Technology

9 Common UX Mistakes Start-Ups Often Make And How To Avoid Them

INTERLUNAR
INTERLUNAR

As a business, it is important to understand just how much efficient User Interface (UI) / User Experience (UX) can transform your start-up business. UI/UX can essentially make or break your product or business, because it determines whether or not potential customers remain on your webpage. While there may be many other UI/UX mistakes start-ups can make, here are 8 of the most common mistakes made.

1. Neglecting User Research

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Photo by NordWood Themes on Unsplash

Especially when running a start-up, it can feel overwhelmingly tempting to jump straight into your product before conducting thorough user research. However, this is a common mistake many new start-ups make, as this lack of user knowledge usually leads to the downfall of their designs. 

You’ll want to make sure you find and reach the right target audience, and the first step to achieving that is via efficient user research! Find out what your audience likes and dislikes as well as their daily struggles, and in turn, propose solutions and ways to enhance their experiences.

2. Overcomplicating The Interface

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Photo by Ivan Yeo on Unsplash

Some start-ups may get too excited and start to add on way too much when it comes to the interface. You should keep in mind that a little goes a long way. Nobody likes a cluttered and overcomplicated interface, as not only is it hard to navigate, it can also be frustrating and straining to look at. 

Always aim to keep interface designs simple, yet functional. A great example to draw inspiration from would be Apple! They’re notorious for their extremely simplistic user design that’s easy for anyone to navigate, whilst still allowing users to complete many tasks. 

3. Forgetting About Accessibility

a handicap sign painted on the side of a wall
Photo by Tim Mossholder on Unsplash

Accessibility is a factor that is often overlooked by many start-ups, as it can often get swept aside with the rush of things. According to the World Health Organisation, as many as one in six people have a form of disability. Tech start-ups should consider various subgroups of users who may have greater difficulty accessing certain features. Optimising your interface to suit every subgroup will essentially help increase and improve your overall UI/UX design. 

4. Avoiding Feedback

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Photo by Jon Tyson on Unsplash

It’s a no-brainer that you should be listening to the opinions of those you intend to serve, yet so many tech start-ups tend to overlook it. The importance of listening to user feedback cannot be stressed enough, as you’ll get to learn and realise faults in your product that you might not have ever thought of. Apart from just listening, you should also seek to implement these changes to improve your product for your users. This not only reduces the amount of frustrated users, but also allows your users to feel like their opinion matters, which increases trust for your brand.

5. Inconsistency

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Photo by Dan Meyers on Unsplash

Keeping UI/UX designs consistent can be tough sometimes, especially as a start-up. However, a lack of consistency can lead to confused users or even dissociation with your brand, as users won’t recognise your product right away. It’s important to settle on a set of consistent factors for your UI/UX designs and keep them apparent throughout, this way, users can grow accustomed to your product’s design.

6. Neglecting Mobile Experience

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Photo by ROBIN WORRALL on Unsplash

The mobile experience should never be neglected, as many users are also often on the go, and thus, on their mobile phones. Especially if your start-up relies on social media marketing, a large portion of your users will come from their mobiles. 

If your UI/UX isn’t catered to mobile users, you could end up losing plenty of potential users, and this is different than just simply taking your web version and squeezing it into a mobile format. Optimising specifically just for mobile users can be a huge contributing factor to your tech start-up’s growth.

7. Not Prioritising Speed

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Photo by CHUTTERSNAP on Unsplash

With today’s fast-paced world, it is more important than ever to ensure your interface design is able to function as fast as possible. Users now have significantly reduced attention spans, so, if your product does not appeal to them within the first few seconds, there is a high chance they’ll click out. You’ll want to make sure your UI/UX design is able to capture user’s attention the moment they enter so they can be successfully pulled in to discover your product for what it is.

8. Lack Of User Testing

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Photo by JESHOOTS.COM on Unsplash

Similar to obtaining feedback as mentioned above, you’ll want to make sure your product has been thoroughly tested and improvised before its launch. A lot of start-ups breeze through or even skip through this step all together. 

This is essentially one of the most crucial steps, as bad interface designs will push users away instead of drawing them in. Conduct surveys or ask questions to gain a better understanding on how your product’s UI/UX can be improved. This will better prepare your product for the larger masses of users

9. Not Getting External Help

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Photo by NordWood Themes on Unsplash

For most startups UX/UI experience can be completely foreign. With that, it's actually a mistake to not engage with companies like INTERLUNAR that offer UX/UI services. INTERLUNAR is highly qualified in UX/UI interface optimisation, providing UX/UI audits and web design services. So whether you’ve already got a website or not, INTERLUNAR can help! Small businesses especially would benefit from obtaining an expert's opinion.

We know it takes some time and effort to conduct product testing and go back and forth to improve your product before its release, however it is essential for all businesses. Many start-ups can get too excited and simply want to launch their product straight away, however, that can cost you tech start-up more than you think. 

It’s best to avoid backfire by going through the steps to avoid these mistakes. Here at INTERLUNAR, we understand wholeheartedly the ups and down of beginning a tech start-up and would be more than happy to help! Feel free to contact us for an e-coffee chat to discover the potentials your business could reach!

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