Selleo Labs spółka z o.o.

I am a graphic designer responsible for a website's design, layout and coding. For over four years, I've been helping clients from US and EU to craft beautiful and user-friendly applications. As a Ux/UI Tech Leader @Selleo, I focus on leveraging knowledge throughout the designers' team.

Michał Greń

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When a software developer begins work with a new project, it's natural for him to choose to commence scripting the code immediately. Regardless of his software knowledge, if someone produces software without laying out a strategy for it, he might as well have been laying bricks without establishing a solid foundation.

The building will fall no matter how robust the construction process and resource consumption are; similarly, the software would fail without a fundamental layout.

Nobody wants their efforts to be for waste because they didn't have a plan for them, right? That's where software design comes in, a mechanism that simplifies important software operations in a certain way.

## What is Software Design?

Software design is a method of creating a blueprint, or layout, for organizing the code of a software program. It's that simple to describe, but is it that straightforward to carry out? That is a completely different case, but if you are doing software design for a new software project, you must understand its significance; otherwise, you may overlook its sharpness.

Software development is a multi-step process. The software is a multi-layer, multi-dimensional spectrum with numerous intermediary processes in its construction.

Software designing is divided into two major phases:

* Conceptual Design
* Technical Design

### Conceptual Design

You might be interested in bringing bits of software together in a non-technical way as part of concept generation. For instance, you could wish to generate a list of all the components and their functions and wireframes and flow diagrams. As a result, we concentrate on non-technical representations of software in conceptual design.

Common methods used for conceptual designs are:

1. Wireframes
2. Mockups & Flow chart
3. Component diagrams
4. Class-Responsibility-Collaboration (CRC) cards.

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### Technical Design

After you've finished the conceptual design, you may start thinking about the technical details. You may now wish to ask yourself questions such as,

* How would it get implemented?
* How will it interact with the Server/Database?
* How will it interact with other modules?

During the technical design phase, all of these concerns are addressed. In technical design, you're mostly concerned with how the implementation will be carried out. The following are examples of common technical design methods:

* Class Diagrams
* Activity diagram
* Sequence diagram
* State Diagram

### Architectural Views

![Img](https://a.storyblok.com/f/86602/720x383/6ae1712312/architectural-views.jpg)

Multiple architectural viewpoints are frequently used to depict software architecture. Consumers, designers, managers, system engineers, programmers, and other stakeholders in the software development process are addressed by each architectural approach.

The views describe how the software architecture is broken into modules and interrelated modules, capturing the essential software design decisions concerning the structure. These software design decisions must, of course, be based on requirements, functional and non-functional restrictions, and other constraints. However, these decisions impose further limitations on demands and future software design options at a lesser level.

<ReadMore> Read also: [Why Do You Need UX Design Consulting And How Can Your Business Benefit From It?](https://selleo.com/blog/why-do-you-need-ux-design-consulting) </ReadMore>

## Objectives of Software Design

The objective of having software design can be listed as follows:

### Correctness

A good design should correctly implement all the functionalities of the system.

### Efficiency

Good software addresses all the resources, cost, and time optimization issues.

### Understandability

A good design is understandable. It should be modular, and all its modules are arranged in layers.

### Completeness

The design should have all the components like data structures, modules, external interfaces, etc.

### Maintainability

A good software design should be easily adaptable whenever a change request is made from the customer side.

![Img](https://a.storyblok.com/f/86602/720x471/d5914d998b/principles-of-good-software-design.jpg)

## Principles of Good Software Design

Software designing becomes some of the most convenient designs when the following principles are applied.

### Modularity

Modularity is dividing a big software project into smaller portions/modules. It's the key to designing robust and technical, and maintainable software. The project is split into several portions. Each worked on separately. Because of the modularity, testing each module becomes easier.

### Coupling

An aspect of good design is low coupling. Because of the minimal coupling, modifications to each module can be made without affecting the others. ·

### Abstraction

Abstraction is the process of isolating the core behavior from its implementation and eliminating extraneous elements to identify it. The unnecessary coupling will result from distinguishing important behavior from its implementation.

### Anticipation of Change

Software needs are always evolving, resulting in constant changes in requirements. The ability to adapt and adjust to change pleasantly is important in creating a strong software design.

<Baner name={software-development} />

### Simplicity

The goal of great software design is to keep things simple. Each job has a module that may be used and modified independently. It makes the code more user-friendly and decreases the number of errors.

