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Can UI trigger positive UX? Our team shares 5 favourite tips.

15 lutego 2018

User experience has become part and parcel of successful design, and the business benefits are manifold. Connecting positive emotions with a product, a service or a brand can directly translate to higher engagement rates, customer loyalty and brand credibility. These in turn might mean faster sales growth, increased customer retention and referrals.

When it comes to web design, the UI - user interface is perhaps at the forefront of the UX -user experience. It can make it or break it. In fact, research shows that a well-designed user interface could boost a website’s conversion rates by up to 200%, while an overall better UX design could push it even up to 400%.

At Crafton, our goal is to apply the most effective UI strategies to deliver seamless and comprehensive digital experiences, carefully tailored to users’ needs. Over the course of 7 years of industry experience, we have built a list of best practices on how to design UI that triggers positive experience, therefore providing increased website conversion opportunities. Below, our Design Team shares 5 tips on how to create positive user experience via UI design.



1. CLARITY

Sebastian, UX Specialist: “Clarity is key”

Clarity is perhaps the cornerstone of positive UX. A clear and intuitive interface creates the seamless, undistorted interaction which underlines the positive user experience. On the other hand, interface which is too complex may cause users confusion and put them off visiting your website (and your product) for good. Over the years I have learned that users: a) must know what the purpose of the site is, b) are familiar with the language and the labels, and c) find the navigation architecture intuitive. All in all, the meaning and the functions should be well communicated.

My tip: Don’t overcomplicate things – too many clicks = potential lost sales opportunity

2. SPEED OF RESPONSE

Przemek, Front –end Developer: “You snooze, you lose”

Being fast means being responsive. Crafton’s clients frequently underline how important speed is to a well-designed product. Indeed, there is nothing more irritating than an interface that is lagging behind, with slow interface load. Consequently, swift navigation across the website is a safe way to secure positive emotions among users. I recommend generating the graphics code early in the process of developing and testing the target hardware so that you can monitor how well the hardware responds to GUI demands, and adjust the product accordingly.

My tip: Avoid deep nesting to keep the performance at optimal speed

3. FAMILIARITY

Joanna, UX Specialist: “Familiarity breeds…content”

One could argue that in today’s challenging IT market of web product design, creativity is what sets you apart from your competitors. However, I would still argue that familiarity is also a wise strategy to leave the users happy. While I do encourage you to stay unique, relevant and true to your own voice and style, giving users familiar elements will lower the element of uncertainty and enhance trust in your product. Features such as tabs, call to action buttons and clearly defined option menus are familiar to most users, yet combined with a fresh dose of creativity, they can positively influence the experience of your site’s visitors.

My tip: Test the prototype among potential users to establish the fine balance between the unique creative elements and the familiar ones.

4. CONSISTENCY

Tomek, Senior Web Designer: “Consistency over extravagance”

Humans are excellent at pattern recognition, and a well-designed interface should also rely on functionalities which let users develop patterns, i.e. learning the different buttons, the language, typography, fonts, imagery, sequencing and other interface elements, and finding them consistently applied in the same way as the users explore the product. Consistency definitely adds to the seamless experience users should have when interacting with your product, leaving behind positive impression.

My tip: Do not abuse the font architecture. Too many types, sizes, colors, etc. can complicate thing and disrupt the coherence you’ve been striving for.

5. ATTRACTIVENESS

Dominika, UX Specialist: “Looks do matter”

There are many components to a memorable and positive UX, and I do believe that appealing to users’ visual tastes counts for a lot.  Of course, you can’t tailor your product to all tastes and preferences but making that extra step towards general visual pleasance is a final touch towards a positively memorable experience, Apple still being the cliché of an example. I find it worthwhile to invest in research to find out what’s currently in. I find Awwwards to be a particularly useful resource for learning on what the key and most recent trends in the field are.

My tip: Don’t forget to keep your user stories in mind. Sometimes what’s trendy and good-looking to others, might not be what works for your targeted user.

Surely, the list is not full, and one could argue that what counts for the overall positive UX is nevertheless an individual matter. Still, at Crafton we spend a lot of time problem solving and collecting feedback to establish what triggers users’ positive experience, from UI all the way to the back-end. We believe that positive UX has the capacity to influence users’ activities, directly translating to the boost of website conversion rates and therefore to enhanced business opportunities.

Find out more about the work we have delivered or contact us for more details.