I am fairly new to the advertising world, and ever since I arrived I hear two words going round and round -- seemingly meaning the same thing, but I don’t think they do.
The words are Consumers and Users -- and I am left really asking who our target is because from what I can gather consumers consume brands, while users integrate brands into their lives.
If you look at the model by which advertising is traditionally done, you see that it is focused on two lenses: Business Need and Target Information. In the center, years of observation has told us that we have on average 6.5 seconds to matter to our user. So where is the user in the business model?
Everyone has been in this predicament, what I like to call the longest 6.5 seconds ever - when you arrive at a site with a task in mind and everything seems to be standing in the way. You see, in reality the online channel allows less than 2 seconds of audience attention as reaction to websites being in support of user goals is almost visceral.
So, how do we assure a positive experience? We find out what matters. The Needs, wants, Have Tos and lastly the wish I coulds. I believe this is where innovation lays for brands, in the space that users dream of and have never seen.
So the proposed model for moving the advertising industry forward is simply the addition of another lense -- that of user needs. And in the center, I believe that we can provide experiences we believe will matter to those using it which is really ideal for everyone involved.
Last question: Which customer do you want?
Bigger Question: How do we do that? Hi, Im Abby Covert - A user experience planner. I work at a large agency with the sole purpose of making brand teams care about their users and the experience they have when interacting with that brand. There are many people moving into this space currently and we all follow a process that I think goes something like this…
Now, at this point -- people really start wondering about process within a larger team. Here is the way I look at inclusion of planning in an interactive project. From the left brain perspective, this process saves the team money in the long run. Making critical decisions during development will on average cost you 100 times more than making the same decision in planning. If that doesn’t resonate with people, this Frank Lloyd Wright quote usually will: “You can use an eraser on the drafting table or a sledgehammer on the construction site” - Imagine the relative mess involved.
So before I leave you, 6.5 moments you know you need UX. The are the most common situations where I find UX is helpful.