### Sufficiency and Completeness

A good software design guarantees that the program is sufficient and comprehensive in terms of the requirements. It ensures that the program has been constructed properly and completely.

## Types of software level design

There are three different levels of software design, including:

### Architectural Design

The architecture of a system can be defined as the system's general structure and the method in which that structure maintains the system's conceptual integrity. The architectural design recognizes the program as a system with numerous interconnected components. The designers acquire an overview of the suggested solution domain at this level.

### Preliminary or high-level Design

The problem is broken down into a series of modules, with the control relationships between them recognized and the interfaces between them. The program architecture is the result of this step. Structure charts and UML are two design representation tools utilized at this level.

### Detailed Design

A comprehensive design is conducted when the high-level design is completed. Each module is carefully investigated to develop the data structure and algorithms in a detailed design. A module specification document documents the stage's conclusion.

## Why is software design so important?

![Img](https://a.storyblok.com/f/86602/720x383/b2ac6e29fa/why-is-software-design-so-important.jpg)

Design is the basic foundation for software development. It keeps the flow in line:

* Software with a better design is more adaptable. As a result, you can add a new component to the current program without impacting it.
* Reusability is improved by well-designed software. Because if you carefully adhere to design patterns, your program will be more modular, consisting of discrete components that each do a single purpose. As a result, these little components can be simply reused.·

### Easy to Understand

Explaining projects to new hires/team members has always been a pain. However, if your design and documentation are strong, you can quickly explain the software's concept to your new team member.·

### Cost-efficiency is Increased

You might be wondering how the cost of software is affected by design. Consider a case in which you and your team began developing software based on specific assumptions. Still, after completing half of it, you discover you've hit a roadblock and can no longer proceed with those assumptions. Now you'll have to reinstall the program, which will be quite pricey.

<ReadMore> Read also: [How To Improve Customer Satisfaction Using Technology?](https://selleo.com/blog/how-to-improve-customer-satisfaction-using-technology) </ReadMore>

## What are the Right Ways of Software Design?

To carry the design the right way here are some factors to consider:

### Architecture Prototype

Prototypes are used to reduce risk and uncertainty about:

* Profitability of the product under development
* Stability of performance of key technology
* Involvement or financing of the project
* Understanding the requirements
* The appearance and operation of the product and its usability

By showing users, consumers, and management something concrete and feasible, a prototype can help generate product support.

The prototype's nature and purpose, on the other hand, must be evident at all times. In general, if a prototype works, it should not be expected to be used in the final product. An exploratory, behavioral prototype, for example, created to quickly evaluate the user interface seldom becomes a robust, durable product.

### Architectural Analysis

The goal of the architectural analysis is to define a prospective architecture and limit the architectural approaches that can be utilized in the system. It's all about gathering knowledge from comparable systems or issue areas so that time isn't wasted "rediscovering architecture." This stage is bypassed in systems that already have a well-defined architecture. When building new and innovative systems, architectural analysis is especially useful.

### System Behavior Analysis

This step helps in the behavioral descriptions supplied by the use cases developed during the requirements collecting stage into a collection of elements used to build the system.

## Important questions to ask

It's not only about developing software when it comes to development. You must replace them regularly and keep them in perfect condition for a long time. So, please take a minute to consider the following questions and attempt to answer them.

* How easy was it to make **changes** to your code?
* Did a small code change produce a **ripple effect** for changes elsewhere in the code?
* Was your code hard to **reuse**?
* Was the software difficult to **maintain** after a release?
* Did they have a **good design**? Could the design be done better?
* Was there even a **design** at all?

It's not only about coding in good design. It's about sharing your software ideas with other developers, teams, and clients.

![Img](https://a.storyblok.com/f/86602/720x402/49ce828759/helpful-tools-for-software-design.jpg)

## Helpful Tools for Software Design

Here're some of the best tools for Software designing.

### Draw.io

Confluence and Jira users can use [Draw.io](https://drawio-app.com/) to generate diagrams. Flowcharts, process diagrams, ER diagrams, and much more can be simply created. It also helps you create your shape library.

### Jira

[Jira](https://www.atlassian.com/software/jira) is a powerful software development platform that allows you to plan, monitor, release, and report your projects. It also allows you to pick from various workflows or create your own. It's simple to combine with the tools you currently have.

