Cognitive Load In UX

When working on new features, designers often focus purely on usability. However, usability is only one part of launching something successful. Users may never use a well-designed feature if it’s: - A feature they don’t need. - A feature you aren’t communicating well. - A feature that is completely hidden in your product. - A feature you have to kill because it doesn't make business sense. Now, assuming you have a feature that people need... In designing and launching it, try incorporating the following concepts into your thinking: 1. How do users hear about it? 2. How do users discover it? 3. How easy or difficult is it to use? 4. Does it achieve the desired outcome? 5. How does it affect key business metrics? To drive effective communication, work with your product marketing, customer success, or CRM team to inform users about the upcoming launch: - What is the name of the feature? - Is it useful to all users or only a specific subset? - What are the benefits, and how do we show them on our emails/website? To drive discoverability, think of the use case and how it fits within the existing workflow of your users: - What updates do you need to make on your navigation? - What kind of signposting do you need to do with UI elements? - Do you need to do any interlinking with existing features? To measure usability, pick the most appropriate testing method depending on how much time/capacity you have: - Pre-launch, try testing it with a prototype. - Post-launch, use a combination of user tests and in-app surveys. To measure the impact: - Make sure your data tracking events are set up. - Set up a report/dashboard that you can check on a weekly basis. - Work with your data team to calculate projected retention and LTV. — If you found this post helpful, consider reposting ♻️ #productdesign #uxdesign #uiux

You can buy Growth. You cannot buy Engagement. Too many companies burn through massive ad budgets forgetting this simple truth. When you pay for marketing, you are buying a transaction. You are paying to get someone to show up at your front door. That is top-of-funnel acquisition. But once they step inside? Whether they stay, return, and find deep value is entirely up to the product. You cannot bribe a user into genuinely caring about your platform. Engagement cannot be bought it has to be engineered. If you want to build sustainable, long-term retention without relying on an ad-spend crutch, you have to design engagement directly into the product architecture: Shrink Time-to-Value (TTV) The moment a user lands in your product, the clock is ticking. If they have to jump through ten hoops before experiencing an "Aha!" moment, they will churn. Deliver value instantly. Build Core Habit Loops Design a self-reinforcing ecosystem: Trigger: What brings them back? (An internal need or a well-timed, contextual prompt). Action: The simplest step they can take to get a reward. Variable Reward: Deliver fresh, unpredictable value that keeps them curious. Investment: Get the user to input data, time, or customization. The more they invest, the higher their switching cost becomes. Focus on Stored Value A product becomes irreplaceable when a user builds a history within it. Accumulated insights, personalized configurations, and historical data turn attention into equity. Buying growth without engineering engagement is like pouring water into a leaky bucket. It looks impressive while the tap is running, but the moment you turn off the marketing spend, you're left empty. Stop focusing purely on vanity metrics. Shift the energy from just acquiring traffic to building deep, repeatable utility. Create value that pulls people back. Build things that last. #GrowthHacking #ProductDesign #Startups #Retention #UserExperience

