User experience UX

User experience (sometimes referred to as UX or UE) is a term defined under ISO 9241-210:2019 as "a person's perceptions and responses that result from the use or anticipated use of a product, system or service".

It is a concept that originated with the introduction of human/machine interaction during the 19th and early 20th centuries, but it gained wider use as people became more dependent on computers both for work and personal tasks. The term UX was frequently applied to computer software development and website design as it related to the user interface (UI) ease of use.

UX has been broadly applied to other aspects of interaction between a client and a provider of a service or product, particularly when the interaction demonstrates a distinct understanding of the needs and expectations of the end user. As a form of customer service best practice, UX is intended to improve user interaction and foster a sense of loyalty between a customer and a product or service provider.

Creating this type of relationship may require that the organisation conducts interviews with key customer representatives. It may also require that the provider demonstrates an alignment with the customer’s values and goals, gaining a better understanding of the ongoing (and future) real-world requirements of the end user.

Smart Building Overlay to the RIBA Plan of Work, published by the RIBA in 2024, states: ‘User experience encompasses all aspects of the end user's interaction with the building. The first requirement for an exemplary user experience is to meet the needs of the client, end user or stakeholder with no unnecessary steps or delays.’

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