Bad UX design vs Good UX design

Apr 7
02:00

2022

Maria Kharlantseva

Maria Kharlantseva

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The web design industry evolves heavily, bringing fresh design solutions. And user experience design is not an exception. Given that, what used to be trendy a year ago may not have the same value now. And more and more UX designers refer to trends over stability. However, a contemporary design still can’t do without some basics. And in that race of fancy design, some of the UX pillars go unintentionally rejected.

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That eventually leads to the deterioration of the whole user experience,Bad UX design vs Good UX design Articles which evokes numerous inconsistencies in the design system of a web platform. But when knowing what is a good UX design and bad UX examples, you have more chances to avoid that.

Before examining the most common UX mistakes, it’s critical to understand what UX design is. Every web platform or app aims to deliver an excellent user experience for those who use it. How does the user perceive the digital platform? Is it usable and comprehensive? Does it assist users in performing different tasks? And the UX design speaks for itself. It aims to create smart solutions that will enhance the user experience.

User experience is also about an interaction between the user and the system. Therefore, another UX design function is to make that interaction smooth and pleasant. And given how it manages, the web platform’s performance might or might not be satisfactory. That’s why UX design is critical for the overall platform’s success.

The first and the most common example of bad UX design is confusing UX and UI. Although these are different things, most confuse it, which results in poor UI/UX design and low engagements. Basically, UI is the set of visual attributes that enable users to easily get across the platform. It means that the user interface is more of an instrument of interaction, while UX is more of how that instrument operates.

UI implies the right choice of typography, color, buttons, and imagery, while UX is focused on various methods and techniques aimed to improve the user experience. We also may say that UI is one of the leverages to an excellent user experience because UX partially depends on how well the interface is set. Hence, the poor user interface is one of the most significant examples of bad UX. So, let’s delve deeper and examine some other examples of bad UX and how to avoid them turning into good UX:

  • Self-centered design vs. user-centered design

When designing for yourself, meaning not considering the market and your audience’s needs, you are very likely to fail. The reason is that users don’t see your product the same as you do, and your vision may be different from that of the others. Also, UX design is about users and their experiences. And if neglecting their preferences, your UX design will only put off potential customers.

It’s critical to overview the users' needs and attitudes before applying any design solutions. Thus, your design becomes half-tested and proven from the very initial stage. Examine your audience and its behavior, then outline UX according to the data collected.

  • Neglected responsiveness vs. responsive design

For an excellent user experience, it’s critical to allow users to perform their tasks effortlessly and quickly regardless of the device they use. And when accessing your website from mobile, a user can’t simply press a button or need to wait for the non-optimized content to load – that impacts the UX significantly.

A seamless UX can’t be achieved without responsive design. Thus, it’s critical to make the web platform responsive so that it functions the same well on all formats and screen sizes. Also, you need to optimize all website content so that it loads quickly and doesn’t interfere with the platform’s usability.

  • Poor navigation vs. intuitive navigation

When they can't find anything or have to scroll down numerous pages to get to the desired point, users are more likely to leave the website and find another, better experience. Poor navigation is one of the most common examples of bad UX.

To avoid that, make sure your navigation is clean and comprehensive. Don’t go for sophisticated solutions – adhere to well-known principles. Put the navigation on your homepage, employ a navigation bar if possible, and include only the most critical pages. Thus, your navigation will be intuitive, which heavily improves the user experience.

  • Excessive creativity vs. usability

Trendy design is good at attracting attention, but sometimes it may not work in your favor. Many stakeholders employ trends and alter design strategies every time a new trend comes up. When trying to craft fresh, unique, and contemporary designs, something very significant may stay behind. And that is user experience.

Trends over usability are one of the most underestimated examples of bad UX. While trends come and go, usability should always be the same high. It doesn’t mean you need to reject any fresh ideas. It’s critical to make sure that creativity will work in your favor but not deteriorate the user experience. Before making any decision, weigh risk and reward, think about how it can enhance your performance. If you can’t find any reasons, it’s better to abandon the idea, caring about usability over creativity.

No doubt, exercising various techniques and UX design approaches is good for making your design more complex and prolific. However, you always need to think about the users first and how this or that solution may impact the overall user experience. That way, you will be able to avoid inconsistencies and make your UX design as proven and excellent as possible.