Yesterday, our Creative Director Sarah Edwards joined Digital Transformation Consultant and founder of Full Stack Consulting, Graham Roberts, for a brilliant conversation on all things UX, UI, and conversions. The talk explored how taking a user-first approach to design isn’t just good for the experience – it’s good for business too.
Sarah shared insights from over 20 years in digital design, including work with organisations like Virgin Media, Google, and Cambridge University Press. At the heart of the talk was a clear message: when we design with real people in mind, conversions naturally follow.
The six UX/UI principles that convert
In the session, Sarah outlined six UX and UI principles embedded in user-centred design that consistently drive better engagement and higher conversions:
Clarity and simplicity
Clean, minimal interfaces make it easier for users to find what they need and take action. When users land on your site, they should instantly understand what it’s about and what action to take next. A clean, minimal interface removes cognitive friction – no clutter, no unnecessary distractions, no overwhelm. Purposeful simplicity guides attention to what really matters. If users are confused, they won’t stick around – no matter how good your product is.
Intuitive navigation
How you organise content on a website makes a difference. We design with logical menu structures, clear hierarchies, and seamless user journeys, so users can move through a site naturally and confidently. In her talk, Sarah touched upon how card sorting (also known as card testing) is one of the most powerful tools for improving website navigation because it helps you design your site structure based on how users actually think, rather than internal assumptions. The method involves giving research participants a set of items (like page titles, features, or products) written on cards and asking them to group them in a way that makes sense to them. This is ‘closed’ card sorting, but it can also be open – in which users create their own category names. This method can be used with physical cards or even digital tools like Optimal Workshop or Miro.
Speed and performance
Design isn’t just about how something looks – it’s about how it works in the real world. A fast-loading site creates a smoother, more enjoyable experience, while even a few seconds of delay can cause drop-offs, especially on mobile. But beyond just load time, it’s important to think about context. As Sarah pointed out during the talk, understanding where and how your users are accessing your site is crucial. If your audience is likely to browse while commuting – say, on a train with poor signal – your site needs to be lean, lightweight, and optimised for low-bandwidth environments. That could mean limiting large media files, prioritising key content to load first, and reducing dependency on complex scripts.
Effective calls to action (CTAs)
Your CTA is the tipping point between bounce and conversion. We design CTAs that are impossible to miss, but never aggressive or confusing. Whether it’s ‘Buy Now’ or ‘Book a Demo’, clarity is key. The user should know exactly what to expect from a click. It’s also important to avoid overwhelming them with too many choices on one screen – one strong CTA is better than five weak ones.
Mobile responsiveness
With over 60% of online traffic now on mobile, a seamless experience across devices is essential. Mobile users now make up the majority of web traffic, but mobile conversions still lag behind desktop. Why? Poorly adapted layouts, tiny buttons, or misaligned content. At Make it Clear, we design responsively from the start, ensuring a seamless experience across screen sizes and devices. That includes touch-friendly navigation, readable text, and layouts that adapt without breaking flow.
Trust signals and social proof
Reviews, testimonials, and security badges reassure users and reduce hesitation. If users don’t trust your brand, they won’t convert – no matter how good the UX is. Trust signals like reviews, testimonials, badges, and secure payment icons provide reassurance. They show that real people have had positive experiences and that your site is safe and credible.
These aren’t just best practices – they’re proven to work. As Sarah highlighted, research from McKinsey shows that improving the customer journey can boost satisfaction by 20%, lift revenue by up to 15%, and cut service costs by 20%. Think with Google backs this up, pointing out that mobile users expect speed – and slow, clunky experiences lose customers fast.
We also touched on Laiya, a tool we’ve been involved with that creates website blueprints by leveraging advanced AI technology to outline the essential information needed. Laiya doesn’t replace firsthand user research efforts, but rather defines the foundational elements of UX. It’s part of our broader commitment to not just deliver great experiences, but to help others do the same.
Testing beats assumptions (always)
A key takeaway from the talk? Test everything. Sarah emphasised that assumptions are the enemy of good design. At Make it Clear, we lean heavily on user testing – from heatmaps and session recordings to moderated usability studies – because it’s the only way to truly understand what’s working and what’s not.
Whether you’re building a brand new product or optimising an existing one, keeping users front and centre leads to better decisions, better design, and better results. Want to talk about how we can apply this thinking to your project? Get in touch or drop us a line.
And big thanks again to Graham Roberts and Full Stack Consulting for hosting such a valuable conversation.
