In literal terms, UX is user experience, a process design teams use to create products that provide meaningful and relevant user experiences. Gone were the days when UX design was just about how aesthetically pleasing the digital product looked and how it worked. Now, it involves aspects of branding, design, usability, and function. 

According to studies, users only take 50 milliseconds (0.05 seconds) to form an opinion about a website. We know this sounds unfair, but let’s be honest: We all have a really short attention span. Hence, every element of the UX design must be counted through efficient UX designs. 

John Maeda is a Designer and Technologist who rightly said,

“Design used to be the seasoning you’d sprinkle on for taste; now it’s the flour you need at the start of the recipe.”

In this blog, we will discuss the evolution of UX and then take you through the core elements of UX design, ending the blog with why even UX matters.

The Evolution of UX Over The Years  

UX has not always been what it is today but has gone through various stages. Let’s explore those stages. 

The Rise of Computers

Earlier computers were something only the tech-savvy could use, but a revolution came in the 1970s and 1980s when computers became more accessible to the general public. This was the step in history where UX design met technology, which changed the game in the field of UX design. 

Designers started pondering ways people could easily interact with computers they were already using. That’s when Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) was introduced. HCI is a study that focuses on how humans interact with computers so that designing user-friendly interfaces becomes easy.

Research at Xerox PARC developed the Graphic User Interface (GUI), a visual way of interacting with computers using icons, windows, and menus. In the 1980s, Apple made a bold move by creating the first Macintosh computer, which normalised the general public’s use of computers. 

Don Norman: The Father of UX 

A UXer who doesn’t know Don Norman isn’t really a UXer. He’s a researcher and cognitive scientist who joined Apple and coined “User Experience.” Norman defined user experience as the entire interaction experience with the product, not just how it looks on the surface. Everything matters, from the feel of the toggles to the ease of functionality. 

UX in the Digital Age: The Internet and Mobile Revolution

The internet changed the digital landscape. Designers must devise ways to improve user interactions with websites and apps. Websites became common in the early 2000s, and designers made them easy to navigate. 

Smartphones hit the market in the late 2000s, and designers now had to design for smaller screens. Responsive designs solved this problem, as apps and websites can now adjust seamlessly to the screens of different devices.

What’s the Future of UX?

AI revolutionised the UI and UX design industry. Voice commands used in UX enabled many new technologies, such as Alexa and Siri. UX is not present on screens now, but it’s moving beyond screens. 

Virtual and augmented reality create immersive experiences that have created innovative ways to interact with the world. Ethical considerations while designing create products that are inclusive and accessible while maintaining the privacy of user information. 

Essential Pillars of UX Design in 2025

The elements of a UX design are its pillars; a UX design must have these qualities to be considered efficient. 

Personalisation

One size doesn’t fit all when it comes to UX. Different users have different needs, so personalisation of UX is key. We all use some OTT (over-the-top) or music platform. Now, imagine if Netflix and Spotify recommended the same content to all of us. It would be a disaster. 

In another instance, you must have seen apps like Slack, Google Docs, and Apple’s Health app that adjust their colour theme to match the time of day.

That’s because users watch different types of content, and for the platform to keep them engaged and increase user retention, it will have to show them the content they prefer consuming. 

Personalisation in the UX makes users feel that the platform is finely tuned to their choices, expectations, and pain points. That’s what keeps them hooked to the platform. AI analyses user behaviour like clicks, scrolls, taps, or time spent on pages to tailor their experience.

AI has helped create hyper-personalised interfaces that adapt to users’ needs. Apps are becoming smarter when adapting to users’ preferences without being intrusive. 

Accessibility and Inclusivity

Users with visual, auditory, cognitive, emotional, or motor challenges struggle to interact with digital products. Accessible designs help users with different levels of ability.

Inclusive designs allow users from diverse backgrounds. The goal is not to let race, gender, and religion interfere with people’s experience of using digital products. 

According to studies, 15-20% of the world’s population has some form of disability; ignoring this audience wouldn’t just mean that we’re not serving them, but it would also be bad from a business perspective. No business can afford to lose such a vast target audience. 

It’s not only ethical but also lawful to create apps and websites that are accessible and inclusive for users with disabilities, different ages, and cultures. Meeting standards like WCAG, ADA, and others has become the norm. Compliance with these standards ensures that your digital products are legal and ethical and can be used by everyone. 

Thanks to these standards, dark, manipulative patterns, such as forced sign-ups that used to rule the web world earlier, are no longer part of UX designs. Transparent data collection and user-first privacy settings shape trust-driven experiences. 

