Universal Principles of UX: 100 Timeless Strategies to Create Positive Interactions between People and Technology (Rockport Universal)

we pre-select things for a user, we minimize the number of decisions they have to make,

Obviously not all forms should feel like a game, but if the form is ordered logically, fields are labeled clearly, related information is grouped, there are proper defaults, both keyboard and thumb input has been considered,

As UX designers, we need to master the art of interrupting, otherwise we run the risk of ending up with another Clippy. If we treat the user’s time as valuable and think of notifications as an assistant in potential moments of confusion, not as a sales tool, we’re on the right track. The guiding principle should always be, “is this actually helpful

“Scrollytelling” is a term that describes the combination of scrolling and storytelling and is used to help people stay engaged in long-form content or complicated data visualizations (see Principle 78). Rather than taking people out of their experience by making them click on tool tips, videos, or image galleries, scrollytelling dynamically reveal

Why? Because speed is the ultimate usability metric. It has such an impact on our experience that it can become the one thing people will remember most, making it even more memorable than the actual design. In other words, ugly but fast is better than pretty but slow. But not always. Sometimes it’s actually good to slow people down a little (see Pr

It’s important to keep in mind that features that delight users now could become expected features later on. For example, the crowd may have gasped when Steve Jobs introduced the pinch-to-zoom functionality in the first iPhone at the 2007 Apple event, but we’re not gasping now. As technology evolves, we become more and more demanding in the types o

Similar to how a building can’t be erected without a strong foundation, a digital product cannot be designed without a strong information architecture. And since we are now all living in the information age and spend more time on screens than we do sleeping, it’s vital that the foundations of the digital places we call home are just as solid as our

Use language that is appropriate for the target audience. Use meaningful and consistent labeling. Flatten the structure as much as possible. (Keep subcategories to a minimum.) Make it easy to scan. Use colors or iconography as memory aids. Make it clear what is clickable and what is not. Allow users to easily exit, go back, and understand where the

If we want to draw attention to visual content, dark mode is a safe bet. If we want people to read, light mode is better. When in doubt, we can always offer both and have the user choose for themselves. But whatever you do, make sure your decision is based on context of use, not based on what you think looks cooler.

An effective IA allows all users to easily meet their different goals through clear information hierarchy, labeling, categorization, and classification, which is known as the taxonomy. And since at least 50 percent of users will use a different entry point than the homepage and content is likely to grow, it’s important to make sure that the structu