Simplification Is Good, But Do Not Oversimplify
Simplification always attracts everyone, we all know that. The more simple a work is to do, the more chances are that it will get picked. Whereas, any tough work is always avoided by people.
Suppose you are given a simple addition math problem. The moment you see it, you think that it is so easy to solve and you quickly solve it. But what if you are given 10 Complex Algebraic problems? You will immediately get scared of it and try a way to avoid it.
Today we are going to see how simplification is good from a UX perspective but also see how it can affect the user’s mindset towards the product.
How Simplification is good
Suppose you download a new app. It tells you to sign up and fill a form with more than 10 fields on a single page in a continuous flow. You will feel pressured that there are so many fields to fill out and most of the users close the app and mostly forget about it(unless it is essential to them).
But now imagine there is an app that asks you to fill the same form but now only one field is visible at a time on the screen and you have to fill the form step by step. As soon as the number of fields is decreased on the screen, you felt a sense of ease and simplification and quickly fill up the form.
Below is an example of an app named Tumblr.
With this, you can see how easy it is for the user to set up a new account. This process of breaking large and complex tasks into smaller and simpler tasks has helped products on increasing user engagement with their platform.
But Do Not always Oversimplify
Suppose, you have to make a transaction of over $1000 online so you go to a banking platform. It simply asks you to enter the amount and the bank account number of the receiver. You press SEND and your transaction is completed. This seems so cool, right? But if you look closely sometimes you might feel cheated or might have a little doubt about the system.
We start thinking that why was this process so quick? How easily my money got transferred. “Am I being cheated”, or “I hope this is not a scam”. We ask ourselves these questions.
Let’s consider another scenario. Most shopping websites these days give you the option of Adding a product to your cart. And once you go to the cart section and confirm your order, it directly takes you to the payment transaction phase. It might seem a simple and fast process, but for most of the users, it seems like a scam even if it is not a scam. Many users feel like “why am I being directed to the payment portal so quickly”.
What we learned from this
With oversimplification, your product might lose TRUST and CREDIBILITY. And as a user, the only thing you need is that the platform ensures enough trust and credibility. Make sure that your customers or users feel safe and guaranteed while using your product. You need to make certain steps, to ensure that the user trusts your website and the process.
That is why simplification is good, but simplifying everything is not good.
Designers can apply these principles together with a User-centered design approach to ensure that UIs are built in the best way possible to deliver a great user experience.
