Website User Experience Analysis: excellent interface is invisible

Source: Internet
Author: User
Keywords User Experience

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A really good user interface is ignored, and bad design forces the user to notice the interface, not the content. Users visit the site with a purpose: Buy a new book, learn jquery, share an article with a friend, discover new music, write a novel, or simply look for the nearest destination. They're not just going to play with the interface. In fact, users do not care about interface design at all. Over the years, the lack of models and interactive tools for desktop systems has led people to think about the user interface, and how does it work? How do you add color to your design or subtract points? But do users really need to care?

Users are already familiar with the patterns and components of the interface, but they don't care. For years, web designers have spent hundreds of hours on button colors, projections, borders and gradients, just to make the interface more accessible and aesthetically pleasing. But in fact, the ultimate form of a good user interface is not easy to use, but invisible.

  

As you may have learned, mobile devices have been the highlight of recent years. The advent of multi-touch devices leads to a sensational concept-the user interface is a series of clicks and events on the content, and the rise of mobile devices makes the interface more natural. There are a number of reasons for this, but the direct manipulation of the content and the abandonment of outdated and representational things (like those on desktops) give these devices a high ease of use because their interface almost disappears.

But we still need to work with desktops and notebooks, and we need to browse websites and use web apps. These magical, interesting multi-touch technologies, and the more natural new user interfaces it creates, may not be useful. So, since it's not working for us, are we going to continue to create outdated and "interfering" UI elements? Of course not, the invisible interface should be the goal of every UI designer and developer.

interface, not obstacles

  

Interfaces should not be a barrier to user browsing or achieving goals. There is no need for users to experience UI traps and haphazard navigation before they reach their goal. Over the years, we have been using and inventing various UI barriers. On the surface they seem to solve some problems, but they add more burden to the user. Crumbs are an excellent example. It is often thought that crumbs are a good choice to let users know where they are in the application. But more often than not, it simply adds unnecessary UI elements that affect the normal user experience.

Although crumbs do not directly burden users, they occupy the screen's valuable space resources, which should be used to guide users to achieve their goals and display content. Increase the crumbs to deal with the navigation problem, try to solve it directly. To "fix" some UI problems, new elements are often introduced. However, too many unnecessary elements add up and the final interface becomes a maze of obstacles. If you just add UI elements, how can the interface be invisible?

Resolving interface problems

  

This is closely related to what we said earlier, but to create an invisible interface means to solve the deeper problems that you have to really address. I have a little problem with my back, of course, knocking and taking painkillers can relieve the pain, but not the cure. I lacked movement, often listless, as stiff as a stone. We are also dealing with interface problems. When creating websites and apps, we always find all kinds of strange problems. Most of the time we just do some cosmetic work to solve the problem, and the interface hides deeper problems. This is a piecemeal measure.

But this has become a practice, because we have to learn to fight with project managers, site owners, shareholders, project progress or just laziness. We always use this as a reason for user testing and AB testing. "I know something is wrong, but it's still a matter of verifying with the user whether it's really a problem." "This is not a good way to achieve stealth design," he said. Fully transparent interface means to solve the deepest problems in design, they will not come out and become a stumbling block to users.

Tolerant design

  

Tolerance is often a feature of the invisible user interface. The natural interface does not limit the various exploratory clicks. When a user goes into a dead end, it does not easily display an error message, but rather directs the user elsewhere.

Forgiving users means they don't punish them when they make a mistake. User error actions are often due to unpredictable results. We always blame the user for the problem and pop up big warnings and bad tips to punish them. When users step into a trap, the invisible interface avoids punishment. Compared to pop-up error prompts, excellent interface design can predict the application of higher error rates, and provide solutions, and even guide the jump.

Tolerance also means that the rules of a website or app can be broken by users. This is an unwise move, but if you break your mother's antique vase and try to stick it back, it is surely the most profound lesson. When users make up for their mistakes, they will learn more about your app, and not the big red bug icons and obscure copywriting.

Top priority, reach a goal

  

This is an excellent example of an interactive design, a project that Cooper is working on, and I should only be allowed a little hint-a goal-oriented design, given that it is not yet online. Your interface design should also revolve around the user's purpose. It's not what the user wants or likes, it's not what it is. Instead, tap into the needs of users and guide them to achieve their goals. It's funny how users can always talk about what they want to do with their products, but they don't know anything about their goals. Your job is to tap into their needs, not the requirements. "Requirements" will lead to a bloated interface, obstacles, annoying users.

Find the target and let the user finish it as soon as possible, they do not care about other things, as soon as possible to reach the destination is the most rewarding for them. There is no need to design a nice interface to avoid excessive design to compensate for poor target guidance.

Consistency

  

Yes, we've been talking about the principle of consistency in the world of user experience. In interface design, consistency is the key. If your interface elements are in the same place and have the same color and function, your interface will fade away ... Like Marty McFly. However, if you just put all the buttons in the same position on each page, or perform the same function with a particular operation, you won't be able to resolve the consistency issue.

In the user experience design, we also often learn from the app or the site in the same or similar things. I have previously written articles explaining how similar environments make the interface more comfortable. However, we have to create a real invisible interface, not for the sake of consistency, it is not enough light. The invisible interface has "true consistency", not only in terms of elements, numbers, links, and other data representations, but also in the same scenario and meaning.

For example, you should have noticed that many other apps put the login button or link in the upper-right corner, so you would think that since all the other apps did, it would be wrong. But in your app, it might be pointless to put it in that position. Rather than continuing to create defective interfaces, it is better to place the interface elements in the most appropriate place and then extend consistency throughout the product.

Conclusion: Encouraging users

Finally, excellent stealth design also needs to inspire users. When the interface is disconnected from the user's steps, direct them to the final goal, the user will focus on their goals.

The interface should be seamless with data and content to encourage users to establish a good relationship with it. Users sometimes like to explore a clever interface products, and even have fun. But more often, the interface that doesn't exist for them is more inspiring.

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