User Interface is the concept of bridging the gap between human interaction and electronic devices or platforms.  UI design is used as the cosmetic piece behind your product.  These designers strive for an aesthetically pleasing and easy to navigate platform, which gives users a frustration free product.

But how does one go about user interface design? How can you get ahead of the game when it comes to digitally designing products for users?

You may want to hire a professional web design agency like Web Design Liverpool to do your website design for you but if you decide to create it yourself, then these 10 tips will allow you to have a deeper connection when working with UI design.

#1 Know Who You Are Designing For

Without a doubt the most important tip for user interface design is to know your audience.  Understanding and empathizing with your users needs will allow your users to become more easily immersed in your product.  Understanding your users demographics and your users interface skill levels will allow you to create a user friendly and frustration free product.

#2 Give Feedback

Giving visual feedback will allow for less headaches and head scratching when it comes to your product.  Things as simple as letting the user know that they saved something or indicating in red that a field is missing allow your users to take a direct route to the problem that they are facing and can allow for reassurance when an item is interacted with.

#3 Keep Your Elements Simple

Make sure that your UI is simple and straightforward.  This allows for a user friendly product.  Using common elements such as drop down lists, check boxes and buttons allow for familiarity within your product. Stay away from using random images or icons to represent certain accessible points within your product.

Icons that visually represent exactly what its function is are perfectly acceptable and encouraged ie: an envelope to represent mail.   Users tend to ignore things within a product that are not straight forward or easy to follow.

#4 Setting Expectations

Making sure your users understand the outcome of interacting with certain features of your product will help them avoid accidental clicking or unwanted decisions within the product.

#5 Use Defaults and Customization

Allowing users to have a choice between a provided default and customization within the product will keep users from multiple genres happy.

By using neutral defaults within your design, those users will not have to take any unwanted action to customize.  On the flip side, giving users the option to customize can allow them to feel more connected to the product.

#6 Breaking Down Options

When it comes to complex options within a product, users do not want a complicated experience.  By breaking down large and complex actions into smaller steps, it allows the users to take a guided approach to that action.  Which in the end will allow users to adequately fulfill the action more comfortably.

#7 Mistakes Will Happen

By anticipating that users will make mistakes, you can be ahead of the game by either preventing them before they happen, or by using error messages to help aid the user in locating and rectifying the mistake. For example, using review questions like “are you sure you want to submit” or “Please fill in all indicated fields” it allows the users to communicate with the product and fix the mistakes that are being made.

#8 Take The Necessities

To make your product flow easily for your users, only require the necessary information that you need from them.  If you only need their name and address, there’s no need to ask where they went to college or what their household income is.

#9 Allow Promotion From Your Users

You could be the best web designer there is, however, if you do not have a clue as to how to get people to use your product, how will you be successful?  Allowing your users to provide input as to what the outcome of their experience was will allow new users to easily connect with your product. 

Seeing real people and real experiences allow users to see the good while allowing you, the UI designer, to see where you can maybe alter some aspects of your product.

#10 Write Before You Design

Writing the content for each of the sections of your product allows you, the creator, to understand the structure and cohesiveness of your product.  Make sure the copy of your product makes sense and is written out the way you want it to be will allow for a more successful UI design process.

These are not the only tips for UI design, however, these 10 tips are really the backbone to creating a successful product.

Other useful tools are networking with other UI designers and conducting your own research as to how to become a great UI designer. When done with strategy and attention to detail, UI design allows for a fulfilling project within the category of web design.