What Is Learnability in UI and UX Design?

Simply put, learnability in UI and UX Design refers to how quickly someone can learn to use something. It might be a blender, a TV remote, an electric pot, etc. People tend to avoid difficult, time-consuming procedures because they are unpleasant.

Learnability refers to how easy it is for an application end-user to pick up, understand and use the program. The more learnable an application is, the less time and training it will take for a person to use it. Make it easier for them by employing effective UX and UI design on your website and app.

Why Learnability Matters

When it comes to user interface (UI) and user experience (UX), learnability is key. Poorly designed UIs can be difficult to use, which can frustrate users and cause them to leave your site. Conversely, well-designed UIs make it easy for users to do what they want to do, helping them achieve their goals quickly and efficiently. This is why good UI/UX design is so important. It can make your application or website easier to use, increasing its usability and making it more likely that people will stick around.

One of the most essential usability heuristics is Learnability. It can have a major impact on how many potential customers abandon your product or choose to stick with it. App retention and app abandonment are the two most important learnability concepts to understand if you want your software to thrive. Let’s discuss the two:

App retention

App retention is all about how many users stick with the application after they download it. Successful user retention is largely dependent on two factors:

• A well-designed user interface (UI) and user experience (UX)
• Ease of use

App abandonment

App abandonment, on the other hand, is all about why users decide to delete apps from their devices. Users are more likely to abandon your app if the UI/UX design is poor or if it’s difficult for them to use. You can improve your chances of retaining new users by making sure your app follows some key guidelines that will help you avoid this common problem. Here are three important rules to follow:

It’s also important for product owners and marketers to note that many people often don’t realize what usability should look like until after they encounter it. This means that if you’re designing a product, you should try your best not to guess what customers might find easy or difficult. Instead, test your application as thoroughly as possible, and see what features people have a hard time using. Then, you can incorporate those insights into the next iteration of your application.

Complex and difficult-to-understand devices and products are becoming more widespread

People are increasingly purchasing more complex products, such as smart appliances. This is largely because they want to save money and find them easy to use. However, people often do not realize that poorly designed products can cause a lot of problems for end-users.

Mostly, it’s a matter of a learning curve — customers expect a new appliance to be simple enough that they can learn how to use it quickly and without much hassle. If it takes too long or requires too much effort on their part, then the majority of people will feel discouraged from using the product again in the future. In effect, poor UI/UX design has become one of the leading causes of customer churn over the past several years.

Given the growing number of devices with smart functionality, it’s becoming increasingly important for manufacturers and product designers to focus on learnability when creating their products.

In the consumer electronics market, for example, companies such as Samsung have been struggling to keep up with the likes of Apple in terms of UI/UX design. Apple’s iPhone user interface is so good that it has become the industry gold standard. It will be interesting to see how Samsung (and other companies) address this issue in future models. It’s clear that more companies need to spend time polishing UI/UX design for current and future products.

Issues related to UI/UX design

These root problems become especially concerning in the context of connected home devices, which are basically computers with internet connectivity that consumers can use to control lighting, heating, security systems, appliances, or just about anything else. Security is one of the issues many people worry about when it comes to IoT (Internet of Things) devices like smart locks.

If you lose your phone or tablet or if an attacker steals this device from you, then they gain access to all the smart locks you’ve installed around your house. It’s easy for companies like Samsung and Apple to make promises regarding user data privacy because their products don’t really matter it comes down to physical security.

Today, consumers expect devices to be easy-to-use and understand. After all, they do not want technology to be so complex that it becomes frustrating or limiting. If companies can start designing products around the concept of learnability, then customers will likely stick with these products longer because they know exactly how to use them.

By creating intuitive interfaces–ones that people actually enjoy using–product designers will find themselves with happier customers who are more willing to recommend their product to friends and family members.

Learnability Best Practices in UI and UX Design

There are a few key learnability best practices that product designers should keep in mind when creating user interfaces:

Create a comprehensive learning plan

Don’t just assume that people will be able to intuitively figure out how your product works. Instead, take the time to create a comprehensive learning plan that outlines how users can interact with your product. This plan should include everything from basic controls and gestures to more complex features.

Use positive reinforcement

When users complete a task or action within your product, provide them with positive reinforcement in the form of feedback or acknowledgment. This will help them feel good about themselves and encourage them to continue using your product.

Keep it simple

Do not overload users with too many options or features at once because this will only cause them to become confused and frustrated. Instead, break down your product design into manageable chunks that users can begin using immediately.

Design for all users

When you create a learning plan, make sure that it is applicable to all types of users. Those who are young and old, tech-savvy, and not so savvy. The majority of people in the world do not have advanced degrees in computer science and engineering so they simply want tools that work without too much hassle.

Offer frequent updates

Learnability in UI and UX Design should make sure to keep your product up-to-date by offering frequent updates with new functionality and enhancements over time. This will ensure that your user base gradually increases as more people become exposed to your product.

Use appropriate scaffolding

When you introduce new features or tasks to users, use appropriate scaffolding to help them understand how to use these features. This involves providing clear instructions and guidance when needed so that users do not become overwhelmed or lost.

Avoid hidden options and commands

Do not bury important commands or options within your user interface because users are likely to never find them. Make all controls and options easily accessible and visible so that they can be used when needed.

Use appropriate feedback mechanisms

Make sure to use appropriate feedback mechanisms (e.g., audio, visual, tactile) to provide users with information about their current state as well as any errors that may occur. This will help them stay informed and avoid frustration.

Provide helpful error messages

If your product cannot complete a specific task as expected, make sure to clearly communicate the issue through an appropriate error message. These messages should be easy-to-understand and provide users with helpful information that they can act on in order to fix the problem quickly.

Avoid using technical jargon

Don’t use technical jargon or industry terminology when speaking with users because this will only confuse them further. Make your feedback mechanisms easy to understand by using simple language rather than complicated wording that only professionals will understand. An example would be “Hey Cortana, set my alarm for 6 am.” vs “I want to set an alarm for 6 am.”

Use contextual help

Make sure to provide contextual help for difficult tasks or features. For example, if your product asks users to upload a photo of themselves, include some helpful hints (e.g., “Please upload an image that clearly shows your face”) in order to make the process easier.

Keep it realistic

Don’t set user expectations too high by providing unrealistic functionality or actions within your product. If you tell users something can be done, make sure that you follow through with this promise so they don’t become disappointed later on when things fail to work as expected. This is just one of many reasons why feature-driven marketing campaigns are not recommended for new products because they typically overpromise and underdeliver upon release date.

Provide frequent reminders

Learnability in UI and UX Design includes encouraging users to continue using your product by providing them with frequent reminders or recommendations at the right time and place (e.g., when they open your application, before performing a specific task). This will keep people engaged and following through with all of your program’s features until it becomes habituated within their daily routine.

Show progress

Don’t make users wonder what is happening behind the scenes. This may cause confusion and frustration especially if something unexpected occurs along the way (e.g., an error message appears, progress suddenly halts). Instead, show users how far they’ve come in completing a certain task or action. Then they know how much longer it should take to complete.

Conclusion

By following these learnability best practices, product designers can create user interfaces that are both easy to use and enjoyable to use. This, in turn, will encourage customers to stick with your product long-term and recommend it to others.

Acodez is one of the best UX design agencies in India. The latest technology trends in website design are followed, to provide clients with the best web services. This, in turn, has helped the organizations get better returns on their investments. It is a leading digital marketing agency in India with a clientele in 80+ countries.