Think about all the websites and apps you spend the most time on. What do they all have in common? There may be a few answers to that question. But one quality that is probably consistent among all of them, is intuitive design.
Intuitive design is engineered toward optimizing the user interface (UI) and user experience (UX). Poor UI can drive users away from an otherwise well-built website, while strong UI can have the opposite effect.
Want to understand the key principles of intuitive design and how to implement them? Here are some of our best tips for crafting intuitively designed apps and websites, and why intuitive design is important.
Benefits of Intuitive Designs
Satisfied Users
First and foremost, intuitive designs often mean more satisfied users. Users expect rapid results online. This is especially the case if they are using a new website or app for the first time. Poor UI design can be a roadblock that many users won’t bother to overcome. If the design isn’t intuitive, they are more likely to simply move on to another site.
On the other hand, intuitive design satisfies the desire for immediate results and keeps users happy. Rather than driving them away, intuitive designs can draw users in and keep them coming back. Not only that, but satisfied users are more likely to leave favorable reviews when prompted.
Increased Engagement
Intuitive design does not just keep users coming back for more. It also creates a seamless experience so that users do more with each visit to your website or app. The intention of intuitive UI design is to remove all potential obstacles from the user’s path. In the absence of unnatural obstacles, users can remain freely engaged until their session reaches a natural conclusion.
User engagement is good for a number of reasons. Chief among those is your website’s SEO ranking. Modern search engines are increasingly prioritizing organic user engagement when compiling and ranking web pages. Compelling content and intuitive design are the two foundations of sustained user engagement.
Less Time Spent Responding to Help Requests
Users appreciate excellent customer support. But an overtaxed customer support team can’t offer the best possible service. Poor UI/UX design can cause frustration and confusion among users. This, in turn, often results in a higher volume of help requests from users. This puts a greater burden on support representatives, and can drive up costs as your team will spend more time fixing problems.
On the other hand, effective intuitive design means less hassle and frustration for users, and fewer help requests. Not only will it free your users up to spend more time on your site, but it also frees your team up to continue to optimize the user experience in other ways.
User Retention
A high volume of unique users is a good thing for SEO rankings. But so is a high percentage of repeat users. And intuitive UI design can be a tremendous help with user retention. All the same reasons that lead to increased user engagement apply with user retention as well. Users who are able to achieve their goals without hindrance are more likely to return to your site or app in the future.
Loyal, consistent users are great for a number of reasons. Organic traffic is just one benefit. But these users are also more likely to recommend your company to others, driving up brand awareness and traffic.
What Does Intuitive UI Design Mean?
At this point, you may be wondering what intuitive UI design actually looks like. For something to be intuitive, it needs to be easily understood and highly accessible. So how does one achieve these goals when designing a website? Here are a few of the key factors to consider.
Consistency
Visual consistency should be the first principle in any attempt at intuitive design. Users should know what to expect when interacting with any and all elements on their screens. The easiest way to offer this is with a consistent design across your entire platform.
Design consistency should also apply to every element of your website. Color schemes and typefaces should remain consistent across pages. Page layouts should not vary too dramatically as users explore different areas of your site. Even your messaging should remain consistent across all pages.
Simplicity
The second key to intuitive design is simplicity. “Less is more” should be the mantra when creating intuitive UI design. Unfortunately, this is often easier said than done. Intuitively designed websites manage to perfectly balance simplicity with functionality. Users should have access to all of the information and resources they need without being distracted by any unnecessary elements on the page.
This can often require extensive testing to determine just what design elements are most important, and which can be eliminated or removed to a different page. Live user testing can be especially beneficial, as it enables fresh, unbiased eyes to take a look at your UX design.
There are also other, basic design principles that can help maintain simplicity on all your pages. Clear, legible typeface is a must for any on-screen text. Pages should also include visually-distinct prompts to help users navigate from one item to the next, whenever possible.
Visual Affirmation
Users like to know that their actions on a page will lead to results. This is something that can very easily go overlooked if you are not designing for optimized user experience. If there are any interactive elements on your page, they should come with easily identifiable cues or confirmations for users. For instance, if users are filling out a form on your website, the page could display a green checkmark every time they have successfully completed a section. Simple visual affirmation like this allows users to comfortably move on to the next step in the process.
Understand Your Audience
It should come as no surprise that a positive user experience requires an in-depth understanding of your users. When building any web service, it is crucial to identify who the intended audience is. Why is that audience visiting your platform, and what will they hope to achieve? Your website or app should be designed, as much as possible, around your intended target audience.
This again may require extensive persona and market research to better understand the goals and needs of your target audience. But a thorough understanding of your users is pivotal when it comes to intuitive UI design. Your website should offer seamless and logical navigation from one expected outcome to the next for your primary users.
Listening to Feedback
Intuitive design should be fluid, never static. Things can change quickly online, whether it’s consumer needs, design trends, or technological advancements. To stay on top of these changes, web designers should always pay close attention to user feedback. Users will tell you which aspects of your UI design are working, and which are lacking. This feedback is essential in updating your existing design to continue providing an optimal user experience.
Do you have any additional questions about intuitive UI design for websites or applications? Contact us with to learn more about intuitive design or any of our web development services.
