Ever clicked on a website and closed it within seconds, just because something felt off? Maybe it was too crowded. Maybe it was too slow. Or maybe you just couldn’t find the one thing you came for. That feeling? That’s poor user experience in action. And in the digital world, it’s deadly.
Designing for user experience (UX) isn’t just about making things “look pretty.” It’s about making them feel right. It’s the difference between a website that works and one that works for people. As the www.too.ae editor, I’ve seen the same patterns play out across industries, audiences, and platforms.
Start With Empathy, Not Aesthetics
Before you pick fonts or colors, ask: Who am I designing for?
UX design starts with empathy. It’s about understanding the user’s needs, goals, fears, and frustrations. You’re not just building a site—you’re solving problems.
Think of a job seeker using a career portal. They’re likely stressed, impatient, and goal-driven. They don’t care if your hover animations are award-worthy. They care about whether they can apply for a job in under five minutes.
One practical tip? Build personas. And not vague ones like “Tech-savvy Millennial.” Get specific. Name them. Give them real routines, devices, goals. And test your design assumptions against their reality.
Map the Journey Like a Human Would Walk It
User flow isn’t a chart—it’s a lived experience. If a user lands on your homepage, where are they likely to go next? And more importantly: how easy is it to get there?
Build your navigation with clarity, not cleverness. You’re not trying to impress. You’re trying to guide. The fewer decisions a user has to make, the better. Research shows that reducing choices actually increases satisfaction.
In Turkey, this principle is often ignored on e-commerce sites. You click “Shoes,” and suddenly 27 filters hit you like a truck. Don’t do that. Filter gradually. Let users breathe.
Also: always design mobile-first. In the UAE, over 70% of web traffic comes from mobile. If your design looks good only on a 16-inch MacBook, you’ve already lost.
Speed Isn’t Optional. It’s UX 101.
Here’s a stat for you: A one-second delay in page load can reduce conversions by 7%. And in a city like Dubai, where time is money and patience is rare, even a second is too long.
Use optimized images. Avoid bloated JavaScript. Compress what you can, lazy-load what you must. Google’s PageSpeed Insights isn’t just for devs—it should be in every designer’s toolkit.
If your UX includes micro-interactions or animations, make sure they load after the core content. Never sacrifice function for form. That’s not design—it’s decoration.
Feedback Loops Build Trust
A user taps “Submit.” Nothing happens. Was it sent? Is it loading? Should they refresh?
These silent moments create stress. And stress kills trust.
Every action must have feedback. Button clicks should animate. Forms should show confirmation. Errors should be human, not robotic—“Oops! Looks like your email’s missing a dot” is better than “Error Code: 405”.
Also, don’t wait until after launch to get feedback. Prototype early, test often. Ask real users to interact, and watch them do it. Where they pause, where they click twice, where they frown—those are your design opportunities.
At www.too.ae, we’ve seen clients double engagement just by tweaking form error messages. That’s UX in action.
Accessibility Is Not an Add-On
Designing for everyone means everyone. That includes people with disabilities, slower connections, or older devices.
Use high-contrast text. Don’t rely on color alone for meaning. Make sure everything works with screen readers. If you’ve never used one, try navigating your site using only a keyboard. You’ll be surprised how many “invisible walls” you find.
In the UAE, inclusive design is slowly becoming a standard. Government sites already follow accessibility guidelines strictly. If your brand wants credibility, you should too.
Microcopy: The Quiet MVP
Words guide users just as much as visuals. Your “Buy Now” button, error messages, and tooltips are all part of the user experience.
Avoid jargon. Avoid filler. Don’t say “You must enter a valid email” when you could say “Hmm, that email looks off—try again?”
Even things like placeholder text can make or break a form. “Enter your email” is boring. “We’ll never spam you, promise” builds trust.
Good microcopy is like a great waiter: helpful, friendly, and never in the way.
Design Is Never Done—It’s Maintained
A UX designer’s job doesn’t end at launch. That’s when the real work starts. Monitor heatmaps. Track behavior flows. Read user reviews. Watch your analytics not just for traffic—but for friction.
Where are users dropping off? Which buttons are never clicked? Where are they rage-clicking?
Design is iterative. You tweak, test, and try again. The best products in the world weren’t built in one go—they evolved through listening.
Use tools like Hotjar, FullStory, or even simple session recordings. Ask users for feedback with one-click surveys. Sometimes, one sentence from a real user will change your entire design perspective.
Designing for user experience is not a task—it’s a mindset. It’s putting humans before trends, clarity before creativity, and usefulness before ego.
And remember: the moment your design stops answering human needs, it stops being UX.
(This guide was crafted by the www.too.ae editor based on real-world experience and local insights.)