Over the course of my 20-year career in business and product development across various countries, I’ve seen numerous projects come and go. Unfortunately, only a handful of the products developed during this time have endured and are still in use today. If we measure business success by the longevity of product development, it becomes evident that there are far more examples of failure than success. By “failure,” I refer to projects that were canceled mid-way, products that were launched but did not achieve long-term viability, or any scenario where the business did not succeed.
With this in mind, I want to shed light on the critical mistakes to avoid in UX/UI design projects, drawing from the failures I’ve witnessed in various client endeavors.
Don Norman, who popularized the term “UX,” has explicitly stated that User Experience (UX) and Usability are not the same.
Don’t Confuse User Experience with Usability
Yet, many still equate UX with Usability—a significant mistake with profound business implications. Even educational institutions offering UX design courses sometimes overlook this crucial distinction. This confusion can severely impact business success for two primary reasons: labor costs and strategic misalignment.
UX design should be applied during the conceptual development phase of new businesses or when renewing existing products and services. It focuses on the overall experience and conceptual strategy. Conversely, UI design is concerned with the interface’s visual elements, such as button placement and the aesthetic aspects that enhance usability.
However, due to common recruitment practices, UX/UI designer roles are often advertised as if every UX designer is equally skilled in UI design (and vice versa). In reality, many designers do not fully grasp the difference between the two. This leads to situations where tasks that should be rooted in UX strategy are relegated to UI design work, creating a mismatch between the skills of the assigned personnel and the strategic needs of the business. This gap is a common thread in the failures I’ve observed over the years.
Strategy is the roadmap for your team. Without a clear roadmap on how to reach your destination, everyone ends up lost, right?
Lack of Business and Brand Strategies
Both UX and UI design processes rely heavily on a solid business strategy and brand strategy to ensure a smooth and effective development process. While it’s possible to move forward without these strategies, doing so often leads to a product or solution that diverges significantly from the original vision of the business owner. This can result in irreparable gaps, especially in terms of appearance and functionality.
A well-defined business strategy is crucial for benchmarking the product’s development, providing a roadmap for how the product or service will evolve over time. Most importantly, without clear business goals that articulate the core concept and objectives, the direction of the product can become muddled and unfocused. Similarly, a strong brand strategy is fundamental for maintaining visual consistency and cohesive brand management. Unfortunately, I’ve encountered many instances where brand strategies were hastily developed only after the project was already underway.
When projects proceed without these essential components in place, various issues inevitably arise. However, these problems are often underestimated or overlooked. It’s not just about the design work—these strategies are vital for fostering effective teamwork as well. Ironically, those with limited management experience are often the ones who fail to recognize the critical importance of having robust business and brand strategies from the outset.
Incorporating Opinions from Non-Target Audiences
In many Japanese companies, a significant challenge during the design process is the tendency to incorporate the opinions of individuals who are not part of the target audience. This is particularly prevalent when discussing and making decisions about the details of a product or service. The core principle of UX/UI design is to keep the user at the center, meaning that the opinions of actual users should take precedence. While feedback from those who won’t use the product isn’t entirely irrelevant, when it comes to developing features and communication strategies, the focus must always remain on the target user.
*The diagram above maps the business cultures of various countries across two axes: whether the organizational structure is hierarchical or egalitarian (flat), and whether decision-making is top-down or consensus-based.
However, in Japanese corporate culture, where consensus-driven decision-making is the norm, projects often stall unless everyone involved agrees. If all stakeholders were part of the target audience, their input would be valuable, but this is rarely the case. More often, business owners or management team members, who won’t personally use the product or service, offer feedback on aspects like usability or appearance. This can result in a product that lacks a clear focus on who it’s really for. Consequently, many products developed by Japanese companies end up being multifunctional but challenging to use. A prime example is the overwhelming variety of digital payment methods available, which can confuse customers at checkout, leaving them unsure of which option to choose.
While it’s important to listen to and consider various opinions in the decision-making process, it’s a different matter entirely whether all those opinions should influence the final product. The issue isn’t with consensus itself, but rather with the forced inclusion of opinions from those who are not representative of the end users.
The three reasons discussed here are among the most common issues I’ve encountered in the projects I’ve worked on. While there are many other nuances to consider, the first step is to properly understand UX and identify what is truly necessary for an effective design process.
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No matter the scope of your project, it’s advisable to consult a UX design expert early in the process. While not every situation may require a UX designer—sometimes a UI designer or even your existing team resources can suffice— recognizing this early can save on unnecessary expenditures. Engaging the right expertise from the start ensures that your project is not only cost-effective but also aligned with the best practices in user experience design.
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