Successful completion of a task v/s user experience

This can be a topic of debate. What is more important in UI designs - the successful completion of the desired task by the end user or the end user experience while doing the task. Well...to me both are inter wined. It is really difficult to separate one from the other. To me both are essential to help the end user do the particular task "efficiently". Now, by "efficiently", I mean:

• The end user completes the task in the stipulated time and
• He enjoys doing the task

I have put more stress on "enjoys". Now, this according to me is extremely important. In the past 7 - 8 years which I have spent designing end user friendly collaterals (presentations, print brochures, product UIs, etc.), I have realized getting into the shoes of the end user (rather looking over the shoulders of the end user) helps in creating designs which provide the end users with an enjoyable experience. Because, only the people who enjoy doing their work are going to produce great output...and in this increasingly competitive world today, "great" output has become a must to succeed.

Now then, it would also be not correct to focus totally on the experience. The UI may end up as an enjoyment tool rather than a utility tool. The bottom line, the objective has to kept in mind. The UI design will not serve its purpose if the end user enjoys doing his/her tasks but exceeds the stipulated time.

e.g. in case of call center operatives: The results of how successful an UI design is are usually measured in  terms of Objective related parameters like time saved in doing the task, more number of satisfied customers (in case of contact centers), etc. I feel, we should also look at "Is the end user enjoying his job more due to the modified UI design?", "Is he/she enjoying their task more because of the change in UI design (assuming that the call center operative likes his/her basic job of talking to customers - has the modified UI design made his/her desktop softwrae using experience more enjoyable?)

All in all, the UI must be intutive, must not compromise on the objectives of the task (stipulated completion time, quality level, etc.) and at the same time provide an enjoyable experience for the end user.     

Relevant, Clean, Simple - 3 Very Very Important aspects in Web User Experience & UI design

"Its so difficult to make things simple"...so very true. Over the years in my experience in designing user friendly collateral (presentations, excel interfaces, GUIs, etc.), I have realized that white spaces can either make the UI look too disconnected or if used intelligently can give the UI a real classy look. I am a big big fan of Google for this reason. Beautiful, intelligent and user friendly use of white space. Of course that is a result of the massive efforts they must be taking on analyzing how users use the internet!

I think, every good web UI must focus on these 3 elements among others:

1. Relevance: Is the content displayed relevant to the user? This requires a detailed analysis of user requirements, understanding the user and the ability to literally place oneself in the users shoes. Show him only what is relevant to him. Customization plays an important part here. The more a user gets to see the content relevant to him / her the more they are likely to visit the website again.
2. Clean: Filter out everything else other than what you want to offer the user. Use of white space plays an important role here. Help the user focus on what is relevant and he will come to the website again and again and also recommend the website and become a fan.
3. Simple: Try and make things as simple as possible. Focus on giving the user what he wants through logical navigation and least number of clicks. If a single word conveys the meaning use that. Imagine as if we are talking to the user and use that tone. It helps to connect more with the users. Try and use bullet points instead of paragraphs. Of course, you will have to balance this by putting in content so that the SEO guys are satisfied also but follow the golden rule "Whatever is good for human users is good for search engines". At some places we will have to use paragraphs. However, for action points try and use bullet points.

User Experience & User interface is a very interesting subject where the designer has to think of the mental way in which the user thinks about the application also. The designer should always ask himself the question "How simply can I help the user to do what he wants?"