16 little UI design rules that make a big impact

User interface design is hard. With so many options to choose from regarding layout, spacing, typography, and colour, making design decisions can be overwhelming. When you add usability, accessibility, and psychology to the mix, it gets even harder.

Luckily, UI design doesn’t have to be so hard. Over nearly 2 decades working as a product designer, I’ve realised that most of my visual and interaction design decisions are governed by a system of logical rules. Not artistic flair or magical intuition, just simple rules.

Having a system of logical rules helps you efficiently make informed design decisions. Without a logical system, you’re just using gut feeling to move stuff around until it looks pretty.

I love rules and logic, but design decisions are rarely black and white. Rather than strict rules that you must follow, think of the following advice as helpful guidelines that work well in most cases.

The following 2 designs are for the property details page of a short-term property rental app. The first one is the original design. The second is the result of applying some logical rules or guidelines.

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