Principles to Remember for People in the UI/UX Design Industry

UI/UX design is not just about creating beautiful interfaces, but also about deeply understanding user needs. For a product to be truly effective, designers need to master basic principles such as user research, experience optimization, and listening to feedback. These factors will help build products that are easy to use and bring real value to users. Let's find out with Sadesign now!

1. Focus on the user

When designing a website or app, UI/UX designers often get caught up in creating eye-catching visual elements. However, this can lead to overlooking an essential element: the user experience. Instead of focusing solely on form, putting the user first will result in products that truly meet their needs.

Design is more than just a game of function and aesthetics; it’s an art of balancing the two. When you start building a product, listening to and understanding your users will help lay a solid foundation for all subsequent design decisions. Ask questions from the user’s perspective: What do they need? What kind of experience do they want? These questions will guide you to smarter design decisions.

Continuously surveying and collecting feedback from users will help you better understand their behavior and needs. When your product matches users’ expectations and habits, you will easily build trust and goodwill. This not only improves the user experience but also enhances brand value.

2. Consistency

Consistency is an important principle in user experience (UX) design. When users visit your app or website, they expect a seamless and consistent experience. This means that everything from typography and colors to the layout of buttons and menus needs to be consistent and easy to recognize.

Users tend to assume that a website will work the way they are used to. If your design is inconsistent, users may feel confused and unsure of how to interact with the product. By referencing and learning from leading websites, you can build an interface that is easy to navigate and makes users feel more familiar and comfortable.

Consistency not only creates a better experience, but it also helps strengthen your brand. When users recognize your design style, they are more likely to remember and return to your product in the future. Pay attention to the small details, as they contribute to the overall user experience.

3. Respond to the context of content creation

Context plays an important role in UI/UX design principles, influencing how users interact with a product. Factors such as time, location, and access method can all influence how users experience your website or application. Therefore, understanding this context is essential to optimizing the design.

There are two main ways to gain a clear understanding of these contexts. First, you can conduct surveys with your target audience to learn about their habits and needs. Second, directly observing how users interact with your product can also provide valuable information. Combining these two methods will give you a more comprehensive and objective view of the user experience.

When you understand the context in which your users are operating, you can tailor your designs accordingly. This not only creates better experiences, but also increases user retention. By meeting the needs of each context, you build highly valuable and engaging products.

4. Intuitive

Intuition is one of the core principles of UI/UX design, especially in the user interface aspect. The main goal is to make every interactive element, from static components to navigation, clear and easy to understand. When users visit a website or application, they need to be able to immediately recognize how the product works without having to read a manual.

To achieve this intuitiveness, you should constantly ask yourself important questions. For example, is your navigation system clear enough? Can users easily move from one page to another without difficulty? Using easy-to-understand and easy-to-understand buttons is also essential, helping users quickly identify the function they need to interact with.

Additionally, the purpose of each element on the page should be clearly communicated. If users have to think too hard to understand a feature or button, it can lead to frustration and loss of interest. Your design should aim to minimize complexity, making it easy and natural for users to interact with your product.

5. Familiarity

Familiarity is an essential element of UI/UX design, as it creates a sense of security and ease for users. Many users tend to look for the menu bar in a familiar location, such as the top of the page or the right corner of the application. This not only reflects their habits, but also shows that familiarity can increase the usability of a product.

When users spend time experiencing different digital products, they tend to prefer interfaces that work similarly to what they are already familiar with. If your website or app works too differently, users will have to spend time learning how to interact, which can detract from their experience. Familiarity helps to close the gap between perception and action, creating a smoother experience.

To maintain familiarity, refer to industry-recognized design principles. Using icons, colors, and layouts that users are familiar with will make it easier for them to use your product. Creating an environment where users can interact with confidence and comfort will increase their satisfaction and loyalty to the brand.

6. Give control to the user

One of the key principles of UX design is to give users control. When you give users the freedom to customize, edit, or undo their actions, you create a friendly and flexible experience. For example, if a user accidentally enters incorrect information, allowing them to edit or undo will help them feel more secure when using the product.

Controls like or not only help users return to a previous state, but also create a sense of safety. Users know that they don't have to start over if they make a mistake, which encourages them to explore and interact more with your product. By reducing the pressure and anxiety of making mistakes, you create a more positive design environment.

