Web usability is your friend

Man using a desktop computer

It’s a simple truth that if you have enjoyed the experience of a website you will be happy to return and use the site again another day. If you have had a frustrating experience on a website you will naturally avoid returning to the site again if you can help it. This is why the user experience is so important. Fundamental stuff.

There is a whole range of factors that make up good UX from page load time to clever navigation. It’s a science. We recently created a handy ten step guide to web usability, so if you’re not up to speed on the subject we’d suggest having a good read of that first.

But it’s not all about the technical side of usability.

Designers can have real fun with UX. Adding unique touches to a website can be pivotal in setting it apart from the rest and as long as the key usability factors have been considered, there is plenty of scope to come up with quirky and humorous ways to enhance the user experience.

Our top picks for great UX 

1. We Transfer

https://wetransfer.com/

Their beautifully simple form and “Drop it like it’s hot” functionality for sending big files is a dream to work with. Their background advertising is always beautifully composed, often showing artwork, photography or interactive/animated work.

As designers, we often have to use FTP sites to send large artwork files. We Transfer makes it effortless, and with deadlines always pressing it’s brilliant to have such a quick and easy tool on hand. The visual element is an added bonus and really appeals to members of our industry.

UX points: Drag & drop / Simple 3-field form / Visual appeal

2. Animade Facebook Like

http://like.animade.tv/

London animation company Animade created this web page to encourage folk to like their Facebook page. The user's cursor is followed by the beady eyes of an illustrated character, whose grin widens the closer the mouse gets to the like button. The page is really simple and playful, not only making a bit of a game out of the task but also cleverly showing off the company’s skillset and personality.

Our designer Fiona said: “It's really fun and engaging and something I hadn't seen before. I've been following Animade ever since.”

Here's Animades post explaining it http://animade.tv/work/like

UX points: Humour / Visual appeal / Character

3. Mailchimp

https://mailchimp.com/

This email campaign builder is user-friendly from start to finish. Every single step in the process from creating a contact list to building a design and reporting back post-send has been thought about. The navigational elements such as the breadcrumb menu make it really easy to see exactly where you are in a campaign and the clean layout means information is easy to find. In terms of UX, Mailchimp really takes the biscuit.

But they didn’t stop at a great user interface. The brand uses engaging visual elements at points throughout the platform to add a little bit of character to the experience. We really like the finishing touch featured just before the final send - the Mailchimp monkey’s hand sweats over the go-live button as the user moves the mouse ready to press send. 

UX points: Great navigation / Character / Intuitive UI

User experience can be a great opportunity to have fun with web design. Whether it’s gorgeous visuals, playful animation or intelligent navigation - carefully considering your audience and understanding how to engage their interest is absolutely key in ensuring your website hits the mark.  

We wrote a blog earlier this year all about getting into the mindset of your target market, by creating User Personas - check it out here. And if you want to learn more about the magical world of UX, check out our free handy guide here.