Did you know that 88% of users do not return to a website after a poor user experience? This clearly demonstrates how crucial it is to ensure your website is functional, user-friendly, and easy to understand. To help you analyze and improve your UX design, we offer 10 practical and proven steps that you can implement right away.
1. Display System Status
Users want to be reassured that their actions within the system are acknowledged and understood. Clearly displaying the system’s status helps achieve this. Here are some examples:
- Visual Feedback on Buttons: Ensure buttons change their appearance when users click or hover over them (e.g., color, shading, or animation changes).
- Action Confirmation Messages: Inform users of completed actions, such as Order received or Item available in limited quantity.
- Process Indicators: Show users where they are in a process, like step-by-step progress indicators for order checkout.
2. Speak the User’s Language
Use terminology that your users understand and avoid technical or overly specific jargon. Section names, buttons, and other elements should be labeled in a language familiar to the user. For example:
- Simplify Action Labels: Log in is more user-friendly than Authorization.
- SEO-Friendly Terms: Use clear and intuitive names like “Order History” instead of complex or ambiguous terms.
3. Provide Users with Control and Freedom to Manage Their Actions
Users often make mistakes, so your website should accommodate such situations by offering options to recover or adjust actions. Ensure the following:
- Cancel or Undo Buttons: Allow users to reverse or modify their actions easily.
- Simple Navigation: Provide options to return to a previous view or remove an item accidentally added to the cart without hassle.
- Clear Exit Instructions: Offer straightforward guidance to help users navigate out of any complex or unintended situations.
4. Ensure Consistency and Adhere to Standards
When users visit your website, they expect familiar and intuitive solutions that align with the standards of other sites they use. Here’s how to meet those expectations:
- Use Recognizable Icons: Include widely understood symbols like the hamburger menu for mobile navigation.
- Follow Familiar Navigation Structures: Design menus and navigation systems similar to those users are accustomed to, ensuring ease of use.
5. Prevent Errors Before They Happen
A key principle of good UX design is helping users avoid mistakes in the first place. Here are some practical examples:
- Provide Input Suggestions and Examples: For instance, include placeholders like Enter your phone number in this format: +371 12345678 in form fields.
- Highlight Required Fields: Clearly inform users about mandatory fields that need to be completed before they can proceed.
6. Make Information Easy to Recognize, Not Recall
Users should be able to find the information they need without relying on memory. Here’s how to achieve this:
- Provide a Visible Menu: Offer a clear and accessible menu where users can quickly review available options.
- Enable Autofill for Common Fields: Pre-fill frequently used fields, such as delivery addresses, to save users time and effort.
7. Make Actions Efficient and Easy to Understand
Your website should cater to both beginners and experienced users by offering intuitive and efficient processes. Here’s how to enhance usability:
- Enable Keyboard Shortcuts: Provide features like “double-click to open” or shortcut keys for common actions to streamline tasks for advanced users.
- Support Copy-Paste and Templates: Allow users to copy and paste text or utilize saved templates for repetitive tasks, saving time and effort.
8. Choose an Aesthetic and Minimalistic Design
Your design should be clean and focused, avoiding clutter or unnecessary complexity. Visualization should serve to highlight important information rather than act as mere decoration. Here’s how to achieve this:
- Emphasize Key Elements: Ensure critical features like Add to Cart buttons are prominent and easily noticeable.
- Avoid Unnecessary Visuals: Minimize decorative elements that don’t contribute to functionality or clarity.
9. Provide Assistance in Case of Errors
When errors occur, your website should clearly and understandably communicate the issue and offer a solution. Here’s how to handle this effectively:
- Error Messages: Use specific and helpful messages, such as The password entered is incorrect.
- Offer Solutions: Provide actionable options, like Forgot your password? Click here.
10. Ensure Help is Easily Accessible
Help should always be readily available when users encounter problems. Here’s how to make support accessible:
- Create an FAQ Section: Include a comprehensive FAQ page addressing common issues and questions.
- Provide Clear Guides: Offer step-by-step instructions for tasks like creating a new account or resetting a forgotten password.
By applying these 10 steps, you can significantly improve your website’s UX design, making it more convenient, appealing, and user-friendly. Remember, 94% of first impressions about a website are directly related to its design. This means that excellent UX design can be the deciding factor in whether users stay on your site or choose your competitors.
Good user experience isn’t just about aesthetics—it’s a crucial step toward business growth and customer loyalty.
If you want to ensure your website aligns with all UX guidelines and effectively attracts users, contact us today to learn how we can help enhance your website’s design and user experience!