Furthermore, giving control also helps users feel like they are in control of their experience. When they can easily decide their actions, they feel more confident in interacting with the product. This not only enhances the user experience but also increases loyalty and satisfaction with your brand.

7. Decentralization

Hierarchy plays an important role in UI/UX design, directly affecting the way users interact with the product. A clear hierarchy not only helps organize information but also guides users to the desired actions. This can be achieved through the logical arrangement of design elements such as fonts, colors, and sizes.

In user interface (UI) design, visual hierarchy helps users easily identify important information. For example, using larger fonts for headlines and bold colors for action buttons will immediately grab users’ attention. When users can see and understand what they need to do, they are more likely to take the desired action.

In user experience (UX) design, hierarchy is also expressed through the way information and functionality are presented. A clearly organized website or app makes it easy for users to navigate and find the information they need without difficulty. When things are arranged logically, users feel more comfortable interacting with them, creating a more positive experience.

8. Principles of negative space design

The principle of “Less is more” is one of the important concepts when developing UI/UX design. Imagine that your interface is like a piece of paper. If that piece of paper is filled with text and images, users will immediately feel overwhelmed and uncomfortable. This shows that the use of negative space, also known as “breathing space”, is essential to creating a pleasant user experience.

When designing, you should avoid cramming all the elements and information into a small space. If the interface becomes cluttered and cramped, users will easily abandon your product in search of a smoother experience. Information overload can make users feel pressured and uncomfortable, leading them to immediately leave your website or app.

Leaving negative space not only highlights important elements, but also makes the user experience more pleasant. When users have room to “breathe,” they can focus on key information and functions without distraction. This not only enhances the aesthetics of the interface, but also makes it easier for users to interact with and enjoy your product.

9. Flexibility

Flexibility is one of the core principles of UI/UX design, especially when you want your product to cater to a wide range of users. It’s not enough to simply make the interface intuitive for beginners, you also need to ensure that professionals can easily use it and optimize their workflow. This means that your design must be flexible and efficient, meeting the needs of everyone from beginners to experienced users.

One way to achieve flexibility in design is to provide shortcuts for commonly used actions. Shortcuts not only save time, but also create a smoother user experience. Experienced users will appreciate being able to perform actions with a single click or keystroke, helping them get things done more quickly and efficiently.

In addition, the advanced search feature is also an important factor to increase flexibility. Users can search for the specific information they need without wasting time browsing through many different pages. Combined with information filters, users will find it easier to find what they need without feeling overwhelmed. Finally, the interface design must also be compatible with many different platforms such as laptops, tablets, or even old devices, to ensure that everyone can access your product easily.

10. Accessibility in UI/UX design principles

Accessibility is an integral part of UI/UX design, and it’s not just about creating a beautiful interface. On the contrary, making your product accessible can increase the goodwill of all users. This includes designing interface elements that are easy to use for everyone, including those with special needs.

In UI design, creating an accessible interface does not mean making the website ugly or boring. On the contrary, a well-designed product will appear more sophisticated and friendly. This will not only attract users but also enhance your brand value. An easy-to-use interface will make users feel more comfortable and create a positive impression of the product.

For UX design, accessibility also means creating features specifically for older people or those with visual or hearing impairments. These features might include the ability to adjust text size, provide audio descriptions for images, or use high-contrast colors for better readability. When your product is accessible to all, you not only demonstrate that you care about diversity, but you also expand your potential market.

11. Usability testing

Usability testing is an important tool for evaluating the design of a website or application. This technique not only helps you understand how users interact with the product, but also allows you to identify problems with visual appeal and usability. Conducting this testing is a great way to collect qualitative and quantitative data to improve the user experience.

When testing, choose people who have never used your product. These people will provide the most objective and realistic feedback. They will help you identify design weaknesses that you may have overlooked, providing insight into how to improve your product. Comments from new users will help you evaluate the intuitiveness of your interface and determine whether users can easily perform the desired actions.

12. Conclusion

In short, applying UI/UX design principles not only improves the usability of the product but also creates a strong connection between the brand and the user. Investing in these principles will lead to quality design and long-term success in the industry, while helping the brand stand out in a competitive market. If you are looking for UI/UX design support tools, please contact Sadesign for advice!