What is UI design?

UI Design is all about the structure of the website/application, user manipulation and communication. An integral part of any website or application, user interface design is also arguably one of the most important. This is because your design is what your users see and interact with. It's the UI design where designers put together their visual ideas, analysis & research to create a good design.

What makes good design?

Good design is accessible. It is for people, for all people. Good design is not about aesthetics or style. It is not about making a product look cool or trendy. Good design is about how it feels. It is about how it works. When we look at a product and say, "that feels good," we are saying that the product is desirable, easy to use, and in tune with our needs. Good design is about taking the best from many sources and distilling it into a useful product.

In short good design isn't something that's acquired and then maintained. Good design has to come from within. It's made from within. Good design takes the form of symbols, structures, code, and content. Good design has to work in tandem. Good design comes from an unapologetic pursuit of perfection. Good design is in the details. Good design can be described but not fully understood and cannot be created successfully without great passion and a sense of identity.

UI Design Principles

To create a good design you must understand the UI design Principles. Deep understanding of UI design principles can make a vast difference while creating a design.

Following are some of the UI design principles you must Know and you should keep in mind before creating any design.

1. Clarity

Clarity is the one of the key features any interface should possess. Ben Shneiderman also believes that for an interface to be effective and user-friendly, it must be recognizable, predictable, and have an obvious purpose.

2. Consistency

Consistent UI allows users to transfer existing knowledge to new tasks, master new aspects faster, and focus on solving the problem, rather than waste time understanding the differences in the use of certain controls, commands, etc. By ensuring the continuity of previously acquired knowledge and skills, consistency makes the interface design recognizable and predictable.

3. Interaction

The primary purpose of an interface is to allow people interacting with the world, to match the system and the real world Through the interface, we get access to services. Interfaces perform specific tasks, and their effectiveness is measurable. However, they may go beyond practical applications. The best interfaces are those that surprise, inspire, awaken feelings, strengthen the experience in interaction with the world.

4. Transparency

It is very easy to go overboard and add unnecessary layers to the interface: extra buttons, graphics, options, windows, attachments. The user will have to go through all that to get to the point. To avoid that, UI design should be aimed at direct control and naturalness.

5. Strong Visual Hierarchy

It allows setting the sequence and smoothly directing the user’s view from one interface element to another. With a weak visual hierarchy, the interface looks overloaded and messy.

6. Step-by-step Information Flow

If a person has to make a choice, it has to provide enough information to make a decision and proceed with details on the following screens. There is no need for unnecessary details all at once. They should be delivered gradually.

7. Invisibility

Contrary to popular belief, one of the keys and common UI design principles is its invisibility. It allows the user focusing on the goals without being distracted by the interface. Although it might be hard for a designer to implement, less is better.

Bottom line

It all comes down to the fact that UI design is successful when people want to use it. Designing user interfaces can be considered not only as creating an interactive environment but also as developing an object of use. The interface itself is not just the graphics — it is the usability element.