10 Timeless UX Design Best Practices

Don Norman first coined the term “user experience” in the 1990s. But the concept of optimizing user experiences for a variety of tools and technologies has been around for centuries, dating back to ancient times.

Consider Feng Shui. Ergonomics. Bell Labs using psychology in its projects. These are just a few of the many examples of the concept throughout history.

Today, user experience (UX) design is an area of ​​technology, generally referring to optimizing consumer interactions with a given product, such as an app or website. As companies look for better ways to engage their current and potential users, the field has become more central to software development and professionals within it are in high demand.

Some ideas in UX design change with the scenario. But others have remained consistent for years. It is important to understand the concept because it plays a fundamental role in software development today.

Here are 10 essential best practices to keep in mind for your next product.

#1: Always keep the user in mind

This may seem obvious, but you'd be surprised how many companies forget the most important part of their product: the user.

User needs supersede the interests of developers, product managers, and anyone else involved in the project. The UX designer is tasked with advocating for the user because that is how you will sell your product.

One of the most important aspects of this is ensuring they can quickly and easily accomplish their mission once they use your app or website. If they can't do what they need to do efficiently, they will almost certainly go elsewhere – probably to one of your competitors.

#2: Rely on user and market research

But how do you know what your users really want ? Extensive and thorough market research is the answer. You can't manufacture a quality product without researching what your customers' needs are.

Any good UX designer knows that market research – focus groups, surveys, and other feedback – is critical to discovering how customers will actually respond to your product and what can be improved. If you have experts on your team, they can perform these tasks. Otherwise, consider working with marketing research consultants.

Market research will also inform your goals for the product. What do you and (more importantly) your users want the product to do? What should it help people accomplish? What are your goals? These are the questions your market research should help you answer.

#3 Don’t reinvent the wheel

While you certainly shouldn't replicate other companies' UX designs or your own previous concepts, you also shouldn't start from scratch completely. There are many well-honed patterns and practices for developing well-thought-out UX concepts — and you don't need to reinvent the wheel to include them in your projects. These patterns will help you address and resolve potential issues.

For example, users are familiar with the meaning of different icons and buttons, so do not change, for example, the meaning of the house icon to indicate navigation to a page other than the home page.

Consult others in your area and related to see what types of designs they are using. Don't copy, of course, but be aware of common themes to replicate in your work.

#4: Ensure Brand Consistency

Your identity as a company must be clear in your UX design in each and every product you create. Incorporate the same or similar features such as color palette, voice assistance, images, icons, and styling into your apps, websites, and other products. The user should be able to recognize your brand as soon as they see or try the product. Ensuring consistency will allow you to develop your reputation.

Employ similar color palettes, for example, as well as language consistent in tone and vocabulary.

#5 Maintain product consistency

There must also be consistency within the products themselves. A product must have a logical structure and actions and experiences must complement each other. If a page or aspect of the product works a specific way, it should always work that way.

Keeping your product consistent will allow the user to have a more seamless experience every time they open your app or product.

#6: Optimize Designs for the Operating System

UX design behaves differently on different devices and operating systems. That's why it's critical for UX designers to optimize their products so they perform similarly on smartphones, tablets, and laptops. Likewise, if the product is intended for use on Windows, Mac OS, and other operating systems, designers and developers must work together to ensure a smooth user experience on each.

Many companies hire dedicated iOS and Android developers, for example, to ensure they are experts in their specific niche. This will help ensure the experience is consistent across platforms.

#7 Make Navigation Simple

As the user progresses through your product, they should be able to follow it easily without having to think too much. That's because your product exists to make their lives easier, not harder, no matter what it is or does.

Therefore, it is essential to make your navigation as simple and direct as possible. You might be tempted to make it more complex to impress users, but keeping it simple and intuitive will make your product more successful.

#8 Avoid clutter

Clutter is your enemy when it comes to solid UX design . Adding too many toolbars, buttons, and other features to a page will distract, confuse, and overwhelm the user. A clean layout is much better: it will let the user know where everything is, what they should do, and how they can achieve their goals with your product.

Even if you want your product to have all the features, try distributing them on different pages. Also, try not to have too many items to browse. You want to keep the experience simple.

#9: If Possible, Allow Customization

Users love being able to customize products to their tastes and preferences. They also appreciate it when the product personalizes for them, like Netflix and Amazon do with their recommendation features.

If your specific product allows it, include elements that allow for customization and personalization based on users' unique likes and dislikes. This will create a better overall experience for them.

#10 Be aware – and cautious – of trends

As in any area, especially those involving technology, professionals must stay up to date with trends in UX design . At the same time, it's important not to fall into the trap of exploring too many trends and losing sight of the importance of keeping your product evergreen. You want it to be something that persists and remains useful for years, not just a passing idea.

Summing it all up

While some trends are almost certainly here to stay – AI and voice assistance, for example, aren't going anywhere – others fade in and out of popularity. It’s important to know which ones will complement your product and improve it without making it outdated.

Above all, the goal of your product is to meet your user's needs and deliver a good ROI . These practices will keep your product thriving regardless of the specific industry or audience.