful decisions that remove friction before users even notice it exists.

With the rise of AI, we have seen tools produce some very impressive designs. In moments, users can take an initial idea and build an interactive webpage/application from a single prompt. However, these tools are always limited; they don’t offer much in terms of further customisation or functionality, nor do they produce an original/creative design. In fact, they are often based on popular layouts and basic/safe design principles. Often, where these tools fail the most is in considering the user experience.

When we spoke about intuitive and frictionless applications, we were specifically talking about the user experience. To the untrained eye, clicking a button means nothing; however, to the designer, every click is well thought out and analysed. That level of care cannot be automated; it is the product of experience, empathy and a commitment to Human-Led UX.

As a team of developers, we take pride in our design abilities, at Agile we make functional, usable and visually pleasing applications. However, in comparison to our design partners, our work does not compare in the slightest. This is why we have encouraged our recent clients to also work alongside our partners at Make Good, so that they can nail the design in the initial design phase of the project and have everything finalised before we begin development.