{"id":6069,"date":"2024-07-27T07:58:51","date_gmt":"2024-07-27T07:58:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/favtutor.com\/articles\/?p=6069"},"modified":"2024-07-27T10:40:53","modified_gmt":"2024-07-27T10:40:53","slug":"ui-design-rules","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/favtutor.com\/articles\/ui-design-rules\/","title":{"rendered":"10 UI Design Rules I Follow That Make a Big Impact"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>As a front-end developer, I am passionate about creating great user experiences. I know that even small design choices can make a big difference. To me, a well-designed interface isn\u2019t just about looking good\u2014it\u2019s about making things easy for users. From my experience, I\u2019ve picked up a few key UI Design Rules that I follow to ensure my designs are functional and user-friendly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>10 Must-Know UI Design Rules<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The design and development of any UI prototype is not an easy ordeal. You must understand UI design techniques to create a product that is easy to comprehend, access, and operate.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"512\" src=\"https:\/\/favtutor.com\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/41-768x512-1.webp\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-6077\" srcset=\"https:\/\/favtutor.com\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/41-768x512-1.webp 768w, https:\/\/favtutor.com\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/41-768x512-1-750x500.webp 750w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>Let\u2019s understand how the following UI design tips and tricks can enhance your web design:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>1) Limit the use of uppercase<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>I limit the use of uppercase text in my design because it\u2019s harder to read and can feel like shouting. I use it sparingly for short headings or labels. <strong>Too much uppercase can overwhelm users and slow down their reading.<\/strong> I stick to lowercase for most text to keep the interface friendly and easy to read.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>2) Accessibility <\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Our app needs to be visually appealing without compromising usability. A well-designed app creates a positive impression, leading to a better overall user experience. The visual appeal depends on our choice and combination of colours, fonts, images, and layout.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>3) Use color purposefully<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>I use colour, texture, contrast, and light wisely to guide users&#8217; eyes to important elements and information on the screen.<\/strong> This helps users focus on what matters most and improves their overall experience. Strategic use of these design elements also creates a visually engaging interface that enhances usability and aesthetic appeal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>4) Give feedback<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>I believe giving feedback is both polite and essential for good UI practice. I make sure my system responds meaningfully. For example:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Clicks on a menu<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Hits a button<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Clicks on a text message tab<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1453\" height=\"681\" src=\"https:\/\/favtutor.com\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/image2.jpg\" alt=\"Give Feedback\" class=\"wp-image-6070\" srcset=\"https:\/\/favtutor.com\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/image2.jpg 1453w, https:\/\/favtutor.com\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/image2-768x360.jpg 768w, https:\/\/favtutor.com\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/image2-750x352.jpg 750w, https:\/\/favtutor.com\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/image2-1140x534.jpg 1140w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1453px) 100vw, 1453px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p><strong>I use specific UI elements like animations, progress bars, pop-up windows, or colour changes to show users if their action was successful.<\/strong> This helps them know if what they did worked and improves their overall experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>5) Set Expectations<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Interacting with our app can lead to important outcomes, which might make users feel anxious. To ease this, I make sure users know what will happen when they click a button, using clear design and copy. Here\u2019s how:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Setting expectations with design:<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Highlight the button for the desired action.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Use familiar symbols (like a trash can for delete or a magnifying glass for search) along with text.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Choose colours that convey meaning (green for \u201cgo,\u201d red for \u201cstop\u201d).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Setting expectations with copy:<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Write clear button text.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Provide helpful text in empty states.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Deliver warnings and ask for confirmation for actions with serious consequences, like permanent deletion.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>This helps users feel confident and informed about their actions.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>6) Easy to learn<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>People can only hold 5 to 9 pieces of information in their short-term memory, so I make sure my UI design avoids overwhelming users with too many choices. <strong>My main goal is to keep the interface clean and simple by displaying only the most essential features initially.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Less frequently used options can be hidden until the user needs them. Unclear link text can confuse users, so instead of using ambiguous links like &#8220;learn more,&#8221; I prefer descriptive text that communicates what the link leads to. For example, instead of &#8220;learn more,&#8221; a link could say &#8220;Read about our privacy policy&#8221; or &#8220;See detailed product specifications.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>7) Anticipate Mistakes<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Designing our UI to prevent errors is crucial, but we also need to be ready for any mistakes users might make. That&#8217;s why it&#8217;s important to include helpful messages that guide users in resolving issues and completing their tasks successfully. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For example, alongside an error message, we should provide clear instructions on how to fix the problem and quickly resolve it. This way, we ensure a smoother and more user-friendly experience.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1026\" height=\"589\" src=\"https:\/\/favtutor.com\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/image4.jpg\" alt=\"Anticipate Mistakes\" class=\"wp-image-6073\" srcset=\"https:\/\/favtutor.com\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/image4.jpg 1026w, https:\/\/favtutor.com\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/image4-768x441.jpg 768w, https:\/\/favtutor.com\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/image4-750x431.jpg 750w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1026px) 100vw, 1026px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>8) Use Recognition rather than Recall<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>When users visit a website, they bring expectations based on their experiences with other sites and apps. If your design elements are unfamiliar or confusing, users won\u2019t feel engaged. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That\u2019s why I use familiar design elements like shopping cart icons, notification bells, and hamburger menus, placing them in common spots, such as the top left or right corners of the page.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>9) Make Actions Reversible<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Put the user in control of the UI by making actions reversible. Allow users to:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Unselect items they\u2019ve chosen<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Undo their last actions<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Restart any processes they\u2019ve started<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>This approach helps users feel more in control and reduces frustration from mistakes, which delivers a smoother experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>10) Stick to one primary action per screen<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Ensure that each screen focuses on just one main action. Trying to fit too much information or asking users to perform multiple primary actions at once will:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Confuse them<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Distract them<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Overload their attention<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Keeping screens simple helps users stay focused and makes their tasks easier to complete.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1633\" height=\"994\" src=\"https:\/\/favtutor.com\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/image1.jpg\" alt=\"Stick to one primary action per screen\" class=\"wp-image-6071\" srcset=\"https:\/\/favtutor.com\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/image1.jpg 1633w, https:\/\/favtutor.com\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/image1-768x467.jpg 768w, https:\/\/favtutor.com\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/image1-1536x935.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/favtutor.com\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/image1-750x457.jpg 750w, https:\/\/favtutor.com\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/image1-1140x694.jpg 1140w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1633px) 100vw, 1633px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>In the end, great UI design is about making things simpler and more enjoyable for users by following these simple rules, I aim to create interfaces that are not only functional but also intuitive and engaging. Each design choice, from colour use to feedback mechanisms, plays a part in crafting a seamless experience. You can now check some of the <a href=\"https:\/\/favtutor.com\/articles\/front-end-developers-tools\/\">best Tools For Front-End Developers<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>10 UI Design Rules I Follow That Make a Big Impact<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":30,"featured_media":6075,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jnews-multi-image_gallery":[],"jnews_single_post":null,"jnews_primary_category":{"id":"","hide":""},"footnotes":""},"categories":[42],"tags":[300,322],"class_list":["post-6069","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-trending","tag-frontend","tag-ui"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/favtutor.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6069","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/favtutor.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/favtutor.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/favtutor.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/30"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/favtutor.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6069"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/favtutor.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6069\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6080,"href":"https:\/\/favtutor.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6069\/revisions\/6080"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/favtutor.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/6075"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/favtutor.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6069"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/favtutor.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6069"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/favtutor.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6069"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}