GOOD & BAD
DESIGN EXAMPLES
IN THE DIGITAL WORLD
Bad Design Example: Canada.ca - Service Canada website
The Canada.ca - Service Canada website suffers from poor design that fails to support key UX principles like Clarity, Simplicity, Findability, and Feedback. It overwhelms users with too much information, makes finding essential services hard, and doesn’t provide enough feedback when actions are completed. By simplifying the layout, improving consistency, and making key services easier to find, the site could greatly enhance the user experience.
Clarity
Issue: The website lacks clarity. The homepage is cluttered with too many links and too much information at once, making it hard to figure out where to go. Users are often left confused about which link or section will take them to the right service.

Improvement: A clear structure with fewer choices upfront and better-labeled sections would improve the user experience. For example, clear call-to-action buttons like "Apply for Benefits" or "Check Status" would make it easier to navigate.
Simplicity
Issue: The design is overly complicated. The number of links and information presented on the homepage makes it overwhelming, especially for users who may not be familiar with government services.

Improvement: The site could focus on displaying only the most essential services on the main page, allowing users to find what they need faster without unnecessary distractions.
Functionality
Issue: While the website technically works, many users experience functionality issues. For example, buttons sometimes lead to incorrect pages, or information is hard to find through the search bar.

Improvement: Ensuring that all buttons, links, and forms work as intended is key. Testing each feature for usability would solve many of these issues.
Findability
Issue: It’s difficult for users to find what they’re looking for. Services like "Track Your Application" or "Create an Account" are hidden behind several layers of navigation. Users often have to dig through unrelated information to get to what they need.

Improvement: Simplify navigation and make essential features (like account management and tracking applications) easy to find. A clear, top-level navigation with key tasks highlighted would improve findability.
Consistency
Issue: The design and navigation are inconsistent across different sections of the website. For example, some services are laid out clearly, while others have completely different structures. The mobile version of the site is also poorly optimized, leading to a disjointed experience between devices.

Improvement: Ensuring consistency in design, layout, and functionality across all pages and devices would create a smoother user experience.
Reliability
Issue: Users report that the site is unreliable when accessing accounts or checking the status of applications. Pages may not load properly, and there are frequent technical glitches when interacting with key features.

Improvement: Focus on improving the website’s stability and reliability, ensuring that users can access their accounts and track submissions without issues. This would help users feel more confident in using the site.
Feedback
Issue: After submitting a form or request, users often don’t receive immediate confirmation. This leads to uncertainty about whether their action was successful or not.

Improvement: Providing immediate, clear feedback when a form is submitted or a page loads (like a "Success" message or a tracking confirmation) would help users feel more secure in their actions.
Purposeful/ Desirable

Issue: The website’s purpose is to help Canadians access essential services, but its design doesn’t support that goal effectively. Navigating through multiple confusing pages and the lack of clear labels makes it undesirable for users to interact with.

Improvement: Aligning the design with users' goals—like applying for services or checking request statuses—would make the website more desirable. Streamlining these processes into intuitive, easy-to-use tools would help fulfill the site’s purpose.
Good Design Example: pinterest.com - Visual Inspiration website
Pinterest makes it easy for users to find and save creative ideas with a simple, clear design. It keeps users coming back with a fun and engaging experience that works well on any device.
Clarity
Pinterest has a clean, visually appealing design that makes it easy to understand what the site is for—finding and saving creative ideas through images.
Simplicity
The site’s layout is minimalistic, allowing users to navigate without distractions. Users can browse images or search topics effortlessly.
Functionality
It offers excellent functionality by allowing users to "pin" and organize their ideas in a straightforward way, making the process both practical and enjoyable.
Findability
Pinterest excels in searchability; users can easily find pins, boards, or topics they’re interested in through a well-structured search bar and intuitive navigation.
Consistency
Across different devices and platforms, Pinterest maintains a consistent design and functionality, ensuring users have the same experience regardless of where they access it.
Reliability
The website is stable and fast, offering a seamless experience without delays, ensuring users can quickly interact with and save content.
Feedback
Pinterest gives clear feedback with animations and visual cues when users pin items, follow boards, or interact with content, helping them understand actions taken.
Purposeful/
Desirable

The design of Pinterest is highly engaging and encourages creativity, making users want to return often to explore new ideas and inspirations.