UI/UX is the field of design that is creatively demanding and dynamic. Despite these ongoing changes, there are underlying ideas that every designer should be aware of. These ideas serve as guidelines for designing software products. You must line up your tasks with these principles to guarantee that your designs are visually appealing, understandable, and usable.
Let’s go over these UI/UX design principles so that you can make designs that will endure.
Deliver User Needs
Since UI/UX Design is user-centered, you must first and primarily make sure that the design satisfies the user’s needs. Your plan should make it easy for people to get the desired results.
Visible Status of the system
Users ought to be able to get feedback on their actions. Your design should notify users of what’s happening and display the system’s state. Instead of keeping the user in the dark as they download a file, innovative design should show a progress indicator indicating how much longer the download will take to finish.
Comparison of the System with Reality
Your design should apply the same idea people are now accustomed to in the actual world and communicate in the user’s language. Avoid jargon or complex phrases; straightforward language helps people grasp your design. The elements used in a design should also be comparable to what they represent in reality.
User discretion and autonomy
Thanks to good design, users should have control over the process and be able to redo, erase, and cancel a previous action. Google Docs is a service that takes this idea into account. You can reverse any changes you’ve made to a file and then redo them.
Accessibility
As many individuals as feasible should be able to use your design. Individuals who have disabilities like vision impairments should be able to access it. Prevent using colors that not everyone can see for the text, and ensure that it stands out clearly from the background.
Uniformity and Standards
Your design should adhere to standards and use unifying themes across the board. Users can do this to become comfortable with new items so they can use them without needing to learn anything new. Glance at the Microsoft Office programs; they have a similar appearance. Therefore, learning Microsoft PowerPoint or Spreadsheets would be quicker and easier if you are already familiar with Microsoft Word.
Hierarchy
It refers to how information or content is arranged across the design. Which screen is visible before the rest? Which details or aspects require more focus than others? The order in which data is ingested and processed is governed by hierarchy. Users can quickly scan a design for the information they need and efficiently complete their activities when it has a precise order.
Flexibility & Usage Efficiency
A product should be made with both novice and seasoned users in mind while designing it. New users should have little trouble picking it up, and seasoned users should have alternatives for quick work.
Designing minimally and with aesthetics
Less can be more. Refrain from overwhelming users with information that is pointless or unrelated. Users who prefer a minimalist design can concentrate on their objectives. Data should be clear from one another for the attention of users. Only elements necessary for the work should be present on each screen, and there should be an obvious way to move to other information.
Assistance and Information
Most of the time, users may want to utilize a product without the aid of information, although documentation is occasionally required. Such documentation should be simple to find and targeted toward the user’s current activity. Users should be able to get assistance from your design where and when they need it.
Recognition as opposed to memory
Things are simpler to recognize than to remember. Your design must have options, tasks, etc., visible to ease user memory strain. Users should be able to keep track of information on various displays. It can be unpleasant to enter your login and password each time you use a website. Try looking for a video on YouTube, and pay attention to how the various results are present before you have finished typing. Imagine having to memorize the name of a YouTube video to discover it. That’s annoying, correct?
Aid Users in Error Recognition, Diagnosis, and Recovery
Error messages should be clear, actionable, and written in simple terms. The design should explain to the users what went wrong and provide fixes. Attempt to watch a YouTube video without an internet connection. In addition to letting you know that you are offline, Youtube will recommend that you either try connecting again or go to your downloaded files to watch a movie. YouTube provides a simple error message and offers possible fixes.
Wrapping Up!
You’ll want to familiarize yourself with the prevalent vocabulary and the fundamentals of UX/UI design as you advance on the path to a career in UX/UI design. These design principles can help you produce better work and position you for success as a UX designer.