2. Don’t Make Users Think
Staying purposeful and straightforward (aka, don’t make users think) is the second of five uber-basic principles I try to follow to simplify my website projects. This practice can also be applied to other creative pursuits to help keep thing simple.
Forbes identified simplicity as one of the three top web design trends for 2014:
“Simplicity refers to the integration of best practices so site visitors get what they need seamlessly and without complication. What simplicity does not imply is generic. Yes, to powerful images. Yes, to meaningful content. Yes, to sleek and purposeful navigation.”
– Forbes, “Top Web Design Trends In 2014”
This is what usability expert Steve Krug has to say the subject:
“Don’t make me think! If you have room in your head for only one usability rule, make this the one. It means that as far as humanly possible, when I look at a Web page it should be self-evident. Obvious. Self-explanatory.”
– Steve Krug, Don’t Make Me Think
In website design, ‘don’t make users think’ implies knowing what actions you want your visitors to take and guiding them toward those objectives without a lot of distraction. Having a website that is self-explanatory will help you gain the trust of your visitors, build their confidence in your products or services and guide them toward your desired outcome (whether it be finding the information they need, signing up for something, making a purchase or making a phone call). This simplifies a website for a visitor, and it also simplifies the design process: it offers a clear objective to return to when tastes and trends threaten to pull a project off course.
For other creative endeavors, this principle may seem less relevant. But I’m here to make a case that, whether you’re writing a novel, creating a painting or performing a soliloquy, you’re most likely trying to convey something to your audience, to guide them through an emotional experience and to leave them with an impression of some kind. Knowing what your point is and directing your audience toward this end is key to simplifying your creative process and making your work more compelling.
All well and good, but how do we do this thing: ‘don’t make users think’? Here are a few suggestions:
Embrace Conventions
One way to make things straightforward on the web is to embrace conventions (like those for logo placement, site navigation, text structure and other visuals). This doesn’t mean being boring or generic, but rather helping visitors quickly figure out how things work and how to get around.
For other creative work, embracing conventions means recognizing the relevant guidelines and principles that have come before and using common structures and techniques that are helpful for what you do.
Focus Attention
Another way to make a website self-evident is to focus a visitor’s attention on specific areas. We do this by minimizing distracting elements and calling attention to the things that are important through placement, color, size and graphics.
In other creative pursuits, the focus may be the focal point of a painting, the theme and plot of a screenplay or the vision for a new business. A clear focus clarifies the creative process and makes your work more effective for its audience.
Guide a User
Although 1-2-3 steps and large buttons may seem overused in web design, they are actually very effective in guiding users from point A to point B. Limited options and straightforward navigation help visitors better understand offerings and feel more comfortable interacting with a site.
Guiding an audience is key in other creative pursuits as well. Transformation is at the heart of all creative work, and it is the creator’s job to guide an audience through this experience.
Strive for Simplicity
Clean and simple websites that use clear blocks of content, generous white space, and scannable text (with headings, visual elements, and bulleted lists to highlight and break up text) make it easier for visitors to scan the screen and understand the information presented.
Likewise, simplicity in all creative work is something to strive for:
“When you’re conscious and [creating] from a place of insight and simplicity and real caring about the truth, you have the ability to throw the lights on for your [audience].”
– Anne Lamott, Bird by Bird
Up Next: 3. Get Inspired