5 Elements of UX Design Understanding Their Role

Gaurav Rawat
September 17, 2024
16 mins

TL;DR

The five elements of UX design are crucial for creating successful digital products. They consist of strategy, scope, structure, skeleton, and surface. Each element builds on the previous one, starting from understanding user needs (strategy) to designing the interface's final appearance (surface). Understanding these elements helps designers create clear, user-friendly experiences. 

Jesse James Garrett’s framework highlights these five elements, showing how they work together to shape the overall user experience. By following this structure, designers can better meet user needs, improve usability, and ensure a cohesive design process from start to finish. Let’s learn more about these five elements of UX design.

5 Elements of UX Design Understanding Their Role
Nudge Platform

We are a 'Low Code' platform and here at Nudge we offer a wide range of tools to enhance user experience (UX) without requiring extensive development efforts. We have tools for creating engaging content, interactive onboarding experiences, gamified user journeys, and collecting valuable user insights through surveys. Our intuitive platform allows for easy visualisation and customisation of UX elements.

Also read: Why Is User Experience Important? Top Reasons

1. The Strategy Element

 The Strategy Element
Strategy

The strategy element is the foundation of UX design. It focuses on understanding user needs and business goals. By defining these early on, designers can create digital products that satisfy both the users and the organisation. This one of the five elements of UX guides every decision in the design process, ensuring the product aligns with the overall purpose and goals. It’s about asking, "What do users need?" and "How does this product serve those needs?" before jumping into any design work.

Key characteristics of the strategy element:

  • Focuses on user needs and business goals
  • Provides direction for the design process
  • Helps avoid unnecessary features
  • Involves user research and analysis

Example: A company developing a fitness app uses the strategy element to research what users want (e.g., tracking workouts, nutrition advice) and aligns these features with the business goal of increasing subscriptions.

How to apply the strategy element:

  • Conduct user research (surveys, interviews)
  • Define business objectives
  • Prioritise features based on user needs and goals
  • Review and adjust the strategy throughout the project
 The Strategy Element
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2. The Scope Element

The Scope Element
Scope

The scope element in UX design defines the specific features and functions that the product will include. After understanding user needs and business goals through the strategy element, the scope outlines what the product will do and what it won't. This one of the five elements of UX acts as a blueprint for the project, ensuring everyone involved understands the product’s purpose and limitations. Defining the scope early helps prevent confusion or feature creep, which can lead to delays or an unfocused design.

Key characteristics of the scope element:

  • Defines features and functionality
  • Clarifies what’s in and out of the project
  • Guides the design and development teams
  • Helps manage user and stakeholder expectations

Example: In a shopping app, the scope might define key features like product search, cart functionality, and user reviews while excluding more complex features like AI-driven recommendations at this stage of development.

How to apply the scope element:

  • Identify core features based on user needs and strategy
  • Prioritise features that meet business goals
  • Exclude unnecessary or complex features to avoid feature creep
  • Regularly review the scope to ensure it aligns with project goals and timelines
The Scope Element
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Also read: What is Customer Insights? Benefits and Strategies

3. The Structure Element

The Structure Element
Structure

The structure element in UX design focuses on organising the content and features within a product. It’s about how information is arranged and how users will interact with it. The structure ensures that everything is logically placed so users can easily navigate through the product and find what they need. A well-organised structure creates a smooth user experience, allowing users to achieve their goals efficiently. This one of the five elements of UX turns the ideas and features outlined in the scope into a practical, user-friendly layout.

Key characteristics of the structure element:

  • Organises content and features logically
  • Defines navigation pathways
  • Ensures easy access to important information
  • Improves user flow and overall experience

Example: In a news website, the structure element might organise articles by category (e.g., sports, entertainment, politics) and ensure easy navigation between sections.

How to apply the structure element:

  • Create a sitemap to map out content organisation
  • Define clear navigation pathways for users
  • Prioritise easy access to key features or content
  • Test the structure with users to ensure it’s intuitive and functional

With us, you can create any type of heat map and many other visual layouts with many attractive and fun elements that makes the visual aids easy to understand as well as effective. 

