Top 5 UX Mistakes That Are Turning Your Users Off
Tired of users abandoning your website or app? It’s time to revisit your UX (User Experience) design…
There’s a lot more to UX design than a few eye-catching buttons and an aesthetic layout. A UX designer must consider the potential user journey and make the work user-centric in order to guide the user through the website (or app) and get them to interact with the intended touchpoints.
Many designers do not consider the users and instead concentrate on their own aesthetic. I’ve compiled a list of the top 5 UX mistakes that many designers make, resulting in lost conversions and unhappy users.
#1 : Not Considering Mental Model Of Users
A mental model is a mental model that corresponds to the user’s expectations about a product. It is basically the user’s expectations based on prior experience, user needs, and so on. There will be a problem if a user tests a product and it does not match their mental model.
The problem is that many designers focus on their own conceptual model, while ignoring the needs of potential users. As a result, the two models are incompatible. While this is not always the case, sometimes the mismatch is so severe that the user is completely dissatisfied with the product.
When working on a design, every UX designer should consider both models. The design should be appealing and clear, but it should not only appeal to the designer’s taste. A designer can cater to the real needs of product users by keeping the design user-centric.
#2 : Adding Irrelevant content that takes a toll on navigation
CTA elements, such as buttons, are important because they encourage users to take the desired action and lead them to a conversion. However, CTAs can be ineffective because they completely disrupt navigation and divert users away from the actual website/app navigation.
How many times have you encountered a website that immediately closes the screen with a page-sized pop-up demanding that you sign up for an offered service or ? The worst part about such pop-ups is that they usually have a tiny “exit” icon somewhere on top of the pop-up, which the user frequently cannot find.
By obstructing the screen with irrelevant visual elements, you disrupt the natural customer journey, deprive users of control, and force them to take a specific action. All of this results in a very poor user experience, as well as annoyed and frustrated users.
#3 : Shortchanging Usability
UX design must be usable. You must ensure that your design prioritizes usability over aesthetics. If it does not, visitors may have a negative first impression of your website and leave.
Many products fail because they are difficult to use. You must ensure that your website is not one of them. Recognize your users and what they expect from your product. This is where your attention should be directed.
Examine similar products to see how usable they are. Do they help users achieve their objectives more easily? Why would people want to use them if they don’t? Learn from this error and avoid it in your design.
#4 : Making Use of Carousels in Your Design
Carousels have become a popular design trend, and designers are incorporating them into their website designs for no apparent reason. This design trend adds no value to the website from which the user can benefit.
It doesn’t have to be a carousel; think about why you’re adding something to the design and whether it adds value to the user.
Here are the disadvantages of adding carousels to your design:
- It distract from the content on the page.
- Carousels give no real value, information can be presented in less distracting ways.
- The user will need to navigate the carousel to find information they want.
- The website’s design can look cluttered if the carousel isn’t in the right place.
#5 : Ignoring Mobile UX
Most people use their mobiles to visit websites and access applications. This is why it is important to ensure your design’s mobile experience is excellent. New designers can make this mistake, and it causes users to be frustrated and leave the website.
Some common mobile UX errors are :
- Tiny buttons that are fine on a desktop but are invisible on a mobile device.
- Poor image quality.
- Lengthy copy that could seem unending on mobile.
- Confusing navigation.
Don’t forget to test the app on different devices as well! Every device has a unique screen size and resolution, which will have an effect on how the app is designed.
Conclusion
Learn what the users want, then deliver it to them. There is no need for anything else. Why is it in your design if it is only taking up space and providing no value to users?
Understanding your users and what they expect from your product is necessary to do this. Before you begin developing the user experience of your website, do extensive research. This is how you produce stunning designs that users want to engage with.
The performance of a website or a mobile application is a factor that impacts the user experience heavily. If the site loads too slowly or a button is not clickable, the user may very likely leave and never come back.
