With 20 years of experience in software interaction and product design, I’ve tackled countless flawed projects. Today I’ll break down the core logic that separates great and terrible user experience—something you won’t grasp just from online tutorials.
Most people judge software only by its appearance or feature set. But what truly decides whether users stick around is the user operation path.
My core design rule: Shorten the user’s path to complete any goal as much as possible.
Top product designers worldwide share one ultimate pursuit: minimizing user interactions. Apple products, smart vehicle systems, short-video algorithms, and even future brain-computer interfaces all follow this principle—fewer clicks, fewer page jumps, less mental effort.
Take backend management systems as a clear example:
Dropdown Menus vs. Horizontal Buttons
A dropdown selection takes 4 steps: hover over the button → click to expand → scroll to pick an option → click to confirm.
Horizontal buttons cut it down to just 2 steps: hover over the target button → one click to finish.
The number of operations is halved for the same task. Don’t underestimate those extra two clicks. When multiplied across dozens of functions in a system, tediousness piles up, driving users away.
Multi-layer Page Jumps vs. Inline Expansion
Many apps force users through nested menu layers: tap Level 1 to jump to Level 2, then Level 2 to Level 3. After finishing a task, you have to backtrack page by page to return home.
Every page switch forces users to re-familiarize themselves with layouts and hunt for functions, creating unnecessary mental load.
The better solution: display primary and secondary content on the same screen. No repeated switching—all tasks completed in one place.
Let’s correct a common misunderstanding held by 90% of people: Flat design is not just a minimalist visual style.
People assume flat design only means removing shadows, gradients and fancy decorations.
True flat design centers on flattened interaction paths: fewer hidden options and fewer detours across layers.
That said, with all content displayed inline, visuals must stay clean and restrained; otherwise, cluttered information will overwhelm users.
To gauge an app’s user experience, ask yourself four simple questions:
- How many clicks does it take to finish a task?
- How many page jumps are required?
- How long do I spend locating functions?
- Are there any redundant, useless steps?
Strong product designers break down every tiny user action and eliminate unnecessary steps to deliver the shortest possible route to their goal.
One design mantra guiding my 20-year career:
Let users accomplish what they want instantly, and reach where they need to go in one step.
Polished interfaces and abundant features mean nothing without streamlined operations—that’s the key to retaining users.
Tags
#ProductDesign #UIUX #SoftwareDevelopment #AppDevelopment #ProductThinking