### Mockflow

[Mockflow](https://www.mockflow.com/) is a web-based wireframe tool that helps designers plan, construct, and share their designs. It's cloud-based and gives users access to a large library of fake components, icons, and stickers, among other things.

### Figma

A web-based vector graphics editor and prototyping tool. It is said to be the most revolutionary graphics editing app that is taking over the world by storm. [Figma](https://www.figma.com/) allows its users to wireframe websites, design mobile app interfaces, prototype designs and craft social media posts.

### Marvel

[Marvel](https://marvelapp.com/) delivers easy-to-use design and prototyping tools that assist software developers in quickly wireframing, creating, and prototyping.

### Zeplin

It gives designers a place to share, organize, and collaborate on their work. [Zeplin](https://zeplin.io/) allows designers and engineers to work together more effectively.

## Summary

The Software Design Process is the most important phase in developing efficient software since it is the first and most important step. It's a  user-centered procedure. It prioritizes the needs, requirements, and constraints of the user. It is crucial for drawing people to the product and retaining their loyalty. One can create better, highly efficient, and user-friendly software designs by using numerous tools and rigorously following the software design process's several phases.

If you need the help of the right software development team then [contact us](https://selleo.com/contact) at Selleo.

Unsure if software design is important for your business? Check out the ways that software design can benefit your business and make your operations smoother.

 Why Software Design Is Important For Your Business? 

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Picture this:

You experienced a eureka moment where a software idea came to mind. This idea, according to you, will transform lives and disrupt your industry. You end up in seventh heaven, so high that you forgot to validate your idea before your launch date. **Unfortunately**, reality turned out differently.

Your anticipated launch day came bearing crickets. The following months weren’t any better. Your software is embattled with bugs. Complaints dominated your review section. The only people who occasionally use your product are your family and friends.

Your product flopped and the only option moving forward is either you rebuild or quit.

This imagined scenario is not different from the [66% of IT projects that end in partial or total failure](https://www.atlascode.com/blog/why-software-projects-fail/#:\~:text=According%20to%20Standish%20Group's%20Annual,in%20partial%20or%20total%20failure.&text=Despite%20larger%20projects%20being%20more,fail%20one%20in%20ten%20times.) (According to Standish Group’s Annual CHAOS report). Many of these projects most likely wouldn’t have flopped if their concepts got validated before their launch.

Idea validation is to software development as architectural design is to house building. Before you commit your resources to grow a software, you need to validate its concept with users and stakeholders. This is where **software prototyping** comes in.

Keep reading to discover the meaning of software prototyping, why you need it, and its best practices.

## What is Software Prototyping?

![Img](https://a.storyblok.com/f/86602/1500x868/121890fed9/what-is-software-prototyping.jpg)

A **prototype** is a model version of a product. It is used as an early and less expensive sample of a product that allows to test its features, gather feedback and identify defects.

In **software development**, prototyping means nothing less than creating incomplete versions of a software product before it is finalized. It refers to the process of visualizing a software product before it has been created. When you run your prototypes, there is a lot that can be taken into consideration which also improves the workflow of the process.

Here is the typical prototyping process in software development:

1. The dev team develops or refine a prototype,
2. Selected customers use the prototype,
3. After using the prototype, customers will provide feedback which the dev team will then use to improve the prototype until it is acceptable enough to form the basis for creating the final product.

Before you begin prototyping, you need to choose the right prototype for your project. This is where fidelity becomes important. A prototype’s fidelity depicts the detail and realism of the intended product. It ranges between two extremes, namely:

* Low-fidelity
* High-fidelity

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**Low-fidelity (lo-fi) prototyping:** Sometimes called wire frames, these quick and inexpensive prototypes are effortless to make, thereby leaving room for **flexibility and creativity**. They can be used to gather user feedback during the early stage. The only downside to lo-fi prototyping is the lack of aesthetical extravaganza. But on the brighter side, they can present the primary features of a solution effectively. Low-fidelity prototypes are optimal for:

* Working on ideas in progress
* Presenting the basic idea of a solution
* Displaying the early developments of work
* Creating basic design work
* Authenticating the primary functionalities of a product with the whole team

High-fidelity (hi-fi) prototyping: Hi-fi prototypes depict the intended solution as perfectly as possible. They present the final **product functionalities** along with its intended aesthetic display. If done right, they are easily accessible, aesthetically polished, and a ready base for future development. High-fidelity prototypes are best for:

