Developing web and mobile applications has become a popular investment strategy for businesses of all sizes, from start-ups to multinationals. Their ideas were fantastic, and they could have given their competitors a run for their money. However, in the end, they failed and had to shut down their businesses.
One of the primary causes of their demise was the appalling user experience (UX) they provided. In spite of this, many apps still make it difficult for users to determine which of their Call-To-Action (CTA) buttons actually accomplish something. It takes a long time to load and some are unsafe to use. Users tend to ignore applications of this type.
The user experience’s effectiveness can be jeopardized by a few key blunders. It takes time and effort to plan, adjust, and implement a good design, but the end result is a product that people enjoy. It is the job of the UX designer to meticulously craft a user-friendly mental model. Here are 5 rookie UX design mistakes that you need to steer clear at any cost.
1. Considering UX Only in the Initial Parts of the Project
A lot of UX designers do not consider user experience to be a continuous process, believing that it only requires attention during the early stages of a project.
Most popular apps, such as Dropbox, Snapchat, and Instagram, have iterated on the user experience with constant user input and feedback.
Working with real-time user feedback and conducting a thorough competitor analysis can help you avoid many UX design issues during the web and mobile app development stages.
Even after your app has been implemented and deployed, working with user feedback helps you understand what features your app is missing.
2. Improper Navigation
The belief that users will figure out how to use the app on their own is a rookie UX mistake to avoid. The navigation should be simple and tailored to the preferences of the user. They will move on to something else if they are frequently perplexed by the process.
You’ve probably seen this – There are numerous icons and links on the main page of a website or app. It appears to be a complete failure. This is because our short-term memory can only hold a few items.
If the menu items are kept to a minimum, your users will be able to better explore the displayed products. When an item is removed from the menu, the remaining items become more noticeable. As a result, concentrate on narrowing your navigation to the most important products and making them more visible.
3. Overlooking Simplicity
Because most users prefer solutions that run smoothly and quickly, today’s most popular apps and websites have a user interface that is fairly simple.
Examine whether your app’s or website’s features serve a specific purpose. Is there a way to do it in a more relaxed way? Consider redesigning your existing features and utilities to make them more user-friendly if you’re confident.
Because of its user-friendly interface, Make Tech Quick is one of the most popular technology websites. Without sacrificing innovation or features, the Make Tech Quick website effectively streamlines the user experience.
4. Dreadful Onboarding and Sluggish First Impression
The first few minutes of the user experience will determine whether or not the stakeholders involved will connect with you, whether you’re meeting with a client, conducting a job interview, using a web portal, or using a mobile application.
To explain all of the app’s features to users, a thorough yet concise application onboarding procedure is usually required. Overdoing this section, on the other hand, will drive them away from your app, resulting in a costly UX error.
Some applications will perplex users if they are not spontaneous. As a result, thorough beta testing will aid in the resolution of these issues and the enhancement of the app’s first impression. However, only 55% of businesses currently use any type of UX testing procedure.
5. Too Many New Patterns
Great designers follow well-established expectations for key placement, GUI placement, and consistency based on common app or web patterns.
While delivering new and innovative patterns may be tempting, the basic rule of thumb is to always default to the commonly expected pattern whenever possible.
Users bring expectations from other apps to your product/service, so any deviations must be relearned and understood. Design patterns exist for a reason: they prevent users from having to relearn how to use a product from the beginning every time they buy something new.
With new, unfamiliar patterns, the onboarding bar rises dramatically, making low engagement and usage more likely.
6. Copying the Work of Close Competitors
“We have always been barefaced about stealing great ideas,” said Steve Jobs, co-founder of Apple Inc and an American business magnate.
Copying is the easiest thing to do, and you may be tempted to blindly imitate your closest competitors for quick success. UX designers should always keep in mind, that making your applications or websites too similar to the competition will demotivate most users and loyal customers.
Your users are always looking out for new things, and a cloned app or website with the same features will harm the reputation of your brand.
Of course, you can have some functionality that is similar to that of the competition. Your application, on the other hand, must have distinct features and, in the end, your personal signature.
The Bottom Line
So there you have it. We had a productive discussion about 6 rookie UX mistakes you should avoid when designing an app or website. If you have any additional recommendations for UX designers, please share them in the comments section. We hope this guide helped you.