4 Facets of Bad UX According to my Dad

“A really good website is simple,” says my dad. “It takes you to what you ask for without too many loopholes to go through.” 

Bravo, Tom! Spot on.

While my dad claims to know nothing about internet things, he certainly has an excellent grasp on what makes internet things good. He also has zero patience for bad UX, even though he has no idea what that means. 

I recently asked my dad what frustrates him most about websites. In no particular order, here’s what he had to say (paraphrased by me).

1. Too Difficult

My dad dislikes experiences that are “not simple enough,” he says.  

Simple is a subjective term, but a quick search on Merriam-Webster will give you a good baseline understanding of what simple really means.

When is the last time you designed an experience and asked yourself ‘is this simple?‘ Try also asking yourself, ‘would somebody with different abilities than me find this simple?’ And most importantly, constantly challenge yourself to simplify experiences where it makes sense.

2. Hidden features

A few years back, when my dad was in the market for a new computer, I mistakenly told him to get an iMac. These days, I get weekly phone calls asking me how to minimize a screen or quit a program.

I think Apple is the gold standard for beautiful experiences. Their stuff is clean, simple and intuitive … for users who are familiar with Apple products. But for someone like my dad, who just jumped on the Apple train a few years ago, things like hot corners, the dock and trackpad gestures are hard to digest.

But Apple can get away with it because Apple is Apple.

The trouble comes when smaller companies try to adopt Apple’s super simplistic style and, in doing so, hide features or expect users to just know or learn how something works. 

Don’t hide functionality to benefit design. Point things out, use microcopy to direct users, and be clear about functionality within your product. Stop stowing away great features that could benefit users.

3. Inconvenient Processes 

My dad recently had the most frustrating time navigating the Social Security website. It wasn’t registering with the social security office – he never actually made it to that point. His trouble stemmed from forgetting his password and trying to reset it.

I get it. Passwords, identity verification, cyber security – it’s all very important – but so many of these critical processes are lackadaisically put in place by companies that just want to C.Y.A.

This particular password-reset process was a cumbersome one we’ve likely all encountered: You request a new password; the company emails you reset information, but tells you not to close the browser window; you gather information from the email message; you return to original browser window; and finally you carry on with the password reset process.

It’s an annoying process, but most of us trudge on and get it done. Not my dad.

“They’re shipping me the code to get and I don’t know how to get out of there to get the code,” says my dad. 

The next time you design a process, instead of focusing on simply how to mark the task done, consider asking ‘how might we design this process with our users’ best interests in mind.’ Then interview those users, test the process, and refine the experience.

4. Constant changes

My dad is a creature of habit; he hates change.

Sure, some change is good. But changing key design features and functionalities without reason may be more burdensome than beneficial to your users – especially when it comes to high-traffic, task-oriented sections of your website.

“Changes and updates are hard to figure out for a dumb, old guy,” says my dad, who is most definitely not dumb. 

If you’re going to make changes on your website, be sure to help out users who might be change-averse. Consider including help text that points users to new locations or include tutorials in your relaunch and roll-out. 

Let’s Make the Internet Better for My Dad 

Of course, my dad isn’t the be-all-end-all when it comes to defining good UX, but he is a great place to start.

Nielsen Norman Group continuously reminds us all “you are not the user.” This phrase can seem obvious, but it takes practice to pull yourself out of a process you’re designing. User research and testing are crucial steps in creating great experiences. But if you need a quick muse to help you consider users other than yourself, feel free to think of my dad.

In my previous corporate job, my coworkers and I would sometimes pause and ask each other, “What would Father Tom do?” 

I’d love to hear your techniques for overcoming bad UX and considering users of different abilities. Leave your thoughts in the comments below.