* Presenting the nearly completed idea to stakeholders,
* Testing your idea before spending a huge budget,
* Completing the design process,
* Evaluating the developed usability of your intended solution,

## Types of Software Prototyping

![Img](https://a.storyblok.com/f/86602/720x327/b5fd00c063/types-of-software-prototyping.jpg)

Here are the types of prototyping in software development:

### Rapid Prototyping

Also known as throwaway/close-end prototyping, rapid prototyping requires little effort and requirement analysis. During its time of relevance, it undergoes cycles of feedback, modification, and evaluation. It becomes a great reference for designers and developers. The prototyping gets discarded once stakeholders understand the product’s actual requirements.

### Evolutionary Prototyping

An evolutionary prototype is a piece of functional software with minimal functionality on which future prototypes for the entire system can be designed. It cannot satisfy every customer’s needs, but it is a great start.

### Incremental Prototyping

Incremental prototyping entails creating functional prototypes for various subsystems and combining them to form a full system. If you are building enterprise software with many loosely related modules and components, incremental prototyping is the best option for you.

### Extreme Prototyping

This prototyping is mostly applied in the web application development domain. Usually, extreme prototyping runs through three phases:

* Present basic prototypes with existing pages in HTML format. These pages have limited interactivity but are adequate to demonstrate the different user journeys while using the application.
* You use a prototype service layer to stimulate data processing.
* You integrate and implement the services into the final prototype.

It gives strong prioritization to UI design and development before implementing any of the actual services. This is what makes this prototyping “extreme.” The user can see and interact with the prototype as if it is the actual product.

<ReadMore> Read also: [Why Discovery Phase Is Essential For Startups?](https://selleo.com/blog/why-discovery-phase-is-essential-for-startups) </ReadMore>

## Why Should I Care about Software Prototyping?

You may have everything about your software idea perfect in theory, making you confident and assured of success. Nonetheless, you need to validate your idea, and prototyping can help achieve that.

**How so?**

Prototypes give stakeholders an idea of how and what the final product will be. This makes it easy for clients to understand your software concept even if it is complex in theory. Additionally, software prototyping allows you to streamline your product and remove useless functions.

### What are the advantages of prototyping?

* **Improved and increased user involvement:** By including end-users in the testing process and using your prototype as a training model, your users become part of your building process and understand your product long before development begins. In the long run, expectations get managed better.
* **Reduction of time and risk:** Software prototyping leaves space for the easy detection of defects and missing functionalities before your product gets launched. You also receive feedback that can guide you to work on the right things.
* **Leads to greater creativity:** The intense and collaborative nature of software prototyping enables a free flow of ideas and smooth exchange between the dev team and clients, leading to different modifications in the prototype, which can then become a perfect product.

## What are the Prototyping Model Phases?

![Img](https://a.storyblok.com/f/86602/1500x1316/07131d3eaa/prototyping-model-phases-2.jpg)

The typical prototyping model comprises the following phases:

**Phase 1: Gathering of requirements and analysis.** A prototyping model starts with analyzing gathered requirements to understand their correctness and the feasibility of converting them into a product.

**Phase 2: Preliminary design.** Here, a basic design of the planned finished product gets ideated and created. This simple design conveys a brief idea of the system to the user.

**Phase 3: Create a prototype.** This stage involves using the previously created design to create a working model of the required software.

**Phase 4: Initial user evaluation.** At this point, the client receives the proposed system so they can operate an initial evaluation. This evaluation becomes useful in discovering the prototype’s strengths and weaknesses.

**Phase 5: Perfecting prototype.** If the client is not satisfied with the prototype, it has to be refined to reflect their feedback and suggestions. Ergo, this stage doesn’t end until the model satisfies the user’s requirements. Once the user likes the evolved prototype, a final model gets developed based on it.

**Phase 6: Produce and maintain.** After the final model is developed based on the approved prototype, it undergoes an all-out test and, subsequently, production. After that, regular review and maintenance are carried out to minimize defects and failures.

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## Ways of Preparing a Prototype

**Sketches and diagrams:** Sketches are best for translating ideas at the early stages of the typical prototyping process into reality. On the other hand, diagrams come in handy in distilling complex situations.

**Storyboards:** As a prototyping method, storyboarding is useful for generating noteworthy ideas and cultivating an understanding of users.

