“Affect” refers to how the user experience will affect the user. It includes factors such as usability, accessibility, and desirability. A design that positively affects users is easy to use, intuitive, and enjoyable, increasing user satisfaction, engagement, and loyalty.
“Impact,” on the other hand, refers to how the user experience will impact the business. It includes factors such as revenue, customer retention, and brand reputation. A design that positively impacts the industry is aligned with the company’s goals and objectives, leading to increased revenue, customer retention, and brand reputation.
Designers must balance both when designing user experiences. A design that only considers “Affect” may be enjoyable for users but may not necessarily align with the business objectives. A design that only considers “Impact” may meet the business goals but not be user-friendly or enjoyable, leading to poor user experience and low user engagement.
Therefore, you should create designs that positively affect users and impact the business. By doing so, you can make a user-centered design that meets users’ needs while achieving business goals and objectives. This approach will lead to increased user satisfaction, engagement, and loyalty, as well as increased revenue, customer retention, and brand reputation.
Use Case
Let’s consider an example of a mobile banking application. The application’s goal is to allow users to manage their finances conveniently on their mobile devices while also generating revenue for the bank.
Affect (Users)
To create a user-friendly experience that positively affects users, the designers need to consider the following factors:
Usability: The application should be easy to use, with a simple and intuitive interface that allows users to navigate through different features quickly.
Accessibility: The application should be accessible to users with disabilities, with features such as text-to-speech, larger fonts, and color contrast options.
Desirability: The application should be visually appealing, with an attractive design and animations that make it enjoyable to use.
Impact (Business)
To create a design that positively impacts the business, the designers need to consider the following factors:
Revenue: The application should generate revenue for the bank through features such as bill payments, fund transfers, and other financial services.
Customer retention: The application should retain customers by providing convenient and secure financial management services, increasing customer loyalty.
Brand reputation: The application should enhance the bank’s reputation by offering a user-friendly and reliable mobile banking experience.