User Interface and User Experience Design

Keep users informed of system status with constant feedback.

Set information in a logical, natural order.

Ensure users can easily undo and redo actions.

Maintain consistent standards so users know what to do next without having to learn new toolsets.

Prevent errors if possible; Wherever you cannot do this, warn users before they commit to actions.

Do not make users remember information; Keep options visible.

Make systems flexible so novices and experts can choose to do more or less on them.

Design with aesthetics and minimalism in mind; Do not clutter with unnecessary items.

Provide plain-language error messages to pinpoint problems and likely solutions.

Offer easy-to-search troubleshooting resources, if needed.

The foremost of all UX design principles is to focus on users throughout the design process. Thus, you need to learn what users are looking for in a design (through user testing and other methods). It is possible that a design may seem brilliant to you, but remember that you are not the user.

A lot of work goes into the UX design, and the design process can be overwhelming, so knowing your place in the process is significant. Knowing your design phase, and the tools used at each phase, will help you ask the right questions for user research. For instance, there is no point testing the color of a button if you are still figuring out where it should be placed in the design.

It is easy to take hierarchy for granted, but it is a UX principle that ensures smooth navigation throughout a design. There are two chief hierarchies that you need to note. First comes the hierarchy that is associated with how content or information is organized throughout the design. For example, when you open a website or app, you will note the navigation bar that includes the main sections. This is the primary hierarchy. When you click or hover over this bar, you will note further sub-categories of content open up, taking you deeper into the app or site. These are the secondary menus.

Users expect products to share some similarities with other products they regularly use. This makes it easy for them to become familiar with the new product without any additional learning costs. The more familiar your design is to others, the faster users can learn to use it, which enhances their experience. Such consistency also makes the design process easier for the designers, as they do not have to reinvent the wheel every time they take on a new project.

An increasingly important rule from among the UX design basics is designing with accessibility in mind. That is, a designer's responsibility is to make sure that his design is usable for as many people as possible. This means that your design needs to be accessible to people with disabilities as well as those without disabilities.

When designing, you need to take into account the user's context. Location is a commonly understood contextual factor. That is, are you designing for someone on the go or for someone sitting at a desk? Many behavioural factors (such as the user's emotional state, the device being used, the influence of other people, and much more) will give you Insight into the user's behavior.

UX design is entirely focused on solving the users' problems, which makes usability of the design one of the most crucial user experience design principles. No matter how aesthetically pleasing your work may be, it will not strike a chord with the user unless it is safe and easy to use. Any site that is cluttered is bound to lose visitors. As a designer, your job is to make sure that each icon, button, and snippet of information that is present within the design has a purpose. Concentrate on clarity by bringing only useful features to the user's attention.

For UX, the underlying aim of this is simple; Reducing the operational and cognitive costs of the users. In placing value on this, the design's usability and consistency improve. The less-is-more approach emphasizes simplicity as opposed to clutter or over-decoration in design.