As tech becomes more integral to our day-to-day lives, the fine details of user experience and interfaces are becoming more important for designers.
Don’t discount the worlds of UX and UI as little more than hype, by the way.
After all, what separates one app or site from the next oftentimes boils down to the “small stuff.”
And just because such choices are subtle doesn’t mean they aren’t significant. This is especially true as competition in the design space gets even more fierce.
But what choices are we talking about?
No matter what site or app you’re currently working on, consider the following five components of UX and UI to pay close attention to moving forward.
Translation
The ability to translate whatever you’re presenting into multiple languages is a game-changer for making your designs more accessible.
Think about it. If you’re confining your creation to just one language, you’re inevitably freezing out potential users or visitors.
Likewise, consider the rise of users from diverse backgrounds, such as migrants, expats, and others sending remittance payments back home. These people are constantly hunting for apps in their new home countries which are easy to use.
The need for seamless translation is much more important than many designers assume. If you think your app doesn’t need to be multilingual, think again and do some homework on your target audience and demographics.
Interactivity
In a day and age where bounce rates are high and attention spans are low; people aren’t inclined to just stare at a screen.
The concept of an interactive website or app might be a no-brainer, but you might be surprised at how many designers’ creations are so painfully dull these days.
The more opportunities for people to click, tap or go back and forth meaningfully, the better. On a related note, ensure that your design choices are appropriately sized to be clicked and tapped. Meanwhile, your most essential buttons need to be loud and clear.
Color and Typography
Don’t forget the impact of color on users when it comes to design. Many designers try to center their color scheme around whatever their current brand colors are. This is a smart move, but it may not exactly be the most aesthetically pleasing one.
Experiment with different color schemes, including gradients, until you zero in on something that’s quite literally easy on the eyes.
Personality
Although you might not think of personality as an aspect of UI or UX, people can quickly become turned off by designs that feel like they were created by a robot rather than a flesh-and-blood person. Small quirks like a humorous copy, illustrations and personalized signatures all provide that much-needed human touch.
Speed
Consider how people expect sites to load within seconds, and apps are no different. This means being mindful of not making design choices that needlessly “bloat” your site or app. For example, videos, images and features of your creation need to be assessed to ensure they aren’t bogging anything down speed-wise.
Again, every little detail counts when it comes to putting together a site or app that’s friendly to users of all shapes and sizes. Paying close attention to these aspects of your creation will help ensure that it’s user-friendly from the word “go.”
