User experience (UX) directly influences how users interact with and perceive a website. A well-designed UX ensures users can easily navigate, find information, and accomplish their goals, increasing satisfaction and engagement.
By prioritizing UX, web designers can create intuitive, accessible, and enjoyable experiences that encourage repeat visits and conversions. When designing websites, you must find and resolve UX design problems. This article discusses the most common trouble areas and offers techniques to fix them.
Not Considering the Balance Between Aesthetics and Function
According to Digitalauthority.me, balancing aesthetics and function is critical to creating a well-designed, UX-focused website. Overlooking this balance can result in a visually appealing but impractical website or a functional but visually unappealing one. This leads to a poor user experience. To fix this issue, web designers should:
- Understand the target audience's needs and preferences;
- Align visual elements, layout, and interaction design with the overall goals and usability of the website;
- Conduct usability testing to gather user feedback so they can iteratively improve the design and ensure it meets both aesthetic and functional requirements; and
- Work closely with developers to ensure the design is feasible and implemented without compromising functionality.
Disregarding User Needs
Disregarding user needs in web design is a UX design issue that can lead to a website that fails to fulfill its purpose. A non-UX-centric site does not provide value to its intended audience, resulting in poor user engagement and low conversion rates. Experienced web designers use these techniques to address this issue:
- Conduct thorough user research to understand the target audience, goals, preferences, and pain points.
- Use personas and user journey mapping to develop user-centered design solutions that meet target users' needs and expectations.
- Implement user testing and gather feedback throughout the design process.
- Validate and refine the web design based on user needs and preferences.
- Monitor and analyze user behavior and feedback continuously to make data-driven improvements to the website's design andweb or app development.
Using Too Many Popups
Popups show notifications, inform customers of discounts and deals, and can collect critical visitor information. However, too many web design popups can affect user experience. Many popups interrupt the user's flow, create frustration, and can make the website appear spammy.
Using the correct number of popups canhelp improve UX design. Here are some best practices:
- Evaluate the necessity of each popup and consider alternative methods for conveying important information or calls to action (CTAs).
- Implement strategic and targeted popup use, such as exit-intent or timed popups.
- Prefer non-intrusive designs, such as slide-ins or subtle notifications, to convey information. These do not disrupt the user's browsing experience.
- Provide clear and easy-to-find options to dismiss or close popups to ensure users have control over their interactions with the website.
Ignoring the In-Between Processes
The in-between processes in web design, such as loading times, transitions, and feedback, are often overlooked. The user experience becomes disjointed when this happens, and customers become frustrated. Do not ignore the in-between processes and fix this issue using these techniques:
- Optimize page loading times by minimizing file sizes, using caching techniques, and optimizing server response times.
- Create smooth and intuitive transitions between different pages for a seamless user experience.
- Provide visual and interactive feedback during user actions. A user's actions—clicking a button or filling out a form—can indicate the handling of their request.
- Conduct usability testing to identify and address potential issues or delays in the in-between processes.
Following All Website Design Trends
New website design trends constantly emerge. A few of the most updated are experimental navigation, scrolling effects, and layering. However, following all website design trends can be problematic, leading to a clichéd, dated appearance, that potentially sacrifices the user experience for trendiness.
Web designers must consider these techniques when selecting website design trends:
- Stay informed about the latest design trends, but evaluate their relevance and suitability for the specific project and target audience.
- Focus on timeless design principles.
- Create a unique visual identity that aligns with the brand and user needs.
- Conduct user research and gather feedback to understand user preferences and accordingly tailor the design.
Considering UX in Content Later in the Design Process
UX should be part of the web design process early on; it should not be an afterthought. Considering UX late in the design process can result in content that feels forced or disconnected from the overall design. It can also lead to a disjointed user experience. To fix this UX design issue, web designers must:
- Involve content creators and strategists early in the design process;
- Conduct content audits and create a content plan that considers account user needs, information hierarchy, and messaging; and
- Test the design with actual content to evaluate the usability, readability, and overall effectiveness of the content within the UX.
Bombarding Users with Too Much Information
Websites disseminate information and offer solutions to visitors. However, having too much information in web design can overwhelm and confuse them. It can lead to cognitive overload and difficulty finding relevant information. Web designers can fix this by following these techniques:
- Prioritize and simplify content. Focus on the most critical and relevant information.
- Use clear and concise messaging. Consider visual hierarchy to guide users' attention and employ whitespace to improve readability.
- Employ progressive disclosure techniques, such as accordions or tabs, to present additional information, reducing information overload during the initial page load.
Having Unresponsive Design Elements
A website with unresponsive design elements can frustrate users, especially on mobile devices or different screen sizes. Users might exit the site and turn to competitors when elements are incorrectly displayed or interaction is difficult or awkward. Web designers must ensure all site elements are responsive by:
- Implementing a responsive design so that elements adapt and scale appropriately across different devices and screen sizes
- Conducting thorough testing across different devices and screen resolutions
- Crafting a seamless and consistent experience for all users
- Consideringaccessibility in web design by using proper color contrast, alternative text for images, structuring content using headings, and ensuring keyboard accessibility
Not Labelling Site Icons
Not labelling site icons can confuse users, who might not immediately understand the purpose or meaning of these icons. It leads to a poor user experience and reduced usability. Web designers can adopt the following strategies when labeling site icons:
- Include clear and concise text labels or tooltips alongside site icons.
- Conduct multiple user tests to ensure users can easily understand and associate the icons with their intended actions.
- Make adjustments to site icon labels as needed based on user feedback.
Summing Up
Fix these common UX design issues ASAP to ensure an engaging and effective website for your users. Remember to regularly test UX design and gather user feedback to stay current as customer needs and pain points change.
