Why your website design is only as good as your attention to detail
UX design is an ever-changing field, evolving rapidly over the years. Now even the smallest design decision can lead to a big success or loss for businesses. Business owners often wonder “what is user experience” and “why is this important” to which designers passionately explain how these big and small UX and UI details of the website can influence the business’ bottom line.
To design a successful UI, your website should be “not only operational but also usable and adaptable to changing user needs,” according to Adobe XD experts. For your UX design to be user-friendly, attention to detail counts. The website should be functional and reliable, built on the basic principles of design. If you get the UI right, you can create a good user experience. Here are some guidelines to follow when selecting UX design elements for your website.
Laying out your website
While each project is unique, stick with layout fundamentals that work. Use these tips when deciding on a layout:
Make sure the layout is usable. Common layouts exist simply because they work for the user. For example, using color and imaging appropriately to bring attention to high points of the website as well as using spacing and text for a cleaner effect. If the layout is not user friendly chances are other elements on the page will not work either.
Select a familiar layout. If you choose a recognizable layout such as Z-shape or F-shape, users will spend less time trying to figure out your design and more time digesting the content and exploring the site.
Reuse layouts to save time. Reusing layouts can save you time and money spent creating a brand-new layout. You can focus instead on creating the visual hierarchy that has a direct impact on the user experience. It also creates consistency that can improve usability since users will learn more quickly how to navigate and use your site.
Typography
Eye-catching typography can help make a great UI design. But when it comes to text on the page, legibility and readability come first. Here are some best practices to follow:
Don’t use multiple fonts. Avoid using more than three font families, which can make your layout look busy.
Create good text hierarchy. Organize the content by priority, with the most important copy appearing prominently on the page. This allows users to get the information they need quickly.
Choose the correct font size. The size of your text has a significant impact on the user. Avoid using text that’s too small and causes the reader to strain.
Avoid blocks of text. Big blocks of text can be difficult to read. Use whitespace and break the text into paragraphs so the users can digest the content and keep focused.
Avoid all caps. Using all caps in your copy has a significant impact on readability, reducing the speed the user can scan, read, and find content on the page.
Don’t close in spacing between lines. Having more vertical space between lines can improve readability. As a general rule, leading should generally be about 30% more than the character height.
Colors
Great color palettes can create the right mood and motivate users to take an action. But it’s often hard to decide on the color scheme because there are so many combinations. When deciding on a color palette, keep these rules in mind:
Always begin with greyscale. When it comes to prototyping, starting with a greyscale helps you maintain focus on design. Your attention will be on creating visual hierarchy and away from selecting colors.
Use the 60–30–10 rule. Use 60% for your dominant hue, 30% for your secondary color, and 10% for an accent color. This creates a secondary color that supports the primary color but varies enough to set them apart.
Keep colors simple. Using too many colors can make it hard to achieve balance in your design. Try sticking to a maximum of three primary colors in your color scheme.
Factor in the emotional impact. The emotions that colors evoke can impact how users perceive your product. Consider not only how elements look on the page but how they make the user feel. When choosing a color palette, take into consideration how these colors are generally perceived (in the Western world):
- Red. Power, passion, danger, importance
- Orange. Playful, energetic, cheap
- Yellow. Cheerful, friendly, attention-seeking
- Green. Natural, safe, fresh
- Blue. Calm, reliable, trustworthy
- Black. Sophisticated, edgy, mysterious
- White. Cleanliness, purity, health
- Gray. Neutral, formal, sophistication
Use ready-made color palettes. When you know the colors you need for your color scheme but not quite sure how to select them, consider using ready-made color palettes to help you out. Adobe has a great selection.
Imagery
Visual imagery should be powerful and persuasive, reinforcing your message and creating brand credibility. When selecting visual imagery, ask yourself these questions:
Do the images fit and are they relevant? Images should be relevant to your message, making a point and advancing the story you want to tell.
Are your images emotionally persuasive? Your images should have an emotional impact, create inspiration, and reinforce the feelings you are trying to evoke.
Are you settling for mediocre graphics? Do your illustrations and infographics look clean? Poor-quality images can negatively affect your brand’s credibility. Be sure to always use high-quality imagery that inspires customer loyalty and trust.
Conclusion
UI designers today strive to create the most user-friendly interfaces. As the discipline of UX design evolves, future designs will continue to build on the foundation and essential elements that create a great UX design. It might just be that color, typography, or imagery — the careful details that you put into your design — that keeps users on your site and wanting to explore more.
About the author:
Kim Purcell is a content writer at NP Digital. Her extensive background includes writing and editing for publishing, IT, and digital media industries, with a special focus on multimedia content, design, and product development.
