UX Goes Beyond the Visuals
To the general public, the term "UX" usually translates into visual flows, wireframes or mockups. This is an accurate perspective of UX, but it’s only one part of the entire UX spectrum.
User experience is hard to define because it is abstract and subjective. At different parts of the journey, the experience may vary between people’s interactions. Aside from visually pleasing someone, you can also create a positive experience by including other senses that involve real human interaction – such as responding to product reviews or calling the customers directly for feedback.
More importantly, you can’t always control the user’s first impression with your service. They may first become exposed to your company through a radio advertisement, a banner image on the corner of your browser, or even though physically holding the product in their hands.
Different companies emphasize different parts of the user experience. Some favour product service, and others lean more towards customer service. In the end, consistency in messaging and delivery is what builds great experiences.
In the fintech space, we are dealing with users’ money – so the way we speak, design and present should provide an all-around consistent and familiar experience. Fintech being an uncharted space for most people requires UX to do the handholding from beginning to end. Jumping directly to product UX design is important, but who will actually see your beautiful app when no one understands what your website is trying to sell?
Start by explaining the problem and presenting a clear resolution of your unique fintech service. In a traditional and confusing financial industry, your users need to become advocates of your fintech service by understanding your solution. You can’t always achieve this by simply throwing up a website or building a great product. Often times, you have to take the initiative to reach out to them personally. This is what builds loyalty and strong relationships with your business and your customers.
