Top 7 UX Design Challenges and Fixes To Learn About Now

Creating a website that appeals to target customers is one of the most critical steps in establishing a web presence. However, this is also a continuing challenge because of the dual responsibilities to meet customer needs and interests while also conforming to ever-changing web design trends.

This article focuses on UX (user experience) design challenges even top Chicago UX design companies encounter. They include:

1. Balancing aesthetics and functionality
2. Focusing on customer needs and feedback
3. Using pop-ups
4. Remembering the in-between user experience
5. Creating UX content
6. Controlling the information to provide
7. Applying responsive design elements

We included strategies for each one, too. Let’s go!

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1. Finding It Difficult to Balance Aesthetics and Functionality

Aesthetics are subjective and can vary from person to person. Something may be visually stunning but may not be practical or usable. This makes it difficult for web designers to balance aesthetics and functionality.

Design trends and innovations evolve constantly. Designers must stay current to create a modern website and consider technical limitations such as load times, screen sizes, and browser compatibility. However, incorporating all of these may sometimes come at the expense of functionality. 

To balance aesthetics and functionality, a Chicago UX design agency recommends: 

• Adopting a user-centered design.
• Keeping the design simple and streamlined. 
• Ensuring intuitive navigation. 
• Maintaining a consistent design. 
• Using a visual hierarchy. 
• Making the website accessible to all users.

2. Focusing on Customer Needs and Feedback

Because customers have diverse needs and preferences, designing a website that meets them is difficult. Customers may not always provide detailed feedback about their website experience, making it even harder to identify areas for improvement. Besides, it may be impossible to implement all customer suggestions due to technical or resource constraints. 

Failing to meet customer expectations can result in their dissatisfaction. To address these challenges, designers must conduct comprehensive user research. This involves: 

• Conducting surveys, interviews, user testing, and other research methods to gather insights into customer needs and preferences. 
• Collecting and analyzing feedback from various channels, such as customer support interactions, reviews, and social media. 
• Creating user personas based on research to better understand the target audience. 
• Prototyping and testing to gather feedback from customers on design concepts.
• Prioritizing customer needs over personal preferences or assumptions when making design decisions.

3. Using Too Many Pop-Ups

Pop-ups can effectively improve conversions, promote loyalty, and enhance engagement. However, too many pop-ups can negatively impact UX design, interrupting the user's browsing experience and causing frustration. 

Pop-ups may also slow load times and give the impression that the website is spammy or untrustworthy. Users may consequently lose focus on their tasks or abandon the website altogether. 

To avoid these negative effects, marketers should use pop-ups strategically and sparingly. A Chicago UX design agency recommends keeping in mind the following:

• Timing is key. Pop-ups should only appear when the user has completed a task or reached a specific point on the website.
• Avoid displaying pop-ups immediately after the user arrives on the website or while in the middle of a task.
• Ensure pop-ups are relevant to the user's needs and interests. Use data and analytics to personalize pop-ups.
• Use non-intrusive pop-ups that are easy to dismiss and do not obstruct the user's view. Add a clear and easy-to-find close button.

4. Remembering the In-between User Experience

The "in-between" user experience refers to interactions between screens or actions within a website or application. This includes loading animations, transitions, and other visual or audio cues that help guide the user through the interface. A poorly designed in-between UX can be jarring and disorienting for users, leading to confusion and frustration.

Optimizing in-between UX is important to creating a seamless and intuitive user experience. Smooth transitions between screens or actions can make users feel more in control and engaged with the interface, improving their experience.

Here are best practices when optimizing the in-between user experience: 

• Use easy-to-understand animations and transitions that match the visual language.
• Prioritize speed and responsiveness with lightweight animations that load quickly.
• Create continuity between screens or actions to help users navigate the interface.

5. Creating UX Content

Web designers might not be great content creators. However, defining the site's purpose through excellent UX content creation is still essential. It helps users understand why they should use the website and how it can benefit them.

UX content also helps users navigate the site, reducing confusion and making the experience more enjoyable. Good UX content can enhance search engine optimization (SEO), improving the website's visibility and ranking in search results.  

Partnering with a UX design agency with content marketing expertise would make sense. Such experts would: 

• Define the website's purpose and goals to create content that matches its mission and value proposition.
• Understand the target audience, who they are, and what they seek.
• Utilize clear and concise language, avoiding the use of technical jargon or complex sentences.
• Organize content for easy scanning, using clear and scannable sections with proper headings and subheadings and breaking up long paragraphs.
• Use visuals such as images, videos, and infographics to make content more engaging and memorable.

6. Controlling Information To Provide

Deciding what details to include on your pages is hard but remember that too much information harms the user experience. This is especially true with e-commerce sites where each product has its own page. Users may become overwhelmed, frustrated, confused, and unable to complete their tasks. Consequently, they may leave the site due to the unpleasant experience. 

When deciding what to include on your website, give your users an enjoyable experience by keeping in mind the following: 

• Avoid overwhelming users with information unrelated to their task or goal.
• Place essential information at the top of the page, using proper formatting, such as bold or italicized text.
• Use visuals such as images, icons, or videos to supplement the text and provide additional context.
• Avoid overload and provide easy-to-digest information by using progressive disclosure or gradually revealing information as the user needs it.

7. Applying Responsive Design Elements

A responsive website adapts to various screen sizes and devices, allowing a consistent user experience across multiple platforms. While it is an essential aspect of modern web design, it can be challenging for some designers to implement.

Responsive design often involves using complex coding techniques, which can be daunting for some designers. The need to balance aesthetics and functionality and ensure the design works seamlessly on multiple platforms adds to the challenge. 

Expert designers can improve website UX design by: 

• Starting with a mobile-first approach to ensure website mobile optimization.
• Adapting the layout to different screen sizes using a responsive grid system.
• Using responsive, retina, and SVG graphics to optimize images for different devices.
• Using scalable font sizes, ensuring that text is easy to read and legible on all screens.
• Simplifying mobile navigation with hamburger (3-bar), drop-down, and nested menus.
• Optimizing forms and input fields for mobile devices using auto-complete, validation, and input masking.
• Using responsive buttons and calls-to-action to ensure website users interact regardless of device.

Summing Up

Fixing UX design challenges is crucial to improving the website. With an expertly designed website, businesses can effectively engage with their customers and promote their brands, products, and services.

Partner with an expert UX design company to develop professional-looking websites. Contact Digital Authority Partners (DAP) today.