10 UX Tips & Strategies for Software Developers

Sure, you want to use your software to change the world and solve troublesome issues. However, the end goal of any business is to generate revenue.

If you want to meet this goal and exceed your business's expectations, you'll need to ensure your software's users are content with their interaction with your product. In the IT world, we refer to this as the user experience (UX). When you improve your customers' user experience, you'll increase your sales potential.

Creating the ideal user experience doesn't begin when a user comes into contact with your software — instead, it starts as early as the product development.

Check out these ten UX design tips that will help you provide your customers with the ideal experience.

1) Consider Your Target Customer

As you commence the software development process, you shouldn't create a fantastic product for just anyone to use. To optimize your efforts, you should first define your target audience. Doing so will allow you to figure out who your product will appeal to and reach your sales goals faster.

No matter how intricate your product is from a behind-the-scenes perspective, your customers will only see how it solves their problems.

So, what problem does your software solve? Who could benefit from it? What are your potential customers' issues, behaviors, and preferences?

Don't program a product to suit your needs. You should keep your more extensive customer base at the forefront of your company's mind.

2) Devise Efficient Platforms

When customers use a computer, they expect speed. In one study, nearly half of the participants anticipated a page load time of two seconds or less. If they experienced a slower rate, they were much more likely to click away.

Your development team should commit to efficiency as you develop your UX strategy. Don't fixate on making the most beautiful, mesmerizing platform — make simplicity and speed your priorities.

With this tip in mind, you should still make your application pleasant to look at and use. You'll gain a lot of loyalty when you offer the right balance of looks and speed.

3) Don't Complicate the Registration Process

Companies fall victim to this problem too often. They capture users' interest with their innovative software product only to lose customers during the registration process.

Avoid losing customers by setting up a simple registration form. Request the essential information near the top and avoid putting too many optional fields.

Follow up with potential customers about a free demo (if you offer one) and remain persistent about making the final sale.

4) Consider Different Platforms

If your software product or service only works well on a computer, you aren't optimizing customers' UX. When your team members make your software mobile-friendly, a user feels like they have more versatility and control.

Approximately four out of five people in the U.S. own a smartphone, surpassing laptop and desktop computer ownership numbers.

This impressive statistic should be enough to convince you to make your software accessible from any device. Your major product development may thrive, but you may lose loyalty if you don't have a separate app for mobile-inclined users.

5) Plan for Errors

With your designers working hard to create a fantastic user-centered design, it can be challenging to think about the worst-case scenario.

However, it's essential that you consider ways to minimize errors with your software. You should perform usability testing to determine your software's strengths and weaknesses and work out kinks in the design process.

Nothing will ever go perfectly. But as soon as you accept this truth, you can have the smoothest design and development process possible.

6) Establish Consistency with Your Product

A critical element of designing user experience is establishing consistency. Your software may provide different solutions, but all of them should be simple to follow.

If your software requires multiple windows, ensure that the icons keep a consistent appearance and location. Otherwise, your customers may have trouble associating your brand with the product you provide.

You should also adhere to this tip whenever you update your software product or service. Make updates to optimize the user experience, but don't go overboard and confuse your users in the process.

7) Program for Customization

Your software product or service will likely solve a problem that a lot of people have. Some standardization is important, as it'll allow your software to perform the job for which you designed it. However, a customer can recognize a plain, standard user interface from a customizable one.

You'll gain brand loyalty when you incorporate a degree of customization into your UI design. Users respond well to emotion, so you shouldn't let them feel trapped in one mode of use. Instead, give them ways to customize their experience and feel like they're a part of your product.

Consider performing user research to figure out how to make your customers feel more involved with your software.

8) Implement Security Measures

There's nothing worse than having your personal information compromised. Users who have to resolve issues like this will undergo weeks of stress and trauma.

Your software engineering team can prevent this from happening by implementing high-quality security measures, including:

• Masking the data

• Establishing minimum criteria for password creation (at least one number and one special character, all passwords must be at least eight characters long, etc.)

• Automatic log-out and idle time procedures

• Detailed methods for recovering users' compromised accounts

Another tip we can offer your software engineering team is to avoid using the keyboard for the verification process. Specific software programs can identify keystrokes, so stick to click-based CAPTCHA methods.

9) Offer Support

Your customers should have adequate support to rely on, regardless of how pristine and perfected you've made the interaction design. There's always the chance of technical issues, and you don't want to neglect customer's needs.

Your company should establish live chat, email, and phone support teams. Implement multiple pathways to assist customers with UX issues.

Furthermore, you can release training videos and recorded webinars on your company's site. This way, customers can access general information without talking to someone from your UX design team.

10) Solicit & Incorporate Negative Feedback

Don't get disheartened by negative feedback — instead, use it to your advantage.

As brutally honest as it can be, negative feedback will point out the significant issues with your software. You can use these evaluations to improve UX for current and future users and even win back lost customers.

Subscribe Today for More UX Design Tips

If you're looking to update your UX design process consistently, subscribe to our newsletter for advice today!