Developers spend most of their time in coding and developing an application or webpage. Out of all the subtle elements, User Interface forms the most important aspect of an application or a webpage. It is the part that is easily visible to a user and if it performs below expectations, no amount of time spent on coding is going to impress the users. Through the following 8 tips, designers can develop an attractive UI to keep users hooked.

Who is the user?

First and foremost, designers need to keep in mind the demographics. They need to know their audience to land on an appropriate design. If the younger generation is going to access the website or application, it can be made flashy with added jargon, universal symbols, and so forth. While, if the audience is middle-aged or old people, designers need to keep the UI simple and informative to not create any confusion and make it accessible.

It is important to develop user-friendly UI that caters to the audience’s needs; else users will move to more appealing platforms that they can easily use.

Are there any transition effects?

As users perform different actions, they are taken from one place to another within the website or application. Visually appealing transition effects help gain attention and provide a satisfactory experience to the user while banal or lengthy transitions will make the experience dull. Designers should ensure that the transition takes place quickly and smoothly to inform the user that the action has been performed.

The latest trend is to have a fixed menu or guide on the upper side or either side of the application or webpage. As users navigate, the affixed menu or guide highlights the function or feature they are using. The affixed guide can also have sub-titles to make the action more clear and refined.

What will the action lead to?

It is important to considerably define what specific action will do if performed. Users of the application or the website will use it, depending upon the actions it will perform. If there are no clear instructions, users will not proceed on account of safety and security. For example, if an application involves financial transactions, users will want to know whether a specific action will make a payment or not. If there is no such indication, they will prefer not to use it.

Every click, swipe or tap must indicate, directly or indirectly, the action it will perform to win the trust of the users.

Is typography helpful?

The latest trends in designing UI involve adding texts in boxes, columns or using symbols to define actions. The typography of a webpage or an application should be made in a hierarchal order to avoid any confusion.

Every webpage or application is task-oriented. The task for which it is developed should be highlighted more than the additional features it offers. For a platform that allows the user to order food, the ‘Order Now’ option should be more visible and comparatively bigger than other options. This helps in increasing the accessibility and usability.

Can mistakes be corrected?

Since most of the users use touch screen phones, mistakes have become very common. The user might perform an action which they did not want to, leading to a mistake. If there is no method or means to correct the mistake, the experience will become frustrating and handicapped. Therefore, designers should allow leeway in usage.

If the website or application takes a user through a process, there should be an option to visit the last page, during the process. Also, if some unwanted action is performed, the user should have an option to undo it. As already stated above, every action should be clearly defined but even so, there should be scope for errors.

Is the page responsive?

It is important to offer various options on a single page. On the other hand, it should not be crowded with options to make it confusing. Every page should be made as such so that users can achieve their tasks easily and successfully. The various actions that can be performed on a page should be visible and if the app or website offers a long list of actions, not every one of them should be listed on a single page.

Designers should ensure that related actions are grouped and different actions are grouped separately. Every webpage should be sophisticated. The main page should act as a guide or menu defining various features and providing links to each, while the links should lead to the group of related actions.

Can the UI be improved?

The work of a designer should never end. More and more designs or features make it to the trending list and the designer should update themselves and the application or website. Providing the same old UI to the old and new users will repel them and they can be kept interested only through continuous improvements.

After using the platform for the required task, a feedback process should be initiated. The process should be optional and involve a few steps only. Through the feedback, the designer can improve on the aspects that lack behind and also act on recommendations of the various users. The platform should be regularly updated to incorporate the latest trends and improve usability.

Does the page comply with standards?

Though there are no set standards that define a webpage or application, most of the designers follow a uniform code. Designers can seek inspiration from other platforms. This helps in designing a platform that is simple and complies with undefined standards. The users will face difficulty in operating the application or the website if the standards are ignored and the designers employ creativity and improvisation in abundance.

Adding soothing colors and improvising a little can make a huge difference. By complying with standards regarding functionality, universal symbols, procedural aspects, and so forth, the designers make an easy to use website.

Thus, with the above-mentioned tips, designers can take on the humongous task of designing an app or website. These tips will prove helpful in making a user-friendly and attractive UI that will keep the users fixated to the application.