Malcolm was kind to start the event with an introduction to UX and UI. First, he made it clear that they are two separate things that need to be combined. They are equally crucial for website design. Malcolm provided an analogy for further clarification. “UI is the saddle, the stirrups, and the reins. UX is the feeling you get being able to ride the horse.”

He went a little bit deeper into what UX and UI mean. First, UX. Malcolm said UX is the overall feel of the experience. This experience is not limited to your website. It includes the end-user’s interaction with your ecommerce brand/company, your service, your product, everything. In short terms, “You’ve got to know the user, and you’ve got to know your product.”

Malcolm shared six main points that are required in UX.

1. Usable: A product needs to be simple, easy to use, and familiar.
2. Useful: A product must fulfil a need.
3. Desirable: The product needs to be attractive and evoke positive emotions.
4. Solvable: If the user has a problem, they should be able to find the solution easily.
5. Accessible: The product should be accessible to everyone.
6. Credible: The brand and its products need to be trustworthy.

He added a few more points to remember, but the summary was to “[p]ut customers needs as your foundation”. Again, you have to understand your customers. You have to be aware of their expectations and changes in their preferences. Also, try to deliver transparency and quality for your customers.

Malcolm moved on to explaining UI. According to him, UI is the interaction between the user and your ecom website. It is also the flow through to your product. Malcolm shared several key points for getting your UI right.

1. Users want to feel in control.
   1. Reversible: Be forgiving in their errors.
   2. Easy navigation: Provide cues and make it predictable.
   3. Acknowledge actions.
   4. Show when something is happening.
   5. Please novices and experts.
2. Users want to feel comfortable.
   1. Clear clutter: Less is more.
   2. Don’t ask users for information they have already supplied.
   3. Speak the user’s language.
   4. Fitt’s Law: A big button with 1 click is better than 2 clicks.
   5. Think about accessibility (E.g. colour, contrast, space)
   6. Use real-world prompts (E.g. a waste bin for deleting)
   7. Provide error messages.
3. Users don’t want to think/work too much.
   1. Follow the Three Click Rule.
   2. Provide prompts through recognition, not recall.
   3. Visual clarity (E.g. Groups, numbering)
4. Be consistent visually and functionally while following users’ expectations.

Malcolm summarised these dot points in one phrase. “Deliver a user-friendly interface that promotes exploration and makes the user feel ‘safe’ … comfortable and in control without fear of going wrong.”