Tag: UI Design

Visual design that creates a dialog with the user is more than just responding to search queries and leaving breadcrumbs. It’s about using static elements to interact with the user based on their needs/behavior. In order for designers to really “hit the spot,” they need to employ the following principles: 1. Start with the basics...

In his article The Myth of the Sophisticated User, Robert Hoekman Jr made it clear that "It doesn't matter how savvy your users are, better design benefits everyone." Designers use their expertise to create the user experience but what are the myths and assumptions about savvy users they use when designing a site or application?...

One of the most important things you need to do when starting to design is to understand who your users are. Resist if you are told to design "for anybody", this way your design will be good for nobody. Choose a target population even if you think that other people will use your site as...

One of the most important components of any website is a search box. Yet many people don't always use them correctly. Some users don't even understand the difference between a search on the site and web search. To help them, it's best to create only one search box for the site. Adding additional search boxes...

There are a couple of things to keep in mind when designing a UI for consumers. One of the most important is the unfortunate fact that about 40% of the general population has low literacy. Keeping that in mind, most pages need to be designed at a 6th-grade level. Some other tips to consider: 1....

Users spend very little time on the Homepage. If the user is experienced, it can be as little as 25 seconds. What do you need to show them in this short period of time? Obviously, users don't read long paragraphs of text. Most of those precious seconds are spent figuring out where to go next....

Well, first we need to agree what the PC is. Let's say for the sake of argument that it's desktop and laptop computers. Then all other devices - ipad, phones, etc., are mobile devices. Steve Jobs said something like this about a year ago: Long time ago there were mostly trucks. But when population moved...

I was reading the book "GUI Bloopers" by Jeff Johnson and he makes a good list of questions about your user's tasks to consider before starting your design. Here is his advice: 1. What tasks does a person do that are relevant to the application's target task area? 2. Which tasks are common, and which...

In their book "Prioritizing Web Usability" Jackob Nielsen and Hoa Loranger make a strong case for using standard design elements. Even though the book is from 2006, this issue still seems relevant. Here is an excerpt from the book that states the main points: Seven Reasons for Standard Design Elements. Standards ensure that users: 1....

Average users can't always complete what they started and leave websites in frustration, never returning again. Why is it happening and what are the main offenders in the UI of those websites? Here are the top 5 usability problems that caused incomplete or wrongly done tasks: 1. Information Architecture - the user doesn't know where...