YouTube just added fun animations to their like button. Most Designers are overlooking the big design win. Here's what it teaches about smart interfaces? 👇🏼 Take a look at YouTube's latest update rolling out now. Across the platform, when you hit like on a video, the button doesn't just glow. It transforms with a quick, playful animation. But it's not random. Each one matches the video's genre. ✈️ For a travel clip? A tiny airplane flies off the screen. 🚗 Cars or racing? A spinning tire with smoke. 💡Educational stuff? A bright lightbulb pops up. Why go this far? YouTube knows one-size-fits-all buttons bore users. These 20 genre-specific animations- covering sports like basketball or soccer, pets like cats and dogs, cooking, music, horror, and more- make every like feel personal and rewarding. It's a simple micro-interaction that boosts engagement without cluttering the UI. Part of their October redesign, it keeps things immersive and fun, just for longer videos. One button. Endless contexts. Adding to Delight. Here's what most UI/UX designers get wrong about adaptive design: They think interfaces should stay static to feel "clean." But real user-centered design adapts on the fly: 👉🏼 A like button in a fitness app could pulse like a heartbeat for workout vids. In e-commerce? It might sparkle for product reviews. 👉🏼 Music players use waveforms for songs but grids for playlists- context changes everything. 👉🏼 Gaming UIs glow with energy during action modes. For calm meditation apps? They fade softly to avoid overwhelm. The uncomfortable truth: 👉🏼 Your "simple" design isn't simple if it ignores user context. 👉🏼 What delights in one scenario (like a flashy animation) might annoy in another (say, a serious news feed). 👉🏼 YouTube didn't just add eye candy. They proved micro-interactions build habits. 👉🏼 Good UI isn't about looking pretty- it's about feeling alive for the user. The real question for designers building digital products: Are you creating static screens? Or experiences that respond to the moment? Because one keeps users scrolling. The other keeps them hooked. What's a feature you've experienced recently that surprised you? Follow Rohan Mishra for more such content.

Micro-interactions are no longer just a “nice-to-have” in UX— They’re a critical tool for guiding user behavior, building brand connection & improving retention. These small, purposeful elements like a progress bar, a loading animation, or a subtle vibration make a big difference when done right. How micro-interactions add value: 1. Clearer navigation: → Progress indicators or hover effects help users understand where they are— → And what’s happening— essential for reducing frustration. 2. User confidence: → Actions like a confirmation checkmark after a form submission reassure users that their actions are successful. 3. Brand differentiation: → Unique micro-interactions tailored to your brand’s identity make your app or website stand out in a crowded market. Here’s how to use them effectively: a. Prioritize user intent: → Focus on moments where users might feel uncertainty. → Such as waiting for a process to complete or interacting with a new feature. b. Keep it seamless: → Ensure micro-interactions don’t slow down or overwhelm the user experience. → They should complement, not complicate. c. Iterate & test: → Small doesn’t mean insignificant. → Test micro-interactions with real users to see what resonates. Let’s take a look at why they matter for retention: Memorable experiences aren’t always about big features— They’re often about how smooth & satisfying the small moments feel. By optimizing these “micro” details, you can create loyal users who notice the care & thought in your design. What are the overlooked moments in your user journey where micro-interactions could shine?

💻 Designing for a user who is moving at 30km/h is a reality check for any UX Designer. I’m currently deep in the wireframing stage for our Rider App, and it’s a masterclass in Anticipatory Design. When you design for delivery partners, the "happy path" doesn't happen in a quiet office. It happens in the rain, in heavy traffic, and under tight deadlines. To make the experience feel seamless, I’m focusing on three things: 🎖️Reducing Cognitive Load: A rider shouldn't have to "think" about the next step. The app should anticipate it. If they just arrived at the store, the order ID should already be front and center. 🎖️Glanceable UI: Information architecture is life or death. I’m stripping away every non-essential pixel so they can get the data they need in a 0.5-second glance. 🎖️Contextual Triggers: Using anticipatory logic to surface the "Contact Customer" button only when they are within 100 meters of the drop-off point. 🥅 The goal? To move from "reactive" tools to "proactive" partners. We aren't just building an app; we're building a tool that respects their time and safety. It’s a tough task to build from scratch, but seeing a wireframe solve a real-world frustration is why I love Product Design. 🤘To my fellow designers: Have you ever had to design for a "non-desk" environment? What was your biggest takeaway? 👇 #ProductDesign #UXPsychology #AnticipatoryDesign #Logistics #UserExperience #harishux

