UX Friction
back to glossary
What is UX friction?
UX friction refers to any element or aspect of a digital product that hinders or slows down users from completing their desired actions, leading to frustration and potentially abandonment. It's essentially anything that creates a barrier between the user and their goal.
What are key characteristics?
- Hindrance: UX friction makes it difficult for users to achieve their goals within a product or service.
- Frustration: It causes users to feel annoyed, confused, or dissatisfied when interacting with the product.
- Potential Abandonment: If friction is too high, users may abandon their task or the product altogether.
What are types of UX friction?
- Interaction Friction: This relates to difficulties in how users interact with the product's interface, such as slow loading times, unresponsive elements, or confusing layouts.
- Cognitive Friction: This occurs when the product requires too much mental effort to understand or use, such as complex navigation, unclear instructions, or poorly designed forms.
- Emotional Friction: This arises when users experience negative emotions like anxiety, uncertainty, or distrust while using the product, often due to a lack of information or confusing messaging.
Why it Matters:
- Reduced User Satisfaction: High friction leads to a negative user experience and decreased satisfaction.
- Lower Conversion Rates: Users are less likely to complete desired actions, like making a purchase or signing up, if they encounter friction.
- Increased Churn: Users may abandon the product altogether if they consistently face frustration.
What are examples of UX friction?
- A website with a slow loading time.
- A mobile app with a confusing navigation menu.
- A checkout process that requires too many unnecessary steps.
- A form with unclear labels or instructions.
- A website that lacks clear pricing information.
By understanding and addressing UX friction, designers and developers can create more intuitive and user-friendly digital products that lead to greater user satisfaction and success.
