What makes for a uniquely horrendous user experience? Perhaps it is due to a missing button, forgotten information, or blunders in essential processes. It could be all of these things. There are never too many ingredients in a cocktail of disaster!
As users, we can instantly detect bad UX examples. We’re sensitive and nuanced to it. In fact, our standards have grown to such remarkable levels that we expect instant gratification from our digital experiences. Brands such as Google, Facebook, or Nike got us used to remarkable UX. Failure to satisfy our needs means we’ll remember – and think twice before using such a service again.
But while it’s easy to name and shame a particular feeling – it’s best to look at the problem ‘clinically’. So behold, some examples of sites so cringeworthy, you’ll feel ashamed to be viewing them. Let this be a learning experience for all of you!
Where Do We Find Bad UX Examples?
Everywhere.
Sometimes a website, mobile tool, or native application can be rotten to the core. But most of the time, user experience – something so delicate – can become shattered due to a minor mistake in a critical customer journey.
Unfortunately, there are more bad UX examples for any aspiring site manager than there are ideal examples. However, learning from the most confusing UX designs means many opportunities to improve your customers’ digital experience. Let’s take advantage!
What Makes for Bad UX?
That, of course, depends on your objectives as a user and what the digital experience is meant to provide. But to put it bluntly, if the outcome of using the site does not fulfil your goals as a user – then that essentially points to one of many bad UX examples.
Criteria and types of lousy UX:
Some notorious examples of UX ‘gone wrong’ include manual issues. One instance is having to turn off music and videos unexpectedly when entering a site. For extra demerit points, make your users searching for the rouge media by forcing them to scroll down the web page!
Unnecessary content is another example. Finally, an all-too-known and notorious issue refers to using a site whereby you may be faced with a bombardment of ads or troves of inapplicable information.
Other issues are more profound and consequences of ill-thought-out processes. For example, forms and surveys with misleading fields can lead to unnecessary mistakes and delays in completing a sale or registration.
A poorly planned user interface and menu options can inconvenience your users in several ways too. For example, typing can be far more effective in many cases than using dropdown menus or vice versa.
You may face these problems with other users as well. As a rule of thumb, anything which leads you to seek out community support online is a clear sign of ineffective UX. If your site is mentioned by name, the signs could not be more evident that something will need to be done.
How will I know that I’ve solved my UX problem?
Now for some salt on the wound. The unforgiving task of UX management means that you won’t know you’ve succeeded in eliminating the problem. Instead, you’ll hear fewer complaints. But rest assured, that itself is a good sign and means you are finally achieving what you have set out to do – grant the wishes of your users and customers.
High-Profile Unfortunate UX Examples
This is no amateur hour – these examples of confusing UX were created by professionals! So instead, let’s take a look at some of the world’s most popular brands and how they managed to make a mockery of the user experience.
WhatsApp: Deleted Messages Notification
The act of removing a message within a live chat conversation means someone would like to erase this text from the conversation. However, WhatsApp has inadvertently interrupted the ultimate user objective by indicating that the message ‘has been removed’ on the chat screen. While the notification serves transparency goals, I can argue that it has come at the cost of the primary user intention. Essentially, reminding people of something they have deleted defeats the purpose.
Netflix: Media Autoplay
You may be greeted by a live slide show or even moving imagery when entering a website. However, a thankfully controllable feature is an automatic initiating of full-audio trailers on the Netflix main page. Whilst you may toggle this feature after seeking the settings, users who otherwise hover their mouse over video preview tabs suddenly face a large video screen. This tells about Netflix that they have made bold assumptions about the user: a risky strategy and one that is possibly consequential UX.
Ryanair: Dark UX
The low-cost airline model involves aggressive upselling tactics to augment the revenues from a competitively-priced core product. However, customers frown upon such methods due to their misleading nature. Confusing menu options and misplaced information make it difficult to navigate through their website and find information of interest. This disorganisation negatively influences the overall user experience and leaves potential buyers confused and lost.
User Interface
Believe it or not, some bad UX examples are just for kicks! User Interface is a purposefully-made nightmare scenario of confusing and often aggressive UX tactics. The game challenges users to complete a registration form using remarkably lifelike UX mistakes used in significant websites. While it is possible to complete the site’s objectives – all elements are against you. Consider this the ultimate learning tool.
Final Considerations
As you can see, even the most popular brands are guilty of creating unfortunate or confusing UX. Thus, improving your UX will be an iterative process of trial and error. In the meantime, I’d like to offer some reasoning and solutions to help you avoid the most problematic UX designs.
Ultimately, your goal is to help users achieve what they want to achieve. If your target consumer has to dig deep to fulfill their needs, they will feel forced to complete things they don’t need or get lost in the process.
Aesthetics are essential, too, as they provide a vital first impression of your brand. However, it may just be that designers prioritise UI over usability. Rigorous user research should be at the core of your site’s planning. However, designers are prone to basing designs on incorrect assumptions, creating what is called a ‘form over function’ problem.
Other issues arise from pushing users to carry out a specific function, such as a sale or registration. This can lead to intrusive features, such as pop-up ads or notifications. As a final word of advice, you can always minimise the risk of fallout from these features by assessing your user objectives and reviewing feedback.
Remember: listen to your users, as they are your tool to a better site and a robust user experience!
