Few tips for UI Design lovers
In this “episode”, we would like to provide you with 4 UI design principles of making a great UI design that our UI designers recommended we share with you.
User Interface is a critical part of any digital product as it determines the quality of user interaction. If executed well, users don’t even notice it. If executed poorly, it can create a negative experience or even discourage users from using the digital product altogether.
To increase chances for UI design success, there are several UI design principles one can follow. Jakob Nielsen is one of the UX gurus. He created 10 Usability Heuristics for UI Design that we recommend taking a look at. But before you do, you may want to consider 4 fundamental UI design principles recommended by our UI designers here at E-ux.pro. Here we go!
1️⃣ Empower Your User 🦹♂️
Putting your user in control makes them feel comfortable while using the interface. Make actions reversible by including “Undo/Redo” buttons. If they make a mistake, they should be able to backtrack it. This feature is extremely handy with editors, when choosing a system function, or when filling in a form to place an order. Users should be able to backtrack it quickly, too so keep in mind strategic positioning of the button.
Due to the positive emotions the experience evokes, a relaxed user will be more inclined to experiment with your page and spend a good amount of time interacting with it. Does anyone still remember the stress of deleting an important email or sending a message to the wrong person, back in the day when “Undo” and “Unsend” did not exist?
2️⃣ Communication And Feedback 🤝
Just like good UX writing, a good UI design provides context of where they are, where they’ve been, and where they can go next. While writing uses words, UI uses visual cues. Features such as text or navigation highlights, responsive buttons, hover state, and page titles help with an intuitive navigation of the interface. The goal of the visual communication is to reassure the user where they are, where they can go, and predict the result of the action.
Another element that needs to be mentioned here, is feedback. At every point of action, the system should show a clear and meaningful reaction. Form validation is one example of such reaction.
3️⃣ Remove UI noise 🎯
Remove any content that is not supporting user tasks, and that may play a distractive role in directing the user towards desired action. That includes:
- irrelevant information or unnecessary elements
- asking for data they have already entered
- confusing jargon — unless the UI is built for users that will know the industry language
- differentiating important functions with large target buttons
- last but not least — remember about accessibility design!
By accessibility, we mean designing for any temporary, long-term or permanent disabilities. This may range from using interface during a commute on the train (noise obstructs hearing) to vision or hearing loss.
Removing UI noise will also help with reducing the cognitive load what will facilitate the user journey, and make navigating through your interface easier.
4️⃣ Consistency, consistency, consistency
Last but not least! Consistent design is intuitive design. It is the strongest contributor to the learnability and usability. Creating intuitive design is the ultimate goal of UI. How to achieve a consistent design:
- visual consistency: this refers to colours, fonts, styles, button design, links or other call to actions across the entire digital product. Unless there is significance behind the change.
- behaviour consistency: The behaviour interface controls, such as buttons and menu items, should not change within a product. Users become easily frustrated with surprises or changes within the system.
- consistent with user expectations: don’t try to reinvent patterns and terminology, and follow pattern conventions. Often UI designers are tempted to create something new, something extraordinary. But if the digital product behaves differently than what users expect and assume, no matter how great the design is, it will cause confusion and disengagement.
Hopefully we have helped you with a cheat sheet to executing a good User Interface design. If you liked our tips, follow us to keep an eye on future recommendations! 👀 We write about everything UX, not just UI, so all UX lovers can find something for themselves.