Emotion-Centered Design

As much as human beings think of themselves as rational beings, they are emotionally fueled, so it’s essential that a UX design evokes emotion in the reader’s mind and heart. Don Norman, the UX designing pioneer, rightly said,

“Everything has a personality: everything sends an emotional signal. Even where this was not the intention of the designer, the people who view the website infer personalities and experience emotions.”

Designers aim to stimulate users on three cognitive levels: visual, behavioural, and reflective. 

• Visceral reactions are users’ gut reactions, usually their first impressions of the design. For example, a cluttered user interface will confuse users. 
• Behavioural reactions are user reactions after subconsciously evaluating how a design helps them achieve goals and how easily. 
• Reflective reactions are usually feelings that users feel after they encounter your design. Users will consciously ponder the product’s performance and benefits, such as value for money.

To design an emotion-provocative design, inject a signature personality, like a face or mascot, that users will use to identify a particular brand, like MailChimp, which uses a monkey. Use colour and contrast to depict emotion, such as blue, which is used for trustworthiness, and that’s why fintech apps like Paytm use it.  

Multi-Modal Experiences

Multimodal design has multiple interaction modes, such as voice, text, and haptic feedback. Traditional output modalities, such as tests or graphics, are coupled with innovative ones, such as haptic feedback, sounds, or speech. Technology adapts to how we naturally communicate and interact with digital products. 

Instead of only using a mouse or a keyboard to produce traditional outputs in digital products, multimodal interaction allows users to use a set of sensory inputs and outputs, such as voice commands, gestures, touch, motion, and facial expressions.

Different users have different needs and should be allowed to use the input method of their choice. Augmented Reality (AR), Virtual Reality (VR), and Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) are multiple sensory input and output methods that polish user experience. 

Privacy-Conscious UX

As we step into 2025, users don’t just want digital products that are aesthetically pleasing and functional; they are also concerned about their private data, especially when using fintech apps. Making privacy-conscious UX designs isn’t just another trend; it’s a practice that UX designers have to follow to build trustworthy interfaces.  

Privacy rights are being more openly discussed, and designers are more transparent about collecting, storing, and using users’ data. 

Privacy settings are placed where they can be easily accessed without being hidden behind complicated menus. They are being showcased as a key feature that uses clear language, intuitive layouts, and visual indicators to help users control the privacy settings of the platforms they are using.

Why UX Matters More Than Ever 

But why give so much heed to UX at all? Here are the reasons why.  

UX = Business Advantage

Sure, UX is designed for users, but business is a massive part of it. Effectively designed UX satisfies many customers and hence brings higher conversions, directly generating revenue. 

A business website is the first place customers land; if the first impression is not good, it gives them enough reasons not to trust a brand and proceed with it. 

For businesses, especially online businesses, it becomes integral for the user to complete the desired action on their digital platform: signing up for a newsletter, buying a product or service, or whatever they want. 

UX = Brand Identity

A practical design increases customer loyalty by offering delightful experiences to your online customers. A digital product is one (and the most significant) way to build loyalty. When designs are consistent, users understand what to expect from a particular brand and the familiar elements that ask them to return to your platform. 

For instance, Starbucks is known for its clear and clean layout. Such familiar aspects of UX make big brands memorable and extend the voice and values of their brand directly. 

Developing this emotional connection with a brand can be achieved by using various visual elements, language, and the tone of written content. 

UX = Faster Development

It may surprise you, but a good UI and UX design helps reduce the need for repeated redesigns and development changes, making the entire website development process hassle-free and ensuring faster delivery. Iterations that must be made later can be reduced so that the resources used are within the budget and reach.

In Conclusion

UX isn’t just a trend; it’s a transformation you give your business and brand. We’ve come a long way from chunky desktops and grayscale interfaces. Now, it’s the duty of designers to empathise with users and create products that answer their needs. 

Whether you’re a designer, business owner, or just a curious fellow UXer who wants to understand UX of today’s world, head on to the service page of Yellow Slice, a sizable number of businesses have trusted us to design digital products, and none have doubted their decisions.

Frequently Asked Questions 

1. As a business owner, why should I care about UX in 2025? 

In 2025, UX isn’t just a design term for business owners. UX is not an optional luxury; it’s a need that they have to satisfy. Potential customers’ first touch point with your business will be your website or app. 

If you don’t put in the work in the first impression, customers may not even consider using your services or products, decreasing your conversion rate. 

2. Why ethical and privacy-conscious UX is so important? 

Internet users increasingly know data branches, misinformation, and manipulative interfaces that follow dark patterns. Aware users demand clarity on why a particular app collects personal information about them. 

UX design isn’t just about aesthetics but about transparency and honesty. Digital trust is a currency that brands and businesses can leverage.