The user interface for any website is the most important aspect of the web design. After all, this is where your users will be interacting with your website and making judgments about your company. Building trust, establishing a brand and having an easy to follow layout are all aspect of good web design, but which elements are the most important for the user interface? Well, here at Pumpkin Web Design Manchester, we are Manchester’s leading web design and web marketing experts. From Wigan to Southport, we work with companies across Manchester and the surrounding region to deliver high quality web design solutions that really get results. As a result, we have produced this guide to website design and the user interface.
Understanding web design guidelines and the user interface
To make sure that your website gets real results, it’s important to design a user interface that is effective. You should consider:
- Researching the expectations and requirements of your users
- Evaluate current interaction attempts
- Simplify the user interface
- Include error checking
- Quick loading times
Researching the expectations and requirements of your users
To create the best possible user experience, you have to have an understanding of who your users actually are. This means digging into the demographic data you have available and also perhaps gathering information form existing customers or clients. They might well be wiling to fill in a short survey, or give you face to face feedback regarding your current user interface.
Evaluate current interaction attempts
Are your users clicking on images, thinking that this is a button? Are the swiping to move to the next page instead of scrolling? Or are they ignoring your button and interactive elements altogether? Understanding how your website is currently performing in terms of user interaction is important to help you improve and develop an effective user interface, over time.
Make things straightforward
So now you know what your users want from your website, and how they interact, you can help make their entire experience easier and more straightforward. This should be a big part of your website design and the user interface, and can include things like:
- button colours that highlight or change depending on the action taken
- universally recognised symbols to help with decisions. For example, a trash can for the delete or remove symbol. Or a tick to confirm.
- using relevant colours for, such as green for confirm and red for cancel
- writing clear directions on the button. For example, “Tap here to confirm”
Error checking
Use error checking methods to help people if they make a mistake with your website. For example, when filling out a form, you can use error techniques to indicate incorrect or empty fields that need to be completed before purchase. Or, you can use pop ups to make sure they really want to cancel their subscription or abandon the shopping cart. Capturing errors and helping your customers rectify mistakes is a great way to build trust and to make it easier for them to get what they want from your website.
Respond fast
On the web, things happen fast. If a customer clicks on your link, image or button and nothing happens for three seconds, they are going to bounce. As a species we are used to receiving an instant response. So interactions online should be no different. So when a user clicks on a button, make sure the button responds by popping back up, or changing colour. And when a user adds something to the cart, instantly show them that it has been added. Don’t leave them wondering if it has gone through successfully or not. At the same time, if the user needs to wait for confirmation, show a loading animation, and let them know that it is working, they just have to wait.
All of this will reduce frustration and keep your users happy.
For more advice about website design and the user interface, or for professional support, get in touch with the experts today, here at Pumpkin Web Design Manchester.