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7 Principles That Make a Good UI/UX Design

7 Principles That Make a Good UI/UX Design

Any company's primary goal is to boost sales to spur overall expansion. A website's UI/UX design is a crucial factor in reaching this objective. No matter how UI/UX designers experiment with new ideas, they must keep things simple, even when building the most complicated parts of the website, like checkout or eCommerce filtering. To make the most of different design methods without sacrificing the quality of the experience, it's essential to stick to certain rules. Read on to find out the best principles of UX/UI design development.

UI vs. UX: What's the Difference?

User interface (UI) design is the user-centred method of creating a digital product's aesthetics. The interface is basically the graphical design of the application. These interfaces should be helpful, simple to use, and attractive to the eye.

User Experience (UX) focuses on the interaction that a user has with products and services. The main UX design objective is to make the usage of these products and services, whether digital or physical, simple, understandable, and enjoyable.

The table below highlights the key differences:

UI Design UX Design
Focus Visual elements — colours, typography, spacing User journey — how people interact with the product
Goal Make the interface beautiful and consistent Make the experience smooth and intuitive
Key question Does this look good? Does this work well for the user?
Output Mockups, style guides, design systems Wireframes, prototypes, user flows, research
Tools Figma, Sketch, Adobe XD, Illustrator Figma, Miro, UsabilityHub, Hotjar
Skills needed Visual design, colour theory, typography User research, information architecture, testing
Measures success Visual consistency, brand alignment Task completion rate, time-on-task, satisfaction score

Main Principles of UI/UX Design

When creating a website, it's crucial to have some benchmarks. The Nielsen Norman Group (2024) defines usability as a quality attribute that assesses how easy user interfaces are to use — a principle that underlies all seven guidelines below. We've gathered the most important UX/UI design requirements you can be guided by.

1. Users needs come first

Any design should always have the user in mind. A design does not fulfil its purpose if it does not correspond to the users' needs or assist them in achieving their objectives. By adhering to this approach, a designer is not only better able to comprehend the demands of the consumers but also has a solid understanding of what the users' deal-breakers are.

Designers should have a thorough understanding of the users' needs. Before starting the design process, they typically do research to find out the wants and needs of those who are to use the product or services. Typically designers are looking for the following information:

  • The segments of the audience based on their needs.
  • The primary audience group and its requirements.
  • How the design can make the consumers' lives easier.

2. Place users in control of the interface

Always create a self-evident, straightforward navigation. Every software product's user interface should be enjoyable to explore. Even highly feature-rich B2B solutions shouldn't terrify users to the point that they are reluctant to click a button. Here's what can be done.

  • Allow users to reverse the actions. This allows customers to explore the product without fear of failure – knowing that errors can be easily fixed encourages customers to try other choices. Though keep in mind that requiring a user to be extremely cautious with each step leads to tension that no one likes.

Allow users to reverse the actionsImage source: Screenshots taken on the official Bodum website

  • Give visual cues. Allow users to use the interface easily by giving points of reference along the way. Users can immediately see where they are in the interface thanks to page names, highlighting for presently selected navigation options, and other visual aids.

Give visual cuesImage source: Screenshots taken on the official Bodum website

  • Ensure informative feedback. The system should respond meaningfully and clearly to every user activity and assist them in achieving their objectives with minimal effort. When users engage with a button, for example, it's critical to convey some evidence that an action has been accepted. This might be as basic as a change of colour or pop-up. Users should double-check when feedback is not provided to ensure that the intended activities were carried out.

Ensure informative feedbackImage source: Screenshots taken on the official Bodum website

3. Make it easy to interact with a product

Easy and convenient interaction with the app or website is the most crucial factor in its success. Hence, you need to ensure a user feels like a fish in the water when interacting with the product.

  • Eliminate extraneous components or content that don't directly assist user actions. Strive to build UI so that any information displayed is helpful and relevant. Examine each component and rate it based on the value it provides to users.
  • Avoid making users enter too much data. Users can become quickly irritated by lengthy data-entering processes. According to KoMarketing, 65% of website visitors would not submit a form if it requests too much personal information.

Checkout exampleImage source: Screenshots taken on the official H&M website

  • Use Fitts' Law. According to the Interaction Design Foundation, Fitts' Law states that a target's size and distance impact its acquisition time. Therefore, it is preferable to design large targets for crucial functions.

4. Mind the consistency

One of the critical factors of a product's usability and simplicity is consistency. The core concept is transferable knowledge. By preserving visual and functional consistency, users can move their expertise and abilities from one part of an app's user interface to another and from one app to another.

