Does Your Interface Design Take Away from Your Software?
Even the most advanced software can be ruined by a bad user interface. To your customer, the interface is the product. Learn the most common user interface design mistakes—like poor structure, confusing navigation, and visual distractions—that could be sending your customers straight to the competition.
3 UI Mistakes That Drive Customers Away
Even the best, most advanced and innovative software can be ruined by a bad user interface. It is important to remember that the Internet is primarily a content delivery system. Most people go online to access information, like the latest news articles, a how-to video or information about a new product or service. This key point should be central to all web design, and it is essential that products are designed with the user in mind. To them, the user interface design is the product. The experience between customer and computer should be as effortless and seamless as possible.
These user interface design mistakes can ruin even the best software:
Poor Structural Design
An effective user interface is purposefully designed based on models that are consistent and recognizable to users. The interface architecture should separate unrelated items while grouping related things together in both navigation and appearance. Without a solid structural design, a user interface becomes confusing and disjointed.
Confusion and Difficulty of Use
The design should make tasks as simple as possible, avoiding confusing communication that detracts from a site’s or application’s ease of use. When users click on a link or button, for example, they should have a reasonable expectation of what will happen next, and information should be communicated to them in their own language instead of bogged down with jargon.
Distractions and Poor Visibility
Users should never have to dig around a website to find the information they need, and they should not be distracted with redundant or irrelevant information. When materials and options are not immediately visible or accessible, users quickly lose patience, and unnecessary information only serves to confuse and overwhelm.
These mistakes can detract from even the best software, sending your customers straight to the competition in search of a better overall experience. At PhaseAlpha, we understand the principles of good user interface design, and everything we create is done with the end user in mind. To learn more about our web development services and how they can enhance your customer’s experience, contact us today at 913.648.9200 or email us at info@phasealpha.com.