Fintech websites face a critical choice most designers get wrong. Balancing storytelling with functionality isn't just a design decision - it's a business survival strategy: I've analyzed hundreds of fintech websites over the past years. The pattern is clear: companies consistently swing too far in one direction. Some create beautiful narrative journeys that fail to convert. Others build functional interfaces that feel cold and clinical. The most successful fintech platforms understand a fundamental truth: Your users need both emotional connection AND practical utility. Consider these real-world scenarios: 1. A wealth management app tells a compelling story about financial freedom but buries basic account functions three clicks deep. 2. A payment processor offers lightning-fast transactions but fails to explain why users should trust them with their money. 3. A banking alternative builds a slick interface but neglects to create any emotional differentiation from traditional banks. The companies winning in this space follow a specific formula: 1. Lead with a concise, emotionally resonant story 2. Transition quickly to clear functionality 3. Maintain storytelling elements throughout the user journey 4. Ensure critical functions are never more than one click away The balance shifts depending on where users are in their journey: - New visitors need more story - Active users need more function - Returning customers need reminders of both My takeaway: The most effective fintech websites aren't choosing between storytelling and functionality—they're orchestrating a careful dance between the two. The story gets them in the door. The functionality keeps them there. The ongoing narrative turns them into advocates. Stop treating these elements as opposing forces. Start seeing them as complementary tools in your digital strategy. If you need help with building a fintech website - drop me a message. Let's talk.

The next major breakthrough in UPI UX isn’t on your screen. It’s in your hardware buttons. I’ve been studying innovative payment concept prototypes to explore what’s next for mobile UX. UPI flows are already fast and reliable. So the real question is: How do we add speed and delight without cluttering the screen? Look at this prototype concept above. Instead of an on-screen keypad, the entire value selection moves to native hardware: • Slide the Camera Control button to adjust the payment amount with haptic feedback. • Double-click the power button for instant Face ID verification. • Tap once to confirm. We already saw Navi UPI use camera controls to zoom in on distant QR codes. Offloading micro-interactions to physical buttons unlocks three key UX wins: → Zero Screen Clutter: No giant keypads occupying 50% of the display. → Tactile Precision: Haptics make amount selection feel controlled and tactile. → Ergonomic Speed: Effortless one-handed execution without thumb stretching. The next phase of elite mobile UX is about bridging physical hardware controls seamlessly with digital intent. Micro-delight is not a visual choice. It is a hardware-software synergy strategy. #ProductStrategy #UXDesign #Fintech #UPI #GrowthDesign #DesignForensics #UserExperience #MobileUX

Care delivery companies: don’t repeat my mistake! Don’t design for more efficiency when what you need is more humanity. A few months into building Iron Health, we had a problem: patients weren't attending follow-up appointments at the rate we expected. So we did what any rational product team would do - we built solutions. More personalized appointment reminders, SMS instead of email, simpler rescheduling flows. And it only kind of worked. We saw a small bump in appointment attendance, but not enough to move the business. So we went back to the data. We read every word of feedback, tracked every single patient journey, asked every provider what they were seeing. Here's what we learned: the patients who came back weren't the ones who received the most outreach. They were the ones who had a strong relationship with their provider. Not a good experience with the platform, a genuine connection with a person. They showed up for appointments because they didn't want to let someone down. Because they looked forward to time with someone who cared about them. Because that relationship carried weight, emotional and human weight, that no appointment reminder could replicate. So we changed our strategy. We stopped investing primarily in workflow optimization and started investing in relationship acceleration. We designed ways for patients and providers to connect before the first appointment. We created touchpoints between visits that built trust and continuity. We gave providers tools to be more present, more human, more themselves, at scale. Turns out, helping providers scale their humanity is good business strategy. When you do that, adherence goes up, retention improves, patients stay in care longer and show up more consistently. Not because you reduced friction but because you deepened connection. If your patients aren't engaging, take a step back from workflows and examine how your technology supports relationships. As sexy as your platform might be, it’s meaningful connections with providers that keep patients coming back. Design accordingly.

