Design Principles Used by Apple: For Better User Experience
As a child visiting her aunt for the very first time in her big fancy 5 story apartment with great paint color choices, no one told me that I would be struggling to find my way out of the building.
The exterior looked beautiful and aesthetically pleasing, but the interior design of the house crumbled me because of the unending exit route that had many staircases.
Inquisitively, when I left her apartment, my intention was to tour the building, but I was lost in the middle of the staircase. I couldn’t remember which stairs took me back to my aunt’s main apartment.
There was no signage that gave a clue to directions, so I kept coming back to the same spot no matter which staircase I took. Luckily, I was rescued by a kind neighbor who I thought was probably used to the apartment, but not all that, because I could still see how difficult he found it. It was a terrifying experience. I never visited again until she moved out of the building.
Just like my aunt’s apartment story, we often find ourselves stuck in sections of a website or an application with no idea of how we can achieve our current goal – nothing to help us navigate through or even give answers to a couple of these questions that are roped in your mind, like:
- “Where am I?”
- “Where can I go?”
- “What will I find when I get there?”
- “What’s nearby?”
- “How do I get out?
Apple has always ensured that they build a product that has an answer to all the questions and every thought that ( users) humans might have.
In this article, we will look at the key principles of UX design best used by Apple that every designer should know.
What are design principles:
Design principles are said to be the foundation upon which great designs are built but in this case, I will say, “Upon which great products are built.”
Design principles are also a series or framework of considerations, decisions, and guidelines that teams follow before starting any design work.
It makes better sense that a product isn’t just built with the intent for a user to “only” use it but to think ahead, considering how users will interact with the design and making sure that every element works together harmoniously, resulting in a product that truly resonates with its audience and serves its purpose effectively. Apple believes in the term human instead of users. Therefore, they have shown more kindness towards their design in the past few years.
Ultimately, good design is not just about aesthetics but also about functionality and user satisfaction. Let’s have a good read at some principles used by Apple
List of the Principles
Apple believes that when you design a product, you are equally serving a human or thousands of humans and the output could positively or negatively affect their lives. This was quoted by Mike Stern. That means that their experience using your product will shape their thoughts about your product in real time and its aftermath.
Here are the principles Apple has maintained:
Usability: Apple’s commitment to its products goes beyond just their look; it focuses on how effective they are for people to use. How it works. Usability is a key principle in Apple’s design philosophy, ensuring that products are not only beautiful but also easy to use.
Users don’t want to be led into frustration or feel like they have wasted a whole lot of time trying to figure out how your product works. Apple’s design approach prioritizes clear, simple, and intuitive interfaces that let users navigate and use their devices effortlessly. Even complex functions are made accessible and straightforward, reducing the learning curve and making the overall experience better.
“Design is not just what it looks like and feels like. Design is how it works.”- Steve Jobs
Communication: Communication is key – not just in relationships between a boy and a girl but everywhere, including product design. A well-designed product should be understandable, helping users to figure things out easily. It should guide users smoothly from one action to the next, conveying every bit of detail clearly.
To my knowledge and thousands of comments on the internet, Apple has profoundly built products that communicate effectively with users instead of leaving them confused, forcing them to relearn things from scratch, or cracking their heads trying to figure out what exactly is to happen. Their designs are intuitive, making it easy for users to navigate and understand what to do next instead of assuming that a user will be logical. For example, Apple ensures that every element of the design is clear and purposeful.
Apple makes sure users know exactly how to interact with their devices. This thoughtful communication within the design has helped users feel confident and in control, enhancing their overall experience.
So in all, communication in design is really important; it reduces frustration and confusion of any kind that a user may encounter, thereby leading to higher user satisfaction.
Functionality: The complete end-point of a good design is to allow users to accomplish their intended goal(s) very quickly and work well while also attaining the purpose for which it was created in the first place. Everyone loves a beautiful product but no one loves a non functional product; it automatically becomes useless to the user if it doesn’t work. So Its really important that functionality be prioritized
To keep functionality in the palm of your hands during the design process, you need to take your user’s needs into consideration. Focus on understanding how they will use the product and what they expect from it. Consider how they will navigate through your product without any hassle or stress. As much as Apple’s aesthetic look is appreciated, they’ve also ensured that their product is intuitive and satisfied users needs and interactions. Another way is to test your product and get feedback to see areas that need fixing and improvement. Collecting this feedback will help you understand what works well and what doesn’t, allowing you to make necessary adjustments
“It should just work” – Steve Jobs
Aesthetics: Humans have this immediate reaction to beautiful things. They often perceive aesthetically pleasing design as a product that is usable – this is the aesthetic-usability effect. They also believe that a beautiful design is one that works.
