User experience design is the process of enhancing user satisfaction with a product by improving usability, accessibility and desirability. The product could be almost anything that a human interacts with but this blog focuses on the interactions between a human and a website.

The majority of us spend a good amount of our daily lives online, reading the news, using applications, and navigating websites, yet often our user experience online is not the best it could be. So, what makes successful UX Design, and constitutes the ‘best’ user experience possible for your website? Here are some of the most important tips for UX Design best Practise that every web designer should follow;

Know Your User

While, for example, time and budget are important factors to consider, arguably the most important factor in UX Design best practise is not losing sight of the people actually using the product or interacting with the website. You need to know your audience in order to tailor the experience to them and it really helps if you know their needs, wants and desires. Consider how certain colours, fonts, layouts will make them feel; use visual and interactive qualities to evoke an emotional response from your user, and help your design stand out in a competitive world. And, remember to take on board any feedback from your audience, as this is invaluable to improving your UX Design.

Be Consistent

One tip for a fantastic user experience and key element of UX Design best practise is design consistency. Consistency of UX elements allows for predictable and distinguishable actions, meaning users can easily interact with your product/website, and begin to trust it more and more. Consistent actions allow the UX to flow and remove the need for *user discovery, meaning the task at hand runs more smoothly. If an application is easy to use, then user satisfaction will certainly be maximised, and consistent actions will soon become second nature, allowing the user to use the product without even thinking.

*User discovery can be great for learning design but might not be so great for UX design.

Clarity and Simplicity

Leading on from consistency, clarity and simplicity are what drives user satisfaction, and form another aspect of UX Design best practise. In a split second, users will have evaluated the design of your website, product, or interface, therefore you should make whatever you want your users to do apparent and easy to follow. Be explicitly clear, for example, visually focus attention on the main button as opposed to lots of buttons on a webpage – this allows for easy navigation and minimal confusion. Successful UX Design is highly useable and provides a clear and consistent layout for its users, meaning the aesthetics, colours and actions presented to them can allow them to easily navigate the interface.

There are many factors and elements that make up UX Design best practise, and those listed above are but a few. Check out higher level learning blog and our LinkedIn for more content on elearning design and UX Design and other related areas.

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