**Role play:** The role play technique involves recording and displaying the emotional experience a user will have when using a product. Role plays are versatile, but they are best used for stimulating the user’s environment.

**Paper prototyping:** This method is relevant in the prototyping of digital products. It is affordable, simple, and effective in uncovering usability challenges.

![Img](https://a.storyblok.com/f/86602/720x422/06e778b98f/paper-prototyping.jpg)

**Mockups:** A mockup is a simple visual representation made for presentation purposes. They are a replica of a finished product at first glance. The only difference is, they lack prominent functionalities.

**Wire frames:** Wire frames deal with the structural parts of a product’s user interface (UI) and define a feature’s functional processes. They are the core of a UI, holding it together even when graphics, colors, and other design elements are absent. To get started with wire frames, you can either use a paper and pen or take it further by using bespoke software programs such as **Proto.io, Balsamiq, and Sketch**.

**Prototyping with explanatory videos:** With the help of explanatory videos acting as an MVP, a team can communicate the simple definition of a product’s purpose and features. Users can understand how a product works without using its final form yet.

## Best Practices of Software Prototyping

Notwithstanding its numerous advantages, software prototyping is not without its cons. Some of these disadvantages include:

* Confusing prototypes might lead to additional cost and time
* Functional difficulty might occur if the prototype differs from the original product
* Rushed prototypes can cause substandard deliverables

To prevent getting your project sabotaged by any of these cons, here are best practices you can adopt:

1. **Choose** the right type of prototype for your project.
2. **Invest time** into planning your prototype and document your processes to keep your team members in the loop.
3. **Try to understand** both user and designer’s approaches, along with the potential clashes, before aligning them.
4. **Be open** to trying new concepts and quantum leaps during the prototyping or deploying process.
5. **Meet with your team** regularly to prevent project delay
6. **Make features a high priority** when implementing your prototype

## What are the Most Popular Prototyping Tools

The most basic tool used for prototyping is a plain sheet of paper. It is understandably the fastest and cheapest way to create a product prototype. But what if you crave something more computer-based? Here’s the list of the most common prototyping tools:

* [Miro](https://miro.com/) \- This is a collaborative whiteboard platform where teams of any size can get work done.
* [InVision](https://www.invisionapp.com/) \- This design platform can assist you with prototyping, collaboration, and application design.
* [Figma](https://www.figma.com/) \- You can use this cloud-based platform to design and share prototypes among your team members.
* [Adobe XD](https://www.adobe.com/products/xd.html) \- This is a versatile, on-premise tool that you can use to create designs for mobile and web through prototyping and collaboration.
* [Balsamiq](https://balsamiq.com/) \- If you have a lean team, this wireframing software is the best option for you. You can use it to share your prototypes, control versions, and conduct user tests.
* [Axure](https://www.axure.com/) \- This is a comprehensive software design tool you can use to facilitate your prototypes, diagrams, and specifications.

<ReadMore> Read also: [Outsourcing Software Development: MVP, Proof of Concept, Prototyping](https://selleo.com/blog/mvp-proof-of-concept-prototyping) </ReadMore>

## Other methods of validating your idea

These two techniques can be used as a quick and less expensive way to validate a product or idea, but keep in mind, they are not equal.

### Proof of concept (PoC)

The PoC is a method done to test a concept’s viability. A PoC well done can help you determine if an idea is worth pursuing. While prototyping shows how a product can be developed, PoC shows if it can be done in the first place.

### Minimum Viable Product (MVP)

An [MVP](https://selleo.com/blog/mvp-app-development) is the first example of a product. Not only does it possess product readiness, but it also has enough features to satisfy early customers and motivate them to drop feedback for future development. Think of [MVP](https://selleo.com/blog/why-mvp-development-should-be-outsourced) as the advanced version of a prototype.

## Conclusion

No one wants a product that won’t be useful for the end-users who need it. And so, software prototyping should be a go-to strategy for your organization. That way, you reduce risks, save money, and improve the user experience. If you prefer to test your ideas without **prototyping, MVP and PoC** are viable alternatives you can equally consider. Prototyping is not without its flaws, though. Be sure to implement at least five of the highlighted best practices in this article if you want to prevent a flop.

At Selleo, we have a team of the best and **most skillful developers** who can fulfill all your software development needs. If you need any guidance, [contact us now](https://selleo.com/contact)!

In this article, you will discover the meaning of software prototyping and learn why you need it for your business.

