Optimizing UX design to enhance user confidence in digital products

Abstract: As digital products grow in prominence, the significance of user experience (UX) design becomes increasingly evident. A crucial outcome of strong UX design is user confidence, defined as a user’s trust in their ability to effectively interact with a product. Designs that foster user confidence reduce interface uncertainty and enhance user self-belief, leading to increased engagement and repeated interactions. Conversely, a lack of user confidence can drive users to seek alternative products. This study aims to uncover the underlying principles that enable users to navigate products with confidence, thereby providing design guidance for fostering long-term product loyalty. This study identifies five key design principles that enhance user confidence: 1) Creating familiarity with UI elements and interactions, 2) Balancing information accessibility and overload, 3) Providing clarity in action descriptions, 4) Offering feedback after decisive user actions, and 5) Enabling the reversibility of actions. To explore user confidence, the study employed three methods. In-depth user interviews were conducted to gather insights on user experiences with both digital and physical products. Afterward, a three-day immersion study (“UX diary”) was conducted to document users’ emotional interactions with everyday products. Finally, a series of generative workshops were hosted to validate the principles and explore their applicability in different product contexts, such as posting content on Reddit and placing an order on Amazon. Participants reported that these principles provided reassurance and facilitated ease of use. User confidence is a prerequisite for other UX design considerations. By focusing on these principles, designers can create products that foster confidence and satisfaction, ultimately leading to improved user engagement and retention.

Keywords: User confidence, user experience (UX), interface design, interaction design, human-computer interaction (HCI), digital product design, usability

DOI: 10.54941/ahfe1005650

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