The design of a web application determines its levels of user experience. No web design whether it is for a web or mobile application is perfect. Some of these mistakes can be glossed over by designers and developers while others can’t. But, there are certain mistakes or designing pitfalls that need to be avoided at all costs.

Let’s take a look at five common web application design mistakes that if avoided can ensure a design that offers a very high level of satisfying user experience.

1. Thinking a Prototype is the same as the Final Design: The interesting bit about this mistake is that it is the designing mavens who are usually accused of making it. The problem begins at the very beginning of the design process, when the designers are working on the web application wireframe. They are so good at both ‘lo fi’ and ‘hi fi’ wireframe that they believe that the prototype they have developed is as good as the finished product. Let’s face it. It is their ego at work here. They are not willing to question the fact that there might be some polishing required to the prototype before the process of creating the actual design can be undertaken. A prototype is all that the design is going to look like but it is not the actual design in itself.  A web application has both a GUI, as well as, a backend and a prototype doesn’t suffice for both. But, it’s a mistake that many designers tend to make.
    
2. Design Inconsistencies: Inconsistent design is a mistake that plagues many web and mobile applications. When it comes to mobile application development, where the margin for making designing errors is minuscule at best, such inconsistencies become glaring. Inconsistent methods of displaying data cause problems with user experience, which is never a good idea for any web application, whatever the platform. Some designers tend to ignore the well documented user interface guidelines of major platforms, which leads to major designing errors. This is illustrated by problems in the lexical units of the UI, such as scroll bars, command links, check boxes etc.
    
3. A Visual Blow Out: Something that even the most experienced designers are susceptible to, is a problem known as overdesign, which leads to two basic problems – It takes the users for granted in terms of them appreciating visuals over functionality and it also leads to concept overkill. Whatever the designing convictions that drive your approach towards design, it’s important that they follow some of the common design and usability conventions in place. Over-blown visuals tend to make the application look more complicated than it actually is which affects its usability. So, in an attempt to help an application stand out from the crowd by ensuring it looks different, the design actually has an opposite effect.
    
4. Focus on non-conventional approach – This is a problem if you allow it to become one. There is no harm in giving your own take to the design of an application. But, it doesn’t make sense to entirely break from conventions. If you want your web application to be intuitive, it needs to have a design that looks familiar. This helps users recognize its parts and ensures that they are able to optimize its use. There is absolutely no doubt that breaking conventions when it comes to web application design only works if, it’s not implemented throughout your app. It’s important to understand that users have never seen your web application before and its first look must serve to comfort them rather than confuse them.
    
5. Thinking like a Designer:  Designing doesn’t work if a designer thinks from the perspective of a designer. As a designer, you won’t think twice about adding a certain design element that is complex and isn’t very user friendly. The fact that a designer is able to understand the design is of very little consequence. It’s the users who must be able to understand it. Designers, right from the time they work on the wireframe up to the time they come out with the final design, must put themselves in the shoes of the user. They must design a particular web application from the user’s perspective. This fact remains true for mobile application development as well. At every stage of the designing process, they must ask themselves one essential question, “Will the user understand this particular feature/element”? If there are any doubts in their minds, they must rework the design element to ensure that it meets the needs of the user.

These are five mistakes that many web application designers are prone to making. These can be avoided with very little effort, which in turn ensures that the application is truly cutting edge and in line with the expectations of the users and the clients.