UX design principle is the tried and tested guideline on how to create simple, accessible, and pleasurable designs and user interfaces. UX principles help designers make decisions about how to organise and emphasise visual cues, draw attention, and address users’ needs as simply as possible. These principles provide a framework that helps direct designers’ thinking and against which they can lean when in doubt.
UI/UX design is crucial for digital products because it directly impacts user satisfaction, engagement, and ultimately, business success.
1. Think about the user first
The key important UX design principle is the user must always remain front and centre. While something may look or feel good from a designer’s point of view, ultimately it must be vetted in relation to how users would experience it, how would users navigate and whether it would be useful – what is the user flow. What this means is that your focus should be on usability and on humanising the experience.
Usability is tied to understanding users’ pain points and preferences and designing in a way that addresses these as immediately as possible. This includes adding helpful and relevant controls (such as buttons, shortcuts, navigation), improving page load speed, and simplifying the experience (as stated above) – using simple language, interactive elements, and design patterns to avoid visual clutter and irrelevant information. By adding visibility of system status, users would be able to receive feedback on the actions they take. Your UX design must provide users with the sense that they are in control.
The other side of that is the humanisation of the experience – i.e. how to make the interaction feel like more than just navigating a user interface. Such a thing can be achieved by adding a human touch to the ux design process that evokes certain emotional associations and responses – such as via micro-interactions, humor, and visuals that create a sense of emotional connection.
2. Keep it simple and practice responsive design
The other major problem that often happens in the UX design process is when things are too complicated for their own good. The familiar patterns are there (unlike when designers try to reinvent the wheel), but these patterns are just too much, and because of that, the design doesn’t work.
When the user gets to a page that is literally jam-packed with elements and distracting typography, the end result is the user bouncing off elsewhere, which is the opposite of what you want. Because of that, it’s better to keep things user-friendly. Your goal is to keep the user’s focus on getting what they need on your website. Don’t distract them from their goal, and you’ll achieve yours.
Here’s what it looks like when a UX designer keeps design simple in practical terms:
- Each page has a single definitive purpose. For example, the checkout page contains only what is required for the checkout process. The contact page contains just contact details and/or a form — not tips on personal-grooming habits.
- The purpose of every page and each component on it is instantly understandable by the user, without explanation. For example, the user interface has navigational elements on the page that are visually distinct (more on that later).
- Any additional but inessential information goes to the bottom of the page. For example, the additional blogroll at the bottom of the post with “you might also like” content.
3. Choose the right typography
Typography can make or break a whole UX design. When implemented well, it enhances usability, guides attention, and impacts conversion rate. Choosing the right typography is more than just selecting a specific typeface and font, and their weight, size, and style. It includes the white space that you provide, the way you structure the content (this relates to visual hierarchy), the combination of different typefaces, and how they emphasise each other.
All of this impacts legibility, readability, and accessibility. When working on the typography, you must consider whether and how it amplifies or suppresses what you are trying to communicate.
4. Don’t forget about usability testing
Launching a website or application without usability testing is like trying to hit a piñata blindfolded – it’s not impossible but it’s less likely to succeed. Usability tests are a good way to validate your work and measure how much your design actually complies with UX design principles and specifically user-centric design. They demonstrate how users interact with the design and where they experience difficulties. If usability problems stack up in one part of the user journey, this provides you with clear data about what needs to be addressed.
Such tests must be run throughout the whole UX design process – from the initial design and prototype, all the way through the final version and mobile ux design, and beyond when significant changes are made. Some of the ways in which you can test your design are through A/B tests, session recording, eye movement tracking, interviews, and moderated and unmoderated usability tests. A range of tests is a good idea, as it will highlight different aspects of user behaviour.
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