Fluid Designs !! They are just soooo naturally easy.

Image by Ennelise Napoleoni-Bianco from Pixabay

There are just too many articles on this subject and seriously I have myself read a lot of them in the search of a simple 5 point list that can be the guiding metric in the UI designs we do. During my search I came across some very brilliant articles on the subject and I must say I got inspired to write my own list of Elements of a Good UX. Like they say a good UX is something you can feel when you see it, without touching it.

• Zero Cognitive load……. A good UX does not put any extra load on you while you navigate the app or the website. Today users have very low attention spans and any site that puts them into an extra — uninteresting cycles of discovery is immediately bounced off.

• A good design allows for seamless navigation, reduces cognitive load and it very intuitive. A good UX takes into account the usage patterns, heuristics and thereby designs are done around human hand and eye movement to ensure zero cognitive load. Here is a good resource for Cognitive design.
• Design Vs Usability Balance……A lot of times UX becomes design heavy and low on usability or interaction. A lot of times websites and apps become showcases of the designer’s talent rather than solving the customer need and utility.

• Too much colour, gradients, pop-ups, special effects etc take away the usability of the website and lead to user aborting the sites. A good article on Usability Vs Design is here
• FrictionLess & Intuitive………If there is one company that has mastered the art of Frictionless design, it is Apple. Of course I am a die-hard Apple fan, but they have earned their place and respect.

• The fluidity and frictionless-ness in the designs is so visible that a user can feel it visually. The colours, the contours, the interfaces, the aesthetics, they all talk to you and engulf you in the Apple world. If you look at design around you today especially of electronic devices, there is a whole lot of apple inspiration sitting there. You must visit the apple website to understand what i am talking about here…
• A design that is customisable (Personalisation)……Now frankly this a tall order and a lot of products and UX/UI designers have attempted to do this. Remember Android OS with its various customisable home screens? I will call that a great attempt but they did not get it right. While allowing customisation, there is a fine balance to be drawn between level of customisation that is to be allowed vs the loss of usability and functionality and aesthetics. I guess while the android home screen was able to allow customisation they eventually impacted the usability and aesthetics of the UI. One of the best tools to use for Customisable UI designs is Adobe XDCC.
• Sensory Appeal……..Can you design for sensory appeal. Yes, Of Course all designs appeal to the eyes, but how many designs go beyond the visual sense to appeal to the other senses. Visual design is so powerful that if designed right it can appeal to the other senses like touch, smell, feel, hear etc. Again a great example is the Apple HomePod design.

• The HomePod actually talks to you. If you look at the intricate design, it gives you a feel of high-tech, precision and sophistication which all music lovers want in their devices. The Visual shots of the Homepod are able to talk to you, give you an impression of high tech feel and allow you to touch its intricacy thru your eyes….now that is what I call a design….

(just for laughs — I am not paid by Apple to glorify their designs )