Just like my aunt’s house, I was first drawn to how beautiful the house was on the outside before I got to see the other aspects of the house that didn’t please me. I would have sworn that beauty was the only thing needed in the house, but I was wrong. As much as aesthetic design plays a significant role, functionality is also important.
During the design process of a product, it is highly recommended to make the product attractive. This can be achieved by being mindful of how every element is placed and aligned, ensuring that emphasis, components, and design systems are carefully created. Visual hierarchy guides users’ eyes on what to see and how beautifully they see it. Just like my aunt’s house, the first most noticeable thing about Apple design is their clean, consistent, and organized layout. However, they also ensure that it is useful.
A beautiful product that doesn’t work well is just as disappointing as a functional product that isn’t visually appealing. Therefore, balancing aesthetics and usability is key to a successful design.
Emotional Connections: Apple will forever sit pretty in building products that create emotional connections with their users. They understand the importance of empathy and needs in UX design and the significant impact it has on users. Because human decisions are influenced by their emotions, interactions, and experiences, they are more likely to recommend and value a product if they feel a different kind of deep connection to and satisfaction with it. Emotions are like the superintendent of many of our decisions, from what we buy to how we perceive it, that will intrigue us into recommending it to others. So basically, positive emotional experiences with a product will always lead to strong user loyalty
Apple uses sound, touch, and visuals to get emotional responses, making products feel personal and engaging. They ensure that every interaction is smooth, intuitive, and enjoyable to let users feel as though its a human to human kind of interaction (hehehe, you probably need to check any Apple product to feel what I felt). I will say they understand and prioritize users’ emotional needs and then go ahead to craft products that resonate deeply, making every user feel valued and understood.
Attention to detail: Another key to Apple’s great design of their products is their attention to detail. From the font selection and color choices that perfectly define their brand to ensuring every element meets its functional requirements, Apple excels in design.
Every component, no matter how small, is designed with purpose. Apple’s careful consideration of every detail ensures that their products not only look good but also work seamlessly. The fonts they chose are clear and legible, enhancing readability and the user experience. Their color palettes are not just aesthetically pleasing but also thoughtfully selected to convey the right emotions and enhance usability. Apple is know as the makers of everything good
Consistency: Users will often go back to what they are already familiar with. Most users don’t want to start learning things again, so consistency helps them feel comfortable and confident in their interactions when using your product. Apple has steadily maintained consistency in almost everything, ranging from their layout, button choices, icons, color choices, and text styles across all products. That way, a user doesn’t have to start relearning how to use another Apple model. When users encounter familiar design elements, they can immediately recognize and associate them with a specific brand, fostering a deeper connection and sense of reliability. This principle is essential for creating products that are not only easy to use but also memorable and engaging.
Minimalist and Simplicity: Less is more – down to the smallest product ever made by Apple, they have always maintained a very simple yet powerful design in their products. They solely focus on what’s important while decluttering what’s not. One would always admire how elegant, sleek, and clean the interface is while serving intuitiveness.
Human brains tend to simplify forms and structures as much as possible to avoid cognitive overload; they are more likely to remember the simplest element or information, among others. This is why minimalist design, which makes it easier and more intuitive to obtain information,
So In trying to create a functional design, ensure to avoid doing too much, take time to understand the essence of the product and what problem you are solving, that is to say, focus on the core functionalities and make it as simple as you can. Complexity is always easier to create than simplicity; ensure you stay in the lane of what’s best for your users.
“Simple can be harder than complex: you have to work hard to get your thinking clean to make it simple.” – Steve Jobs
Final thoughts
Apple’s design principles reflect a deep understanding of human needs, behaviors, and communication. In so many ways, they’ve all linked together and resulted in the creation of products that are not only beautiful but also highly functional and satisfying to use. These principles ensure that users have a seamless and enjoyable experience, building loyalty for the brand. Their design principles continue to inspire many people, especially designers, and have shaped the future of design in this technological era. By combining aesthetics with usability, Apple has set a high standard and truth be told that its really worth emulating.
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