Principles of Good Design

Clarity

Good design makes things clear and easy to understand.
Your users shouldn’t have to guess what a button does or what step comes next. If something’s confusing, it’s bad design.

Example:
A big, labeled “Add to Cart” button tells people what will happen if they click it.

Consistency

Use the same patterns, colors, icons, and layouts across your product.
This builds familiarity and trust — people can predict what’s going to happen.

Example:
If your app uses a blue button for “Confirm” once, it should use it everywhere else too.

Visual Hierachy

Guide people’s eyes to what matters most.
Use size, color, space, and contrast to show what’s important first, second, and last.

Example:
A large product name, followed by a medium price, then smaller product details.

Feedback

Your design should respond to users’ actions.
When people click, swipe, or type — show them what’s happening.

Example:
A button changes color when you hover, or a loading spinner appears after clicking “Submit.”

Affordance

Design elements should look like how they behave.
Buttons should look clickable. Sliders should look draggable. Text links should stand out.

Example:
A raised, colored rectangle with a label looks like something you can press.

Accessibility

Design for everyone — including people with different abilities.
Use readable fonts, good color contrast, clear icons, and proper labels.

Example:
Avoid tiny text or low-contrast colors that are hard for visually impaired users to read.

Simplicity

Remove anything unnecessary.
Focus only on what’s important and helpful. Too much clutter can confuse and overwhelm users.

Example:
A clean, focused checkout page with only the essential fields: name, address, payment.

Delight

Add little moments of joy or surprise.
Microinteractions, animations, or clever details can turn a good experience into a great one.

Example:
A cute success animation when you finish a task in an app.