Creating an intuitive interface takes effort but pays off in happy users and a smooth user experience. To be intuitive, your design needs to fit the user’s mental model of how they will use the product – their knowledge, beliefs and scripts that they bring into the interaction. To do this, you need to observe and talk to your users – both through 1-1 interviews and by observing them working with prototypes. This approach is called contextual inquiry. A good user interface (UI) makes it easy for users to use software applications without the need for extensive training or documentation. Intuitive designs also reduce frustration, which leads to lower costs and increased productivity. The UI is one of the most important components of a software application, and a key driver of its user adoption and effectiveness. While a lot of factors contribute to the success of an intuitive UI, there are four key things that every designer should keep in mind. These simple rules will help them create UIs that users can learn on their own and that work seamlessly across different devices and operating systems.
User expectations are based on past experiences with similar applications or services. So, it’s helpful to know what elements of a UI are considered intuitive so that designers can include those in their own interface designs. For example, putting buttons where they will effect change will make them more intuitive to use. This is because users will unconsciously glance at those areas to see if the changes have taken place. It is also helpful to know what types of UIs are considered non-intuitive so that you can avoid those. For example, if you have multiple ways of accomplishing the same task such as via keyboard shortcuts or via a popup dialog box it can cause confusion.
This can lead to frustration and reduced user retention. Finally, it’s important to remember that UX is broader than UI. It’s the overall user experience and includes factors like whether or not your UI helps users meet their goals, how enjoyable it is to use and how easy it is for them to correct mistakes they may make. Ultimately, intuitive UIs provide a better customer experience which can help to increase your conversion rates and sales. If you have a product that doesn’t meet users’ expectations, it will be difficult for them to trust your brand and may even result in them choosing a competitor.
So, by following these simple guidelines you can create an intuitive UI that will improve your user experience and increase the likelihood that your customers will return to your business again and recommend it to others. This can make all the difference in your bottom line! So what are you waiting for? Start designing an intuitive UI today! If you need a helping hand, contact us to get started. We’d love to hear from you!