On this kind of pages you will not find, for example, so-called dead ends or misleading menus. See how to do a UX audit if you need to conduct it yourself and check out 3 trends expected in 2018 in the field of UX.
The essence of a user-friendly website
Remembering the words of Steve Jobs, a design is not only about how something looks or how it feels, but also about how something works. The art of designing easy to use pages is called User Experience, or, in other words, Usability.
The definition of usability can be summarized eloquently with the title of one of the industry books, which is called: Do not make me think. A user-friendly website is, therefore, a website where navigating or making actions is simple, logical, and intuitive. And the user experience – positive and seamless.
How to conduct a basic UX audit?
If you need to conduct a basic UX audit on the page yourself, focus on the essence of usability. Ask yourself the following questions:
- Does your page meet the needs of your target group? Your target group may be, for example, musicians. In this case, you can place on the page a kind of musical background. However, it would not be a good idea if your target group was, for example, hearing impaired people.
- Is the navigation simple? You probably heard about the importance of page navigation a million times. Nothing unusual. If there are so-called dead ends on your website or no home buttons to come back in case of getting lost, your users get frustrated and may abandon the page. Also, make sure that the menu elements are intuitive and named accurately to their content.
- Is your site mobile-friendly? For a long time, the use of phones has replaced the use of computers. For this reason, make sure the layout of your page is responsive and looks good on every kind of devices.
- Does your site load fast? It is said that users leave the page that loads for more than 3 seconds. Don’t make your users wait. Make sure your page is fast and doesn’t jam.
- Is your page available for people with disabilities? It may happen that some of your users will have some dysfunctions, such as amblyopia or hearing impaired. In such case, a user-friendly website is the one that has the option of converting text to speech or enlarging letters.
3 trends to expect in 2018
What will be trendy in 2018 in the field of UX? As mobile is on a pedestal, it is necessary to design for it.
In 2018, there will be a boom in gesture-based interactions, co-called microinteractions. And it will be not only about clicking on buttons or swiping the notification. Users will be able to appreciate the content in a more natural way, for example, by drawing a heart on a screen.
Designers will also give users the opportunity to share the broader spectrum of emotions. They will be based on face recognition, responding to facial expressions. Not only humans, but also devices will be more emotional in 2018. Smartphones are probable to give to their users a possibility to rate products by human-like feedback, for example, by using facial expressions.
In 2018, you will probably come across the so-called biometrical authorization which is about logging in to the app with no login and password, but face or voice recognition.