The other, equally crucial, part of consistency is to provide users with a familiar experience. There are many companies on the market now that offer comparable products. While it is preferable to innovate and do things differently than your competitors, users may get confused when facing an interface that is not like anything they've seen before.

5. Remember the visual aspect

Early in a user's journey, a product's appearance has a significant impact. According to WebFX (2025), the design of a brand's website accounts for 94% of first impressions. Therefore, a UI/UX designer needs to have a strong aesthetic sense to make the design appealing. Mind the following aspects:

  • Choice of colours. There are various methods to use colours to make a user interface more appealing. Colours might be used to highlight specific elements. For example, you can use red to highlight buttons, pink to help tabs stand out, green to indicate the action was done successfully, and so on. Additionally, use colour to achieve consistency inside the UI. You can, for example, ensure that all buttons, icons, and menus have the same colour as it makes the interface more understandable.

Example of color choices for a website pageImage source: Screenshots taken on the official Lancome website

  • A balance between the elements. You can maintain symmetrical or asymmetrical balance of design elements. It should, however, be kept unified across the design so that users have a consistent experience throughout their journey. A balanced design is significant since it allows designers to provide visual weight to certain elements based on the importance of the information they impart.
  • Designers may utilise contrast to draw attention to essential aspects, develop an attractive layout, and pique the user's interest. Make components stand out as in most cases consumers cannot see them without the contrast. Determine the most critical information and draw attention to it. Also, avoid utilising too many effects in your design because they divert attention from what is really important.

6. Take care of the text

When combined with visual components, the text is crucial to communicate the right message to the right audience effectively. Although UI/UX designers may not be required to create the text, they must still choose where and how to position it to fulfil the intended function.

The language used should always be clear and straightforward. All digital items are used by many people in today's content-rich world and even though it is impossible to determine each user's comfort level with technical jargon, it's better to abstain from its usage.

Always proofread your copies thoroughly since mistakes can significantly contribute to producing an unpleasant experience. Errors, on the one hand, undermine the reliability of the information presented and make the content incomprehensible.

7. Build a hierarchy

A high-quality design will always have a hierarchy. In addition to making the design more understandable for the UI/UX designer, this hierarchy also aids users in engaging with and navigating the design. The significance of a hierarchical structure increases when it comes to software, websites, applications, and other digital products.

Colours, fonts, and the placement of visual elements, among other things, can be used to show hierarchy. For example, capitalised text with a larger font attracts greater attention, elevating it in the hierarchy. Similarly, the usage of visual factors like contrast and proximity of design elements can only indicate the importance of a specific element. It should be noted, however, that the arrangement must be uniform throughout the design. Once a UI/UX designer decides on the information order, they need to adhere to it.

Example of building a hierarchy on a website pageImage source: Screenshots taken on the official Tubik Studio website

UI/UX Design: Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between UI and UX design?

UI (User Interface) design focuses on the visual elements — colours, typography, buttons, spacing. UX (User Experience) design focuses on the overall feel and usability — how a user moves through a product, accomplishes tasks, and feels during the process. Both are essential for a successful website.

Why is UI/UX design important for business?

According to WebFX, 94% of first impressions are design-related. Additionally, research cited by Toptal indicates that 88% of users are less likely to return after a poor user experience. Investing in UI/UX design directly impacts customer retention and revenue.

What is Fitts' Law in UX design?

Fitts' Law states that the time required to acquire a target (like a button) depends on its size and distance. Larger targets placed closer to the user are easier and faster to click. This is why important actions like "Add to Cart" or "Submit" should have larger, well-placed buttons.

How many UI/UX design principles are there?

While different frameworks exist, the core principles include: user-first approach, user control, easy interaction, consistency, visual appeal, clear text, and visual hierarchy. The Nielsen Norman Group's 10 Usability Heuristics is another widely used framework.

How does UI/UX design affect conversion rates?

Good UI/UX design reduces friction, guides users toward desired actions, and builds trust. Simplified checkout flows, clear calls-to-action, and intuitive navigation all contribute to higher conversion rates. As highlighted in the article, even a simple change like eliminating unnecessary form fields can significantly improve form completion.

Do I need both UI and UX design for my website?

Yes. UI without UX means the site may look beautiful but be frustrating to use. UX without UI means the site may function well but feel unappealing. Both are necessary for a successful website that attracts, engages, and retains users.

Final Word

The design of a brand's website impacts almost 100% of visitors. As we dicoveres, users are 88% less likely to revisit the same website after a negative user experience.

Learn more: enhancing user experience with interactive web design

Various resources recommend various solutions for good UI/UX design. However, the aforementioned UX/UI best practices are the most fundamental ones and can considerably boost your chances of producing a website that attracts and engages the target audience.

Author: Kate Parish