Components of Experience
A hierarchical model of what shapes UX: Foundational qualities (QA, Accessibility), Pragmatic qualities (Usefulness, Usability), and Experiential qualities (Cognition, Affect, Values).
Definition: A hierarchical model of what shapes UX: Foundational qualities (QA, Accessibility), Pragmatic qualities (Usefulness, Usability), and Experiential qualities (Cognition, Affect, Values).
The Components of Experience is a hierarchical framework for understanding what shapes the overall User Experience. It breaks down the complex, holistic concept of UX into distinct, measurable qualities organized in layers.
The Hierarchy
Foundational Qualities are the absolute prerequisites for any experience:
- Quality Assurance (QA): Does it work? The most basic technical foundation.
- Accessibility: Can all users access it? If a person cannot access the product due to disability or situational limitation, no other component matters.
Pragmatic Qualities are the functional pillars:
- Usefulness: Does it solve a real need? A product that works perfectly but solves no actual problem fails here.
- Usability: Is it effective, efficient, and satisfying? The ISO 9241-11 criteria for task completion and user satisfaction.
Experiential Qualities represent the user's internal world:
- Cognition and Mental Models: How the user understands the system to work
- Affect and Emotions: How the product makes them feel—frustration, delight, immersion, flow
- Values and Aesthetic Perception: Whether they find it beautiful, trustworthy, or aligned with their principles
Why This Framework Matters
This model is a practical translation tool. When stakeholders say they want something "easy to use," you can map that to Usability. When they want it to "delight users," that maps to Affect and Emotions. Vague desires become operationalized research criteria.
A product that is useful but ugly has poor experiential qualities. A product that is beautiful but inaccessible fails at the foundational level. Effective research considers all these facets.
Related Terms
User Experience (UX)
Per ISO 9241-210: a person's perceptions and responses resulting from the use and/or anticipated use of a product, system, or service—including emotions, beliefs, preferences, and behaviors before, during, and after use.
Usability
Per ISO 9241-11: the extent to which a product can be used by specified users to achieve specified goals with effectiveness, efficiency, and satisfaction in a specified context of use.
UX Research
The systematic study of users and their interactions with products or services to inform design decisions. Distinct from market research in its focus on the specific interaction, not the broader market landscape.
Mentions in the Knowledge Hub
This term is referenced in the following articles:
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Components of Experience: What We Actually Measure in UX Research
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