Basic principles underlying user-centric software design

In such cases, it is always recommended to use a language that everyone can understand. Additionally, these days people frequently interact with designs created in a language that is not necessarily their first preference. In such cases, it is important to design for a global audience.

The tone and voice of the text should be such that non-native speakers can also find the information useful. Errors — whether they are mere typos or inaccurate information — always drive users away. It is important that the users do not get lost when interacting with a design and errors can contribute a great deal toward creating a negative experience. On the one hand, errors reduce the credibility of the information being provided and, on the other, these make the content confusing.

It is, therefore, essential to review the textual content before finalizing the design. A careful review, preferably by someone not involved in the entire design process, can save from bigger troubles later on. Correcting the errors at the initial stage can reduce both the effort and the cost associated with it. Once a design is brought to the market, the rectification of errors gets harder than ever.

The choice of a font style, the color of the text, and the font size are all critical to user experience. If some content is not easily readable or is hurting the eyes, there is a good chance that the users will avoid interacting with it.

In doing so, they might miss some important information, thus impacting their overall experience. Simple fonts — such as Arial, Helvetica, and Tahoma — are always preferred in digital designs. There are numerous fonts that might look attractive but can be really hard to read. Such fonts should be used sparingly and that too with great care. The overall purpose of the design should be to make the lives of users easier.

Similarly, the use of good contrast is important in the text as this can make the content readable and user-friendly. It is in this way that the designers add value to the performance of an organization. If a design is meeting the needs of the users and also adding value to their experience, then it is not difficult to retain the existing customers and to broaden the customer base as well. If a design element is not helping the users and is, instead, creating more issues for them, then it makes sense to eliminate that element or to replace it with something that would be helpful to the users.

For instance, a webpage full of text might not be helpful to the users if similar information can be presented in the form of an infographic. It is also important to make sure that the users are asked to do less work but get the most done as a result. If the users are repeatedly asked to provide the same information, they are bound to get frustrated.

It is not unusual to see job applications where on uploading the resume, the entire form gets filled up. This is one example where both the time and effort of the users are saved. The comfort of the users draws from the fundamental concept of adopting a holistic approach.

A design is not entirely valuable if it is not accessible to everyone. It is important to understand that not every single person interacts with a product or service in a pre-defined manner. The physical capabilities of users can vary and this can hugely impact the way they use a certain product. For example, an individual with visual impairment may use a screen reader to navigate a website. A designer, therefore, needs to ask whether the design is accessible to everyone?

Accessibility also hints at the fundamental principle of empathy in UX design. Whether working on a mobile application or a website, accessibility should never be ignored.

Unfortunately, accessibility is often ignored in digital designs and many designers are not aware of the ways with which they can make their designs more inclusive. When in doubt, it is always a good idea to consult some standards and, hence, improve the design. When it comes to websites, W3C serves as one such standard.

It is important to get an idea of the fundamental considerations in the field of UX design. These fundamentals can also be considered the pillars of UX design, highlighting the major skills needed for a designer to be successful.

Top UX design agencies follow these guiding principles and make the most out of them. Just like the universal principles of UX design, these considerations are open to interpretation and may vary based on the nature of the product or service. The underlying philosophy, however, remains the same. The field of UX design seeks help from key principles, ensuring that the designers can add value to their work.

Related Posts: Web Design Principles. All the design principles are open to interpretation and can be molded based on the end goals of any product or service. The field of design has always been quite open to innovation while prioritizing the needs of the users. Consistent design reduces friction for the user. A consistent design is predictable.

Not only should UI design be consistent internally, but externally as well. General conventions across websites and apps that work identically or nearly so make your site easy to navigate and use. The guidelines detail how functions should work across apps and on all Apple devices so that a user of any Apple product can pick up any other and easily use it.

Many patterns already exist for design problems patterns also reduce cognitive load, principle 9 below, because users already know how they work. A great UI allows people to use the product without friction, not spend time figuring out how to interact with the product.

Every action should have feedback to indicate that the action was successful or not. Hovering over a navigation item that then changes color indicates an item is clickable. Buttons should look like buttons. Many of these UI design principles serve to reduce cognitive load for users.

There are a few common ways to reduce cognitive load and make using your website or app easier:. UI designs need to take into account accessibility issues. Online, this often means ensuring the visibly impaired can access and use the product. Test and validate UI choices by gathering user feedback. Watch users attempt to use your design without coaching them.

Are they confused? Can they achieve the desired outcome easily? Do this in both the design process and continually evaluate after launch heat maps are one way to track how effective a UI is. Create a UI that will work and look great across multiple platforms. Of course, it may have to be tweaked depending on the form factor of a device and its operating system Android and iOS, for example , but it should be flexible enough to work on anything.

Keep a consistent visual structure to create familiarity and relieve user anxiety by making them feel at home. A few elements to focus on include a visual hierarchy with the most important things made obvious, color scheme, consistent navigation, re-use elements, and create a visual order using grids.

Actions should have a beginning, middle, and end with feedback at each step. For example, when making an online purchase we move from browsing and product selection to the checkout and then finally confirmed that the purchase is completed. Include a clear next step a user can take after an interaction. Visualization is a simple trick that seems to pair well with personas in the design process.

What is that person expecting here? Instead of making a list as you go through the design process, put a digital pencil to digital paper and write down whichever tasks or use cases will be necessary to your users.

Referring back to the anxiety treatment application, this list might look like:. Often, just seeing these bullet points on paper or screen is enough to spur a number of layout possibilities. Testing your design against actual users is a crucial way to compare your initial predictions with reality.

If in-person sessions are an option, try testing one user at a time. One of the great paradoxes of software design is how long it takes to arrive at a simple solution. Continue questioning what users would hope to accomplish on a given screen and whether the UI affords or prohibits such use cases. Do you have any questions about creating personas, performing testing, or any other aspects of user-centered design?

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