What Is Software Prototyping And Why Do You Need It?

\[TOC\]  
There is no doubt that eLearning provides many benefits over traditional learning like constant availability, cost reduction and enhanced collaboration.

**According to Bandon Hall Group found study, eLearning takes from [40 to 60%](https://www.forbes.com/sites/paycom/2017/02/14/learning-management-systems-101-rethinking-your-approach-to-employee-training/#1805903c755b) less time than traditional learning.**

A well-designed UX can greatly influence the training effectiveness. For example, a website with low usability is not going to attract many customers. Research shows that user interface and interaction design decisions significantly affect how well users learn. Without it, learners will get lost, frustrated and distracted.

Do you feel like your eLearning platform needs some improvements? Or are you in the process of designing an online learning system? How does the UI and the UX make or break your LMS? Read this article to find out how to better your LMS web and mobile application.

## 10 tips on how to improve your LMS

According to PWC’s [Future of Customer Experience study](https://www.nexttv.com/news/pwc-consumers-will-pay-more-better-experience-418882), customers across a wide variety of industries said they were willing to pay as much as a 16% premium for great customer experience. Let’s discuss some ways in which you can improve your eLearning software.

### 1. Learner-centred UX design

Human beings respond to experiences and learn from them. This is why a learner-centred UX design is crucial. According to Jonassen (1995) there are four learner-centred principles:

* **context** - learning task should have real-world application. This allows learners to connect personally with what they are learning.
* **constriction** - learners should be able to link their own experiences and prior knowledge with new learning.
* **collaboration** - problem-solving scenarios allow learners to develop, test and analyze their ideas while being exposed to others’ opinions.
* **conversation** - communication with and within learners is essential to effective eLearning courses. They should spend time in conversation while planning and making sense of new learning

![Img](https://a.storyblok.com/f/86602/720x624/e392e1917b/text.png)

There is a notion of learning experience design which focuses on the learner and learning environment. A valuable learning experience can be achieved through sharing a teaser or inspirational item to get participants thinking about the big ideas of the session, personalizing the content to create a sense of ownership and connecting personal experience to content.

### 2. Make navigation as easy and quick as possible

One of the most important parts of eLearning design is navigability. Well-designed navigation provides access to information so we should use **familiar, straightforward and simple controls**. A focus on navigation also improves engagement and participation so learners can concentrate on absorbing information rather than how to access next activities. This all can improve knowledge assimilation and retention. Ease of navigation allows learners to fully absorb the information and move through the course at their own pace.

![Img](https://a.storyblok.com/f/86602/720x624/b1a75a3e5d/user-profile.png)

### 3. Set intermediate goals - gamification, motivation stickers

**A progress bar** is a graphical control element on the interface used to visualize the progress. For eLearning, progress bars can be used to show learner’s position in the course and how far there is to go in a particular lesson, topic or course. Usage of progress bars keeps students motivated. People like to progress from level to level. It also has a positive impact on engagement because it affects their ambitions.

![Img](https://a.storyblok.com/f/86602/720x624/2032d6ccf2/progress-bar.png)

Another way to motivate students are rewards for specific results with motivation stickers. **Gamification has become an unavoidable part of the eLearning industry**. It creates a learning experience by including engaging elements that spark process and knowledge sharing by playing. Some students share their progress and badges on social media which can turn into a positive competition as well as instant marketing for the course and your platform.

### 4. Responsive design for every device

Mobile friendly and **adaptive eLearning designs provide flexibility** to learners, however, they are designed primarily for desktops and laptops. This may cause problems in the portrait mode on mobile devices. You should invest in responsive design for your learning platform if you anticipate the predominant consumption to come from smartphones or when your courses feature shorter versions (microlearning approach).

![Img](https://a.storyblok.com/f/86602/720x330/063d5e5953/responsive-design.png)

Responsive design is also a great option if you want to encourage self-directed and personalized learning.

Students like to learn on any device and in any place, so when creating a responsive design take into consideration e-book readers like Kindle.

### 5. Care about content

The way in which the page is organized visually plays a big role in how people consume the content. People do not usually read every word on a webpage, instead, they scan it. Websites layout should allow users to quickly identify the essential information that is relevant to them.

