The earth is flat. George Washington chopped down a cherry tree. Albert Einstein was bad at math. You get the picture. Myths such as these are those well-known rules that often start as believable and later become ‘common knowledge’ as they flourish. We’ve created a list of 5 well-known UI and UX myths, as well as some that may have once worked in the design world but are no longer true. Then, perhaps, you will have some myths of your own to share with us!
Myth #5: You don’t need to test a good design.
At the heart of this myth is the belief that great designers finish their product on their first try, with little mockup and with no need to test user experience. The truth is the contrary: successful designers make user testing their mainstay. Apple’s current success can be partly attributed to their openness to spending their time and money to prototype and test UI and UX.
Myth #4: You’re the same as your user.
It’s easy to assume that the user of your website or product has the same vision, logic and emotions as you. The drawback with this thinking is that you have a deep knowledge about your product, whereas your user does not. To understand your audience better, consider their attitudes, goals and expectations and learn how you can better understand their behavior. Several tools and techniques to help you conduct this research include surveys, user interviews, and usability or UI and UX testing.
Additionally, a study from Forrester Research shows that a well-designed site “can have up to a 200% higher visit-to-order conversion rate than a poorly designed site.” Don’t neglect researching your audience even if you are low on time as it helps you discover future user problems and build a solution before a user experience it for themselves.
Myth #3: More choices means higher satisfaction
Offering your users choices is perfectly acceptable and results in happy customers of your product! However, too many choices can also bring down a user’s satisfaction as they may have a harder time understanding your product. Studies have shown that too many choices cause a user to become frustrated, in turn developing “decision paralysis.” Therefore, simplify the process by breaking down complicated steps into smaller ones or grouping them in larger categories.
Myth #2: UI is the same as UX
It is a common misconception that UI and UX are the same discipline and produce the same results and outcomes. UX stands for “User Experience” and involves the end-user interaction with the company, its product and services. In other words, UX is the process of defining user’s problems and solving them before they realize it. UI on the other hand, stands for “User Interface” and is responsible for visual product perception while making the interface more attractive and appealing to the eye.
Myth #1: The Design Has to be Original
Though there’s a sense of satisfaction in coming up with original ideas and getting those ‘aha’ moments, it’s likely that the design solution you’re looking for is out there and the usability testing has been done for you! Look for high standards in design, assess the website’s UI and UX suitability and quality, and use it!
"The next big thing is the one that makes the last big thing usable."
- Blake Ross, Co-creator of Mozilla Firefox
Summing it all up
The backbone of great UI and UX is that it not only works well for current users but also for future users. This means it is a continuous process and you need to think long term. Once the myths are dispelled, and the flawed beliefs around UI and UX are corrected, it becomes evident that there are many benefits to well thought out design and that the user experience process should be integrated into everything a company does. Also, you’ll be doing yourself a favor by disbelieving the common myths underlined in this article. It will ensure your UX delivers the returns you are looking for!
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