Usable Design is the order of the day when it comes to website development, and it is supposed to be entirely responsive and invisible in nature, being synonymous with good and modern design practice as a whole. Non-usable design, however, is still found in abundance – and it can really damage your users’ experience. So what are the things which diminish the effectiveness of your usable website design?
Clutter
When your website is packed with popups, subscribe banners, notifications and other gizmos that suddenly make it look like an ad site, it will be far less usable and a lot more irritating. Remember, a good website is uncluttered, clean and designed to facilitate user journeys.
Failing to follow the 10 Nilson UI heuristics
Most designers will struggle to follow every point, but it makes sense to strive to adhere to these best practices in order to obtain a robust interface: https://blog.hubspot.com/blog/tabid/6307/bid/30557/6-Guidelines-for-Exceptional-Website-Design-and-Usability.aspx.
Confusing instructions
Great design removes the need for users to think too much. Today’s digital users want simple and natural commands and functions which don’t stop their flow of experience. This means presenting graphical information that is split up into small chunks. The simplistic design principle applies to your app and your website alike – ignore it at your peril.
Superfluous features
A good website will only contain elements that the user wants to see and engage with. Developers who are skilled in usable design will avoid placing distractions and pointless features onto a website, even if the client thinks that they want or need it. An agency specialising in web design in Sheffield, such as http://www.dearnevalleywebdesign.co.uk/, will give you access to developers who know how to future proof your website with the right design and architecture.
Poor composition
Remember, your website design should be balanced, with design that is presented in threes. Keep your design basic and simple and always keep the user in mind. Single scrolling templates are popular nowadays to support mobile access. Remember too, that imagery should be slick, colour palettes minimal and on-brand, and typefaces clean.
As a final point, the most successful websites are constantly reviewed, assessed and re-worked according to visitor analytics data – so keep investing in your analytics to assess what is working and what needs tweaking, replacing or removing altogether.