How often did you use IRCTC to book train tickets in the past? Did you ever feel frustrated by the confusing website navigation and the excessive number of clicks? In his book “Don’t Make Me Think”, Steve Krug offers practical takeaways for creating user-friendly websites by improving usability.
This blog post highlights 6 key takeaways from the book.
#1 Don’t make users guess
A usable product allows the average user to accomplish their goals without unnecessary frustration. Users shouldn't have to pause and figure out how things work just to complete a core task. Usability isn't just about aesthetics, it's primarily about ensuring that everything functions well for everyone.
#2 Design for lazy readers
Design the product so that users can quickly scan and grasp the necessary information without having to read in detail. Critical information should be prominently visible, and the content should be well-structured. Maintaining consistency in layout and navigation helps reduce the learning curve and enhances usability. Additionally, using short paragraphs, bullet points, bold headings, and clear visual hierarchies can significantly improve scannability.
#3 Follow conventions
Design conventions, like placing the logo in the top left corner, navigation patterns or using standard link colors for hyperlinks, enhance learnability by being predictable. When users recognize familiar patterns, they can navigate the product intuitively without needing to relearn how things work. Don’t reinvent the wheel unless there’s a compelling reason to do so.
#4 Minimize cognitive load
Every click requires a user to make a decision. When it's unclear which button to press to complete a task, it creates friction by forcing users to guess what will happen next. Each additional click, vague label, or unexpected outcome adds to the mental load, increasing the risk of frustration and abandonment. To improve the experience, make actions obvious, minimize the number of clicks, and shorten the user journey wherever possible.
#5 Test early and test often
Frequent, small usability tests are more valuable than large, expensive, and infrequent studies. Regularly observing how users interact with the product helps identify where they get stuck, making it easier to uncover critical usability issues. Product managers and designers should make usability testing a habit, ideally by scheduling sessions on a monthly basis.
#6 Accessibility is non-negotiable
Accessibility benefits all users, and a well-designed product should be inclusive. Simple adjustments, such as adding alt text to images, ensuring appropriate color contrast, and using readable font sizes, can make a significant difference for users with disabilities.