What if an interface could adapt to your world in real time? Imagine your car’s dashboard subtly shifting to shades of green as you drive through a forest, or an app adjusting to your personal accessibility needs without breaking. For the past few months, I've spoken with many of you and I’ve realized we’re all working toward the same ambitious goal: creating interfaces that offer a seamless blend of brand personalization, true adaptability, and accessibility. This is about building an experience that is not only true to a brand's perception but is also tailored to our individual needs as consumers. My exploration so far has revealed three foundational concepts that I feel are important to make this a reality. In the upcoming months, I’ll be sharing our journey as we explore these concepts. Some ideas will work, some will fail. I don’t know where this path will lead, but I want to bring you along in the process. 1.⁠ ⁠Contextual Awareness This is the idea that an element understands its environment. A button, for example, knows what surface it’s sitting on and adapts accordingly. While tools like Figma use variable collections to simulate this, the approach is often fragile because it lacks a scalable underlying logic. This very challenge was a driving force behind developing the graph engine. I’m excited to share that a solution for this is now possible directly in modern browsers with pure CSS, laying a powerful and scalable foundation for the future. 2.⁠ ⁠Content Awareness Imagine an interface that reflects the content it displays. We see a version of this in Spotify’s UI, which adapts to album art to create a more immersive experience. This principle allows the UI to react dynamically, personalizing the experience in real-time based on its content. 3.⁠ ⁠User Awareness This pillar brings it all together by focusing on the user’s specific needs. It means designing systems that can respond to a user with Parkinson’s who may need more forgiving interaction areas, or accommodating the universal reality that as we get older, we need larger fonts. The key is to make these adjustments without breaking the interface or compromising the brand experience. These three pillars form the blueprint for the next generation of user interfaces. By understanding where an element is, what it contains, and who is using it, we can create experiences that feel truly alive. I think there’s more to discover beyond our current methods. Let's explore what it means to build something truly adaptive, together.

I recently placed an order on Blinkit app and noticed a couple of interesting design innovations that stand out from other popular grocery apps like Swiggy Instamart, Zepto, and BB Now. These small but impactful UX decisions are worth highlighting for product managers and designers in the space. 1. Floating "View Cart" Icon 🛒 Blinkit’s floating "View Cart" button is subtle yet functional. Instead of taking the user to a new screen to view cart details, this floating icon sticks at the bottom of the page, ensuring easy access without disrupting the user’s shopping flow. Unlike traditional navigation where users have to navigate back to the cart, this floating icon reduces the friction significantly, leading to a better experience. 🌟Takeaway for PMs: Incorporating such persistent elements can keep users focused on adding more items, boosting overall cart size. It’s a balance between keeping core features visible while letting users explore freely. 2. Bottom Drawer with "Order Again" & "Print" Tabs 📦🖨️ The "Order Again" and "Print" options in the bottom navigation drawer are unique! Most apps like Swiggy and Zepto either show past orders within the account section or focus on immediate actions like checkout. Blinkit’s "Order Again" feature is directly placed at the bottom, making repetitive orders a breeze for customers. This is particularly powerful for a grocery app, where users tend to re-order the same essentials. The "Print" option, likely for printing receipts or order details, is an innovation many competitors overlook. It speaks directly to users who may need physical documentation for tracking purposes. Although digital-first, it recognizes that users may still value hard copies. 🌟 Takeaway for PMs: Creating easy access to repetitive actions (like "Order Again") while including offline-friendly features (like "Print") can differentiate a platform. Understanding your user’s workflow beyond the app (like printing) is critical to boosting engagement and retention. 🔑 Summarized Takeaways for Product Managers: 1️⃣ Persistent UI elements (like the floating cart) ensure core actions are accessible, improving ease of use. 2️⃣Catering to repeat behavior (like reordering groceries) saves user time and reduces friction. Understanding frequent user paths and bringing them forward can enhance retention. 3️⃣ Offline-friendly features like the "Print" tab might seem outdated, but they show a deep understanding of the diverse needs of the customer base, offering flexibility. With a focus on functional and intuitive design, Blinkit is adding a fresh layer of convenience to the online grocery shopping experience. What do you think of Blinkit design? Let me know in the comments! #ProductDesign #UXInnovation #ProductManagement #UserExperience #Blinkit #UIUX #Design