The visual design of a website undoubtedly plays a part in the overall user experience. However, users do not visit a website to be stunned by the fantastic visuals. Instead, people visit websites to perform a function. So, whether someone is on a website to buy something or enrich their lives with knowledge, how the website operates is more important than the aesthetics.
Visitors to websites generally scan rather than read. And people don’t want to waste any time locating what they need. Furthermore, when someone finds a clickable element that fulfills their requirements, they expect that element to meet their needs with minimum fuss.
So, in essence, good user-centric web design caters to this need for a smooth, efficient user experience. And, that objective can be met by following a few simple principles. So, here are ten fundamental aspects of user-centric web design to create the perfect website experience.
10 Fundamental Principles of Good Web Design
1. Don’t Ask Users to Think
You can’t expect a visitor to a website to refer to a user’s manual to find their way around. So, the number one rule of website design is the user interface must be intuitive. In other words, there must be no doubt in a user’s mind where they need to go next. And the path to a user’s destination should be straightforward. A user shouldn’t need to think about how to find what they need. Instead, every step should be intuitive, even for a first-time visitor to the site.
2. Focus the Attention on the Critical Elements
People are easily distracted. So, it is crucial that the critical elements on a web page, such as a call to action, stand out from the supporting content. And it is best to avoid allowing any other features on the page to be more eye-catching than the critical elements. For example, an animated or video advertisement would likely distract a user’s attention from a static call to action. In this case, removing the eye-catching distracting element would increase the likelihood of the user taking the desired action.
3. Subtlety is Confusing
There is nothing to be gained from being subtle on a website. For example, buttons should be big and bold, and the steps necessary to complete a take clearly explained. Indeed, everything possible should be done to make the site user-friendly for every visitor. And there should be prompts that explain every function on the site.
4. Minimize the Steps to Complete a Task
Website users can be impatient. So, it is best to minimize the steps need to complete any tasks. Checkout processes, for example, should only contain the fields necessary to make a purchase and be completed in as few steps as possible. And the information required to sign up for mailing lists should be kept to a minimum. Of course, you may want to get more information about the people who visit your site. But the more you ask a user to divulge about themselves, the less chance you have of a user telling you anything. So, a minimalist approach to all forms on a website is generally the best.
5. Stick with the Conventions
Sticking with conventions, like placing the menu at the top, makes it easier for users to find their way around. So, it is best not to innovate for the sake of innovation. A familiar user interface also makes users more comfortable with a site, which will help gain their trust. Adopting what has become the standard layout does not make a website boring. But it does make it more likely that users will intuitively know where to find information or perform functions.
6. Follow the F Pattern
Studies have shown that people view web content in an F pattern. Visitors to a web page begin at the top left corner, read the first line, scan down the page, and then part-read another line. So, that quick F scan should reveal what the page is about and what can be gained by staying on the page. The F layout works because the top left to bottom right is how people read. So, following this design will enable visitors to find critical information fast and naturally.
7. Use Appropriate Language
The style of writing for a website is not the same as how you would write for a printed document. So, it is best to adjust the writing style to suit a website user. Firstly, it is best to keep the language simple. Use short sentences, for example, and avoid using unnecessarily long words. And break up text with subheadings or bullet-pointed lists. The objective is to use simple, concise language that will make it easy to scan the content and make it easy to read for all visitors to the site.
8. Don’t Fear White Space
Yes, you will have read this one many times before. Even so, the importance of using white space cannot be overstated. Leaving space between text blocks, images, and other elements makes a web page far less intimidating. And it makes the content easier to scan, and it emphasizes the various components of a page. So, don’t fear white space because it improves the overall design of a website.
9. Keep it Simple
Much of the above can be summed up by one phrase; keep it simple. So, it is best not to over complicate any aspect of a site when there is a simpler alternative. And remember, the design of a website should enhance the user experience and not be a barrier to the site’s primary purpose.
10. Test for Usability
Thorough testing is crucial to good web design. But testing is not only for finding bugs; testing should also enhance the usability of the site. So, it is best to test a site as each stage is developed. And don’t be afraid to redesign if any aspect of the site is not intuitive or requires excessive effort on the part of the user.
Conclusion
So, the message is clear; people don’t visit web websites to be impressed by the visuals, so don’t allow an innovative design to detract from usability. Instead, it is best to keep it simple, stick to accepted conventions, and make every page easy to scan and every function easy to find. Then you will have a website that impresses people because it is easy to use. And it will be a site that achieves its objectives.
