Design in action: UI/UX is more than just beauty - 3 app/web UI/UX design principles to retain users & boost conversion

You've almost certainly had this feeling: You download a sleek, beautiful-looking app, only to struggle to figure out how to use it. Or you visit a website where you can't find the checkout button, no matter how hard you try. This is the clearest proof that a "beautiful" design isn't necessarily a "good" design.

In the digital product world, the terms UI and UX often go hand-in-hand but have distinct meanings:

• UI (User Interface): Is everything you see—the colors, fonts, buttons, and images. UI is the saddle, the visual appeal.

• UX (User Experience): Is your feeling when using the product—is it easy to use, does it feel logical, is it satisfying? UX is the feeling of riding the horse.

A beautiful interface (UI) can attract users, but only a great experience (UX) can retain them. This article will dive deep into 3 golden rules in UI/UX design principles, helping you create products that are not just beautiful but also effective, directly impacting user satisfaction and your business goals.

1. Principle 1: Clarity

Don't make users think

This is the most fundamental principle. A good design must be self-explanatory. Users should immediately understand what they are looking at and what they can do next without needing to read instructions.

• Why it's important: The human brain tends to follow the path of least resistance. If an interface is too confusing, users will quickly give up rather than try to decode it.

• Example of bad design: Using abstract, confusing icons without an accompanying text label. For instance, a sparkling star button could mean "Favorites," "New Feature," or "Rate Us." This ambiguity causes confusion.

• Example of good design: A prominent orange "Add to Cart" button, placed in a familiar location next to the product image, accompanied by a shopping cart icon. Users don't need to think for a second to know its function.

• Advice: Prioritize clarity over unnecessary originality. Use common design conventions, clear text labels, and a logical visual hierarchy to guide the user's attention to the most important elements.

2. Principle 2: Feedback

Let users know what's happening

In the real world, all our actions have a reaction. You flip a switch, the light turns on. You push a door, it opens. It's the same in the digital world; the system must constantly "communicate" with the user.

• Why it's important: Feedback creates a sense of reassurance and control. It lets users know their action was recognized and the system is processing it. A lack of feedback causes uncertainty and frustration.

• Example of bad design: You press the "Submit" button, and the page doesn't change at all. You don't know if the form was sent, if there's a network error, or if you should wait. As a result, you press the button multiple times.

• Example of good design: After you press "Submit," the button becomes disabled and displays a loading spinner. Once complete, a "Submission successful!" message appears. The entire process is clear.

Advice: Use loading indicators, confirmation messages, changes in button color/shape on interaction (hover, click), and constructive error messages (e.g., "Your password needs at least 8 characters" instead of just "Password error").

3. Principle 3: Consistency in UI/UX design principles

Create a familiar world

Consistency is the key element to creating an intuitive and easy-to-learn experience. Elements with similar functions should have a similar appearance and operate in a similar way across your entire product.

• Why it's important: Consistency helps users build a mental model of how your product works. They don't need to learn from scratch on each new screen. This reduces cognitive load and speeds up usage.

• Example of bad design: On screen A, the "Save" button is green and in the top-right corner. On screen B, the "Save" button is gray and in the bottom-left corner. This inconsistency forces users to search and rethink every time.

• Example of good design: In the iOS operating system, the "slide left to delete" action is applied consistently in Mail, Messages, and many other apps. Users only need to learn it once and can apply it everywhere.

Advice: Build a Design System or a simple UI/UX Design Principles Kit. It will define colors, fonts, button styles, spacing, etc., to ensure all designers and developers on the team follow a common standard.

Design is not subjective

One of the best ways to verify design effectiveness is through A/B testing. For example, you can create two versions of a call-to-action (CTA) button (one blue, one orange) and show them to two different user groups. Then, you measure which version gets a higher click-through rate (CTR).

This proves that the most effective design decisions are often driven by data, not just personal preference.

Finally, remember, a beautiful interface might be what attracts a user the first time, but it's a smooth, intuitive, and respectful user experience that keeps them coming back.