35 UX-Criteria To Review Before Launching Digital Products

Martin Leblanc, co-founder of Iconfinder, once said, “A user interface is like a joke. If you have to explain it, it’s not that good.”

Our team at Design Studio UI/UX, we have seen that happen multiple times. A fintech dashboard is of no use if first time users need to set 30 minutes aside for a tutorial.

Or an eCommerce failing to see any conversion with a six-field form, asking for the same information repetitively.

This very thing can be avoided through UX research, where each interface is audited against a usability checklist.

To assist businesses, we have curated a 35-point checklist which spans over 7 sections , each being a 5-pointer or a 7-pointer:

Visual hierarchy/ First impression

5-second test

This section helps business teams understand the following criteria:

• Is the interface understandable to first-time users, especially within 5 seconds of landing?

If the copy is not clearly explaining the product’s objective in 2-3 lines, then forget moving forward. It's time to rewrite the copy.

Product Value/ Value Proposition

The headline is the best shot of gaining attention, but it has a limited window. So the heading should be

• What is the core idea?
• Who will benefit from the product/ service?
• What is the difference from the competitors?

Intentional visual hierarchy

Users must understand the context, and where to look for the right information. The visual hierarchy also contains font sizes, contrast levels, and letter/ word spacing that fits people’s eye tracking.

The UX audit tells us if all those elements are placed correctly, or is there some randomness to it. If there is indeed randomness, the product team should work on its resolution.

Brand Color Consistency

In UI/UX design, every element plays a part, be it brand colors, logo, typography, iconography, and/ or illustration. These should be consistent in nature, otherwise, users will consider the inconsistency as untrustworthiness.

Above-the-Fold Content

The headline/ or the most significant content should be placed at the top. If the users have to scroll endlessly just to learn about the core value, they would not stay on the page.

Overwhelming Interface

During the UX audit, designers also check if the interface is overwhelmingly populated or not. If it is crowded, then people cannot decipher what to consider or discard.

Long Text Walls

Long-form content does not bode well for UI/UX design (unless it is specifically instructed).

Navigation and Information Architecture

Intuitive Navigation Labels

The Menu items should involve everyday language, not some internalized technical terms. For example, “Solutions” is not a specific-term, it’s kind of generic, and it discloses nothing. “Product Features” is better, and “How It Works” is the best alternative.

Reach Destination Page In 3-Clicks

The navigation pathway should not be longer than 3 steps, especially if it contains critical information. So, if the Information Architecture fails this test, it needs additional effort and restructuring.

Active States

Users should not be confused about their current location while visiting the interface. The navigation path should be clearly defined, for people to understand how to reach the destination URL.

Functional Search Bars

Most UI/UX platforms come with a search bar, and it should be tested during the audit. In the process, designers test edge cases, typos, and zero-result states. If the search button is broken, you will lose users' trust.

Breadcrumbs

If the interface contains more than 3 categories and subcategories, then breadcrumbs are absolutely essential. This needs to be consistent to ensure users are oriented, and the interface links all the pages correctly.

Footer

In most cases, footers are often considered as a last resort. However, compliance guidelines state that some critical links (at minimum) must be added in the footer, such as, contact, legal, key product pages, and social links.

No Orphan Pages

All the pages within the interface must be interlinked, a site audit will tell if there are any dead ends.

Form Validation

Form Fields With Clear Labels

Generic placeholder text for form fields is not enough to be considered as a label. The label should be clearly described to ensure users don’t lose context, even if they browse for longer duration.

Error Messages

Error messages themselves should not be incorrect.

So, while “invalid response” is good, but “enter a valid email address” is better from every context.

When these messages tell users about the mistake, they can rectify them, leading to better user experience.

Inline Password Validation

Earlier, forms used to show the “wrong password” or “password is too short” error messages after users click on “Submit”. But that took a long time, leading to user frustration. Now, users receive the error message instantaneously, reducing friction.

Required vs Optional Fields

Only a select few should be treated as required fields, and marked with an asterisk (*).

The optional fields should be marked conventionally to create a better interface.

Autofill Support

This is applicable for returning users, browser autofill should work on all standard form fields.

Accessibility

WCAG AA Color Contrast Mandate

Text should have a contrast ratio of 4.5:1 against the background, in all states, hover, focus, or disabled to be compliant with WCAG AA standards.

Alt Text For Images

If the image is not used for decorative purposes, it should be paired with a proper alt text attribute. It does not just help with SEO perspective, but also from a UI/ UX accessibility POV.

Keyboard Navigation

During the audit, the keyboard navigation pathways are tested, to ensure users can move through the interface without always requiring a mouse. The button, link, form field, and modals must be navigable and reachable.

Focus States

This is on theme with the above concept. If the default browser focus point is removed for some reason, it should be replaced with a custom one. Otherwise, it would be inaccessible to all the keyboard users.

Screen Reader Compatibility

All the core user flows should be tested with a screen recorder (VoiceOver on Mac, NVDA for Windows). There should be a logical semantic flow, and all the interactive elements should be described in detail, and ARIA labels should be added where needed.

UX Performance

Load Time & Google Core Web Vitals

Google Core Web Vitals say that users prefer applications with less than 2 second loading time. Google PageSpeed Insights will give a rough estimate, telling brands to optimize the page further.

Image Optimization

Images, if uncompressed, may contribute to the slow loading speed. Sometimes, an interface might not accept images of a definite size, so it should be optimized accordingly. The best way to ensure image optimization is to ensure the correct size and format (WebP).

404 Checker

Any 404 (“Page Not Found”) is a deal breaker for users. So if you want to count on your users, you should check the interface for “broken links”.

Mobile Experience

If we hear people talking about mobile experience, most of them stop at being mobile-friendly. But we actually want to dig deeper.

A tap-friendly interface should meet 44x44 px criteria, otherwise, they would be rejected.

Horizontal scrolling is restricted in this case.

Microcopy

Proper CTAs

CTAs should nudge people towards an action, that’s true. But a generic “Click Here” is off-putting to say the least. Instead, use:

• “Start Your Free Trial”
• “See How It Works”
• “Get Your Quote”

These buttons are not just directives, these are action plans in disguise.

Empty States

This appears when the interface doesn't have any data, nothing to show in the dashboard, cart, or search results. In these moments, users need thoughtful copy that will guide them through the interface, instead of just showing blank screens.

Human Microcopy

Tooltips, confirmation messages, error states and loading indicators all should have a human element in the microcopy to reflect brand voice.

Legal copy

This includes pages like “Privacy Policy” and “Cookie Notice” should be easily accessible and visible for users.

Conversion

Social Proof

Never ever forget adding case studies, testimonials, or aggregator-site reviews, if you want to build momentum with the audience.

Exit Points

This is the last stage in the UX audit, where the weak points are uncovered and remodeled to create a better UI. Use Hotjar or PostHog to map the dropping points, and then create a strategy.

If the users are dropping off in the Pricing page, placing a FAQ section will help.

If they are leaving due to long form submission, a chatbot can be used to retarget them.

The thing is, you can follow hundreds of checklists, and still reduce the same-old results. So, here the approach of UX research needs to change. It must involve real users, five unmoderated usability sessions will tell you whatever the internal team is missing out. However, the audit cycle does not end here, it should move quarterly, bi-annually, or yearly, and it should not be considered as an afterthought.