expert knowledge design
05.06.2024
5 design principles for developing digital products
Karl Tsaltas
Marketing & Content Creation
typedigital shows you which design principles you should follow to develop digital products efficiently.
<h2>Design principle 1: Consider the usability vs. flexibility tradeoff</h2>
<p>When designing your digital product, you have to be prepared for a compromise:</p>
<p>Should it be flexible, i.e. perform a variety of different functions? If so, it can be used in a variety of ways, but is more complex and will quickly lead to frustration for inexperienced users due to the increased complexity.</p>
<p>Or is it a product that is supposed to perform a very specific action? If so, it can be customised precisely to the specific use case and is therefore less complex and more user-friendly.</p>
<p>An example of the usability vs. flexibility trade-off is the comparison between universal remote controls and Apple's remote controls. Due to their high functionality, universal remote controls have a confusing keypad and therefore a very complex design. Apple remote controls, on the other hand, specialise in their own brand and are much easier to use due to a few functions. They only need a few buttons and therefore offer a much more pleasant user experience.</p>
<p><img src="https://typedig.uber.space/assets/1a050201-e305-41f7-8621-f61d65b16de1?width=1600&height=900" alt="Usability Flexibility Tradeoff"></p>
<h2>Design principle 2: The aesthetic bias</h2>
<p>Studies have shown that users perceive an aesthetically pleasing design as more user-friendly. They are even willing to overlook minor usability limitations if the digital product is visually appealing. This shows that the visual appearance, i.e. the GUI (graphical user interface), is also part of the UX.</p>
<h3>Our tip:</h3>
<p>Always try to design an aesthetically pleasing product that users find appealing. If unforeseen minor errors occur, users will then be more willing to overlook them.</p>
<h2>Design principle 3: Forgiveness</h2>
<p>Making mistakes is human and should therefore not be ignored when designing digital solutions. A product with a high level of usability should be prepared for this, or prevent errors from occurring in the first place.</p>
<p>Input fields are a well-known example. When it comes to filling out a form, it often happens that fields are overlooked. In such cases, a message appears indicating that they have not been filled in. The recycle bin on your computer is also based on the forgiveness principle, as it allows you to undo actions.</p>
<p>Therefore, think about which actions users might regret and give them the opportunity to change their decision afterwards.</p>
<h2>Design principle 4: The 80/20 rule</h2>
<p>The 80/20 rule, also known as the Pareto principle, means that 20% of the input can provide 80% of the output.</p>
<p>This also applies to the design and user experience of a digital product. For example: 80% of users rely on only 20% of an application's features.</p>
<p>In practice, this means that you should first identify the 20%. The next step is to pay special attention to them and optimise them.</p>
<h2>Design principle 5: Cost-benefit</h2>
<p>Identifying the cost-benefit ratio helps to determine the benefits of certain actions and processes as well as the quality of a product from the user's perspective.</p>
<p>With regard to an app, for example, this could mean: How many clicks are required to access the desired information?</p>
<p>If the effort is greater than the benefit, the action is cancelled. If the benefit is greater than the effort, the action is carried out.</p>
<h3>To summarise:</h3>
<p>If you want to develop an optimised digital product for your customers, you need to take certain basic principles of design into account. The principles we have described are a selection of the top 5 that we also adhere to on a daily basis.</p>
<h3>Important:</h3>
<p>These principles form the basis for ensuring that your software or app fullfils the minimum requirements for positive usability. Unfortunately, hidden obstacles can still occur in time and again, negatively affecting usability.</p>
<p>To identify any errors, we highly recommend to take a close look on the digital products using <a href="usability_audit" target="_blank" rel="noopener">usability testing</a> and <a href="ux_ui_design" target="_blank" rel="noopener">UX audits</a>. Only if you involve users in a targeted and systematic way can you offer solutions that meet their needs.</p>
<h3>Still have questions?</h3>
<p>Do you still have questions about the design of digital products or user experience? Or do you have a specific question or concern about your product? Then get in touch with us! Whether it's a UX audit or usability testing, as experts we can look back on many years of experience and can support you in realising your idea with the right methods.</p>
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Jonathan Stütz
Design Lead & Product Strategist
