User Experience Design —Difference between Usability & Desirability

There are 4 levels of User Experience as defined by the Nielsen Norman Group Conference in Amsterdam in 2008 . They are as follows:-

Utility

Utility address the key questions such as :-

• Does the product meet the needs of the user ?
• Is the product useful to the user ?
• Does it serves the purpose that the user accepts ?

A prospective user who does not see a product as any value to them or does not perceive that the product to fulfil their requirements is not going to convert into the user.

Usability

It’s the next step up in the user experience ladder . It address the questions :

• Is the product easy & intuitive to use ?
• Does the user want this product more than the competitors’ products ?
• Does the user likes the way that this product feels and looks ?

User experience have expanded its boundaries beyond basic need of satisfying the Utility & Usability bucket. These were not sufficient to propel the market leading product ( Example , Apple iPhone ) to achieve great heights.

Desirability

Generally all products pass the litmus test of utility & usability but it is desirability of the product which distinguish them from the market leaders .

Desirability also enjoys premium in market places. For instance, an Apple iPhone vs a Xiaomi smartphone , both possess the utility & usability , however Apple commands a higher premium in the market.

Desirability adds an element of “ prestige “ to a product so as to differentiate it from the similar products in terms of utility & usability.

Brand Experience

Largely , brand experience is outside of the purview of the user experience designer’s control. However, it is closely knitted to the desirability of the products & it answers the below question:

• Does the user feel elated about the product & the brand/company that manufactured it ?

Apple being the usual suspect in delivering elevated brand experience in comparison to Microsoft although dominating the operating system on desktop but couldn’t succeed in delivering a stellar hardware product.

The final showdown — Usability vs Desirability

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