The **F-shaped reading pattern** is characterized by many fixations concentrated at the top and the left side of the page. Users first read horizontally then vertically. The implications of this pattern are that the first lines and words of text receive more gazes than the rest of it. F-shape is bad for businesses because users miss big chunks of content. Good text formatting is the way out of it. Make use of so-called layer-cake scanning pattern and focus on adding headings and subheadings that correctly summarize the sections of text.

Keep in mind to use different media types to ensure a **responsive design and well-organized content**. People learn better from a combination of text and visuals rather than text alone, so do not separate related text and visuals. **Visuals improve learning** but remember to keep them relevant not decorative. Make use of animations to tech physical procedures like origami and still images for teaching processes like how rain forms. However, avoid irrelevant video, audio, stories and text - research shows that adding sidebar stories for the sake of interest hurts learning.

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### 6. Always give feedback - actions should have a response

![Img](https://a.storyblok.com/f/86602/720x624/b1b076d988/animacja-2.gif)

**Microinteractions are trigger-feedback pairs** in which the trigger can be a user action or a change in the system’s state or the feedback is a narrowly targeted response to the trigger and is communicated via small, contextual changes. Microinteractions can improve user experience by encouraging engagement, error prevention and displaying system status. They are especially important for younger learners. Always include an option to undo recent changes, possibly combined with a sound alert or a pop-up banner.

Your system should also have creative animations and clear directions in the form of a call to action. Call to action ensures the execution of the actions you expect your users to perform. Thanks to this approach learners always know what they should do next.

### 7. Easy terminology and concise titles

Page, module, section and course titles should be **concise and interesting**. Apart from that make them descriptive so the learner immediately knows that the page or course is about. What is more, remember about using easy terminology that is easily understandable to any age group.

### 8. Define the right user persona

A learner persona can be an effective way to create a good eLearning course. Pay attention to the user whom you design the product for, whether it is a teenager or somebody even younger (or older). This will affect the design of UX and UI. The more you know about them - the better. Think about their long and short-term goals, skills, attitudes, needs and behaviour patterns.

### 9. Accessibility

In UX design accessibility can be expressed in many different ways. First of all, **focus on the size of the fonts**. Big fonts are easier to read, especially on mobile devices. The most important elements of the platform should be bigger and bolder

Dark mode / reading mode (with warmer colours) is also a perfect way to ensure accessibility.

![Img](https://a.storyblok.com/f/86602/720x624/763008ebb1/dark-mode.png)

They take care of the users’ eyes and melatonin production and combine dark mode with warmer colours to limit blue light exposure. It will be easier on the eyes therefore learners will be able to spend more time on uninterrupted learning.

Cognitive load is another thing to keep in mind. Cognitive load means a situation when the required amount of information to complete a task is too much to be processed easily. This matters especially in web design since it influences the **bounce rate, decreases conversion** and the number of returning users. Make instructions simple, use familiar schemes, be predictable.

Try not to exaggerate the design. Focus on the content, let it speak for itself.

### 10. Use existing best practices

Repeat good practices instead of reinventing them. **Take inspiration from existing apps and websites** to keep your design consistent with the rest of the digital world. Finding out what works for you means to know what works for other users. Making use of basic web principles is the key to success and simply makes sense. What is more, users will find it easier to navigate through your website if it will be similar to something they have already used.

## Summary

**Perfect user experience is crucial for successful learning.** It influences the user’s ability to learn easier and faster. A pleasurable, seductive and inspiring UI/UX design ensures that people will enjoy using your eLearning application.

Elearning has the potential to revolutionize the way we think about knowledge transfer. By planning out a good UX, staying consistent and implementing feedback, you can build a platform that stays relevant for years to come and educates future doctors, scientists and other professionals.

If you want to improve the design of your existing platform or build one from scratch, feel free to contact our specialists at Selleo. We can provide you with a fully-fledged team that will design and develop a platform best suited to your needs and requirements.

And if you are interested in reading more about UX best practices for eCommerce, read our article [Ecommerce UX Best Practices - 10 Ideas To Improve Your Sales](https://selleo.com/blog/ecommerce-ux-best-practices-10-ideas-to-improve-your-sales).

A well-designed UX can greatly influence the training effectiveness. For example, a website with low usability is not going to attract many customers. Do you feel like your eLearning platform needs some improvements?  How does the UI and the UX make or break your LMS?

Michał Greń

Blog posts that I worked on

Why Software Design Is Important For Your Business?

What Is Software Prototyping And Why Do You Need It?

UX Design For Elearning - 10 Tips to Attract Users

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