If the user interface is not exceptional then it will fail to provide a better user experience or UX as it is commonly called. In fact, it can cause its death by a thousand cuts. That means if you are a web designer, you will need to take into account all those minute usability issues that are often overlooked and excused terming these as only minor inconveniences.
However, these small and apparently harmless things will add up to become a bigger usability issue and harm the design as well as slay the UX. There are a few things that you should know at this juncture which will keep you a step ahead in UX design just like the ones in this post from UX Planet which are some of the best in the industry
- Whether it is a mobile app of a bank or for booking transportation, user experience is the key and if it is bad then as a designer it will be hard for you to taste success.
- Though there may not be anything wrong in the app seriously, but it can still fail to provide the desired UX.
- There may not be anything broken in it as such and the little things may even grate conclusively with an increased level of use but still it can kill UX.
People will surely swap as soon as they find any other alternative which is the last thing desired by any web designer.
Therefore, get one thing right at the very beginning: user experience matters the most, so much so that it motivates the users to move from one app or supplier to the other in no time.
Simple logging in
Simple usability factors such as logging in can make or break a web design and UX. These small issues will soon build up to become a bigger problem and if the users encounter it consistently they will be compelled to ignore your site. Therefore, logging in should be as simple as possible. In fact, it should be a pleasure.
For this you can focus on a few things such as:
- Minimizing, if not eliminating fiddling with the keyboard
- Using simple log in keyword such as a five digit pin and
- Having just a clear numerical pad.
To ensure that there is an additional layer of security provided, you can make an authentication phrase to display. This will help the user to know that they are entering or logging into the desired site and not anywhere else.
All these considerations during UX web design will surely provide a better user experience and ensure success of your app.
On the other hand, you will kill the user experience and turn things into a nightmare if the users see a series of options upon launching the app. It will mean that they are forced to click on an extra button before they can login.
It is often seen that people do not want to click any option and they may even argue that it is needless for them to click on such an option from the given set, which may not have one to their liking. Therefore, there is no reason to compel them to do something that they do not want or like to do.
- It will also make the login process more complex unnecessarily such as the need to enter long password of 6 to 8 digits involving at least one number and a combination of upper and lower case.
- In a few cases, users are also required to click on the password box when it appears before they can start typing in it which can make things more annoying, killing the user experience on the whole.
However, these are all edge cases because in the majority of cases, people who use an app will have to either login or create a security code, which once again involves logging in.
At this point you may think that direct login is the best process and most secure one to provide a better user experience. However, this is a calculated risk that the site owners are willing to take simply to provide a better and higher level of user experience.
The basic take away from it is: never design for a few people at the expense of the many.
What you need to know and do
One you are done with the log in process and the users are logged in, there is no reason to think that things cannot get better or worse after that. There are a lot of things to consider at this phase of UX design as well.
- First, the adjustability factor according to the screen size must be considered. You need to make sure that the initial screen of the app expands on the side menu perfectly so that the user can see it all very clearly. Constant swiping and zooming is very irritating.
- Second, you have to consider the welcome messages and ads if any so that it does not take up too much of the valuable real estate. This is ridiculous design because in most of the cases the users do not really need to answer or respond to these.
- Thirdly, make sure that you design the first screen with care and consideration so that you incorporate every necessary buttons and navigations keys appropriate for the specific type of app at the right places. This will ensure quick access to the users to all their key tasks thereby enhancing the user experience.
- Lastly and perhaps most importantly, you must make sure that users do not have to get their identification verified over and over again at various stages of usage through various sources. It is essential to ensure that all the security information is passed across automatically once and for all.
These careful considerations will remove all those little yet significant usability annoyances from your app or website. This will provide the users with a better experience and prevent them from going elsewhere which ideally is your ulterior motive.
In the end it can be said that a bad user interface will drive your customers away whereas a good user experience will be the key differentiator.
