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The Decline of UI/UX: What’s Happening?
I come from a background in backend development, having started in the industry 25 years ago. Back then, we adhered strictly to fundamental UI practices, which now seem to have been completely tossed aside. While I try to avoid being the stereotypical older person complaining about “today’s developers,” I can’t help but ask: Why are basic UI/UX principles being ignored?
Take forms on websites, for instance. Many adopt only the most rudimentary and careless data validation techniques, resulting in poor user experiences. Consider the process of looking up an order on an ecommerce site. It’s common for users to copy and paste their order number from a confirmation email, which often includes an extra space. If the website’s form only checks the length of the entry without trimming spaces, it rejects valid input as incorrect. Stripping spaces before and after input was once standard practice—what happened to it?
Another frustrating example is entering your birthdate in a form. If you’re over 20 years old, brace yourself for a tedious scroll down a dropdown menu on a small smartphone screen, attempting to tap the right line of text in a tiny font. It makes me wonder whether developers are even testing their sites for usability anymore.
Am I missing something here? Is there a reason behind these oversights? Are these best practices no longer being taught, or is it that they simply don’t matter to anyone involved?
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2 responses to “Why is there a decline in UI/UX standards today?”
Your frustration with the current state of UI/UX design is understandable, and your observations point to several important issues that have emerged over time. Let’s delve into potential reasons why UI/UX might seem subpar today and how the industry has evolved:
1. Complexity and Rapid Development Cycles
Speed Over Quality: Modern development often prioritizes speed and continuous delivery. Agile methodologies and frameworks like Scrum emphasize rapid iterations, sometimes at the expense of comprehensive UI testing and refinement.
Feature Overload: Applications today are expected to do much more than they used to, which can lead to cluttered interfaces if not carefully managed.
Platform Variability: With the rise of mobile, web, desktop, and now smart devices, designing a consistent UX across these platforms can be challenging.
2. Evolving User Expectations and Habits
User Demographics: Interfaces now need to cater to a broad range of users with varying degrees of technical expertise, from tech-savvy users to complete novices.
Trendy Designs: Sometimes, in a rush to adopt new design trends, fundamental design principles are overlooked. Vibrant visuals or animations might take precedence over usability and accessibility.
3. Education and Skill Gaps
Curricula Changes: It’s possible that some educational institutions may focus more on teaching new technologies and frameworks rather than foundational UX principles.
UI/UX Maturity: As a field, UI/UX is still maturing. While there are certainly mature guidelines and best practices, they are continually evolving, which can lead to inconsistent application.
4. Tooling and Automation
Over-reliance on Frameworks: Developers often rely on pre-built frameworks and libraries to streamline the development process. While efficient, these tools sometimes impose constraints that lead to suboptimal user experiences.
Drag-and-Drop Builders: Platforms like WordPress and Wix offer quick solutions at the cost of customization and optimization for user experience.
5. Business and Economic Pressures
Cost-Cutting: There may be economic pressures to cut costs by minimizing investments in user research and thorough testing, potentially leading to a less refined UI/UX.
Conversion Focus: Businesses often prioritize design changes that drive conversions or engagement, sometimes overlooking general usability and accessibility.
6. Testing and Iteration Issues
Thank you for this insightful post! I believe the decline in UI/UX standards can be attributed to several intertwined factors. Firstly, the rapid evolution of technology and user expectations often lead to a focus on speed and features over foundational usability principles. In the race to innovate, it seems some developers overlook the essential aspects that contribute to a seamless user experience.
Additionally, as more developers enter the field from diverse backgrounds, there might be a disconnect in the understanding of core UI/UX principles. Many modern frameworks and libraries emphasize functionality, which can overshadow the importance of user-centric design. This shift could lead to a reliance on pre-built components that don’t always align with the best practices you mentioned.
Moreover, the rise of A/B testing and data-driven decision-making often prioritizes metrics over the actual user experience. This can lead to making changes that optimize for immediate engagement rather than long-term satisfaction.
Your examples, particularly the order number and birthdate issues, highlight the need for a balance between backend functionality and frontend usability. Perhaps a renewed focus on user testing during the development process, coupled with ongoing education around UI/UX fundamentals, can help bridge this gap. Engaging both seasoned professionals and newer developers in conversations around these practices may foster a culture that values user experience once again. After all, a well-designed interface not only pleases users but also enhances conversion rates and customer loyalty in the long run.