Simplify user experiences by focusing on 5 best practices: 1. Design for the "scent of information" rather than strict navigation. 2. Use "progressive disclosure" to initially share high-level details and draw users deeper. 3. Organize information into logical clusters with a clear hierarchy to aid scanning. 4. Consistency is important but clarity outweighs consistency - adapt when needed. 5. Truly understand your target audience to tailor the experience appropriately.

1. 5 Best Practices for
Simplifying User Experiences
ROBERT STRIBLEY

2. Simple doesn’t
mean simplistic
Simple
• Thoughtful
• Intuitive
• Concentrated
• Easy
• Straightforward
• Comprehensive
Simplistic
• Thoughtless
• Misleading
• Over-Simplified
• Difficult
• Confusing
• Anemic

3. “Everything
should be made
as simple as
possible,
but no simpler”
- Albert Einstein

4. 55% of consumers are
willing to pay more for
uncomplicated
experiences.
64% of consumers are
more likely to recommend
a brand because of a
simple experience.
— Siegel & Gale, The Simplicity Index

5. Let’s look at 5 key best practices
to keep in mind when designing to
keep experiences simple: intuitive,
usable, navigable

6. Scent of Information
1

7. 3 Clicks? A myth
Designing for scent is
more successful than
designing for navigation.
– Jared Spool, UIE
If there is a scientific basis to
the Three-Click Rule, we
couldn't find it in our data.
Further Study
“Designing for the scent of information” - Jared M. Spool, Christine Perfetti & David Brittan, User Interface Engineering

9. Progressive Disclosure
2

10. Capture the attention of users
with high-level information.
Then draw them to the
details.

11. “Progressive disclosure defers
advanced or rarely used
features to a secondary screen,
making applications easier to
learn and less error-prone.”
- Jakob Nielsen
Further Study
“Progressive Disclosure” - Jakob Nielsen, December 4, 2006

15. Information Clustering
& Hierarchy
3

16. “Designers can create normalcy out
of chaos; they can clearly
communicate ideas through the
organizing and manipulating of
words and pictures.”
—Jeffrey Veen, The Art and Science of Web Design

17. When information is clustered
appropriately on a screen, users
can scan it and quickly come to
terms with the intent of the
content.

18. 1. Group features and
content by type

19. 1. Group features and
content by type
2. Position them
according to an
intuitive hierarchy

20. 1. Group features and
content by type
2. Position them
according to an
intuitive hierarchy
3. Drop or demote the
less important content

22. The Tyranny of Consistency
4

23. Consistency is an important but sometimes
over-rated tool.
It’s key in maintaining a coherent
experience.
But develop an eye to know when to break
from it.

24. Clarity trumps
consistency.
– Steve Krug, Don’t Make Me Think

26. Related: Design screens so they’re scalable.
Suppress modules or sections of the screen
until they're needed.
Don’t labor to create content just to ensure
every screen or element is “consistently”
populated.

27. Know Your Audience
5

28. Only 42% of marketers know
the basic demographic
information of their target
audience, e.g., their name,
gender, and location
– Hubspot survey of over 1200 marketers

29. Consider the amount of
attention an audience
needs on a particular
screen or at a particular
moment*
*It may be none

30. Assuming you know your audience or
audiences already …
• Write at a level appropriate to your
audience
• Avoid jargon and technical language
when explaining the experience

31. To recap:
1. Scent of Information
2. Progressive Disclosure
3. Information Clustering & Hierarchy
4. The Tyranny of Consistency
5. Know Your Audience

32. Thank you