Everything a user interacts with when using a digital product falls under the umbrella of UI (user interface) design. The elements of UI design a web design company in Newark, NJ, must deal with include buttons, colors, image spacing, and layout, to name a few. These things must be designed to help communicate information properly to users. With this in mind, a strong UI design produces a seamless and enjoyable experience for users, to the point where they don’t even notice the aspects that make the design so good.
Most web designers follow four basic but powerful principles to create a robust UI design. They are derived from the culmination of principles and ideas from renowned experts in computer-to-human interactions. Stick around to learn more about the four golden rules every web designer must know and follow.
RULE #1: Prioritize Consistency and Usability
The first rule represents two different but overlapping rules from Ben Shneiderman’s “Eight Golden Rules of Interface Design,” which revolve around consistency and usability. A robust UI design requires consistent sequences of actions for all similar situations. For example, if a user must click a button to proceed to the next page, other similar actions must also use the same clicking gesture. Visitors must use consistent commands as much as possible to make the website’s usability seamless. Additionally, a web page or app should have a uniform design throughout, from the prompts and menus to the overall appearance.
Rule #2: Make Website Interactions Comfortable and Clear
There’s nothing more annoying than non-responsive interactions. To avoid confusing your users, your website must provide feedback whenever they interact with some elements of your website. For example, whenever a data entry field should be grayed out once a user finishes filling it with information. This rule aims to provide relief and closure, so users don’t have to spend less mental energy worrying about the previous interaction they’ve just finished.
Rule #3: Prevent Errors as Much as Possible
Confusion tends to repel any visitors away from your website. To avoid this, ensure your page’s design doesn’t lead to severe errors. For example, don’t place a button somewhere close to other buttons that they might accidentally click. And if ever an error is made, ensure users can reverse the action as much as possible. This part is crucial because not providing any avenue for correcting their mistakes tends to induce anxiety in the user. Reversibility also saves their time, especially when they have to complete a different group of actions.
Rule 4: Avoid Cognitive Overload
Modern-day internet consumers have a relatively short attention span and memory. For this reason, web designers must do their best to reduce the short-term memory load they put on their users. Many experts believe that people usually remember over seven or less than two chunks of information at a time. Additionally, most site visitors don’t have enough patience to do extensive data entry sequences. With this in mind, the web designer must avoid creating repetitive tasks as much as possible.
Your Website Needs a Strong UI Design
Competent website design companies like Web Design Pros NJ always incorporate these four golden rules to ensure they provide a strong UI design to their clients. As a result, more and more businesses are starting to flock toward their expertise in web design. If you need help designing or redesigning your website, talk to one of the representatives at Web Design Pros NJ today for a free quote.
Web Design Pros NJ
21 Broome St #101, Newark, NJ 07103
Phone Number: +12015100890