Also read: 6 Steps to Conduct User Experience Testing

4. The Skeleton Element

The Skeleton Element
Skeleton 

The skeleton element in UX design focuses on the layout and arrangement of interface elements, such as buttons, images, and text. It’s about defining where things go on a page and how users interact with them. This one of the five elements of UX serves as a blueprint for the product’s visual design, guiding how the user navigates and interacts with the content. This element ensures that the design is functional and easy to use, creating a smooth flow from one action to the next.

Key characteristics of the skeleton element:

  • Focuses on layout and visual organisation
  • Defines placement of buttons, images, and text
  • Ensures ease of interaction and navigation
  • Guides the overall user experience

Example: In an e-commerce website, the skeleton element might place the “Add to Cart” button near product descriptions, ensuring it’s easily accessible and prominent for users.

How to apply the skeleton element:

  • Create wireframes to map out the layout
  • Ensure key elements are easily accessible
  • Arrange content to guide users naturally through tasks
  • Test the layout with users to improve functionality and flow

Also read: What Is End User Experience and Why It Matters for Your Business

5. The Surface Element

The Surface Element
Surface

The surface element in UX design is the final layer that users interact with. It includes the visual design of the product, such as colours, typography, images, and icons. This one of the five elements of UX focuses on the look and feel of the interface, ensuring it is visually appealing and easy to use. The surface element combines aesthetics with functionality, so the product not only looks good but also provides a smooth, intuitive experience for the user. It’s about making the design attractive without sacrificing usability.

Key characteristics of the surface element:

  • Focuses on visual design and aesthetics
  • Uses colours, fonts, and images to create appeal
  • Ensures consistency in design elements
  • Balances aesthetics with ease of use

Example: In a mobile banking app, the surface element might use calming colours like blue, paired with simple icons and clear fonts to make the interface both attractive and easy to navigate.

How to apply the surface element:

  • Choose a colour palette that aligns with the brand and user expectations
  • Use typography that is readable and visually appealing
  • Ensure consistent design across all pages and elements
  • Test the interface with users to confirm that the design supports usability

Practical Integration of the Five Elements

While the five elements of the UX framework provide a clear process, integrating these elements in real-world projects can be challenging. Designers often face constraints like deadlines, budgets, and evolving requirements, making it difficult to follow the ideal design process. A cohesive approach is essential for success.

Challenges in Real-World Application vs. Ideal

In an ideal world, each element of UX design would be addressed in sequence, allowing designers to build a solid foundation before moving on to the next phase. However, real-world projects are rarely this straightforward. Designers often face time constraints, budget limits, or changing client expectations, which can force them to make compromises. 

For instance, proper user research (strategy) may be skipped due to tight deadlines, leading to a weak foundation for later elements. Another common challenge is scope creep, where new features are added unexpectedly, disrupting the planned flow of the project. These challenges make it difficult to apply each element in its ideal form perfectly.

Simultaneous Work on Multiple Planes

In many cases, designers must work on multiple elements at the same time rather than sequentially. For example, the skeleton (layout) might be adjusted even while surface (visual design) decisions are being made. This requires designers to juggle various aspects of the product simultaneously, which can be difficult. 

However, it’s often necessary in fast-paced projects. Keeping the bigger picture in mind while making detailed decisions helps maintain balance across all elements. Collaboration between teams, such as designers, developers, and stakeholders, is crucial to ensure that all aspects are being addressed cohesively, even when working in parallel.

The Importance of a Cohesive Design Approach

A cohesive approach to UX design ensures that all five elements work together smoothly to create a unified user experience. When each element is integrated thoughtfully, the result is a product that meets user needs, aligns with business goals, and is visually appealing and easy to use. 

With cohesion, the design can feel cohesive, making it easier for users to navigate or understand the product. To achieve a cohesive design, clear communication among team members is essential. Regular reviews and feedback help align all elements, ensuring the final product is consistent, user-friendly, and functional.

Conclusion

Five elements of UX, strategy, scope, structure, skeleton, and surface—are essential for creating successful user experiences. Each element builds on the other, ensuring that digital products meet both user needs and business goals. To fully benefit from these elements, it's important to explore each one in detail. 

We are a 'Low Code' platform and we can help streamline this process with our features, such as user research tools, wireframing, and design templates, making it easier to apply these principles effectively. Book a demo with us and use our tools so that you can ensure a cohesive, user-friendly design that enhances the overall user experience.

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Gaurav Rawat
September 17, 2024