User Experiences should be thought of like little car journeys. Sometimes that journey is smooth; no traffic jams, great signage all the way, and you arrive at your destination feeling fresh and glad you made the journey. At other times… it’s one wrong turn after another, stuck in never ending queues of traffic, and you wish you’d never bothered getting in the car...

As a UX designer, there are certain red flags I notice instantly BUT most of the problems can be easily fixed with a few thoughtful, user‑centred adjustments.

Here are the four biggest UX red flags I spot right away, and how I recommend solving them.

1. Poor Hierarchy

Hierarchy is the backbone of clarity. When everything looks equally important, nothing feels important at all.

What does a bad hierarchy look like?

• Buttons competing for attention
• Walls of text with no visual breaks
• No headings to guide the eye
• Primary actions buried beneath secondary ones

When hierarchy is off, users have to work harder to understand where to go and what to do next.

How do I fix it

• Establish a clear visual order. Size, weight, spacing, and colour all help guide attention.
• Prioritise the primary action. Make the main task unmistakably obvious.
• Chunk information. Break content into digestible sections with meaningful headings.
• Use contrast intentionally. Not everything needs to be bold, just the important things.

Good hierarchy feels invisible because it simply works.

2. Confusing Navigation

If users can’t find what they need, they won’t stick around. Navigation is one of the fastest ways to build trust…or lose it.

Things to avoid…

• Menus with too many options
• Labels that don’t match user expectations
• Hidden or inconsistent navigation patterns
• Dead ends or loops that trap users

Confusing navigation creates anger and frustration, and those emotions will win out, and send your user packing, no matter how beautiful the interface looks.

How do I fix it?

• Simplify the structure. Fewer, clearer paths reduce cognitive load.
• Use familiar patterns. Users rely on conventions; reinventing the wheel rarely helps.
• Rename for clarity. Labels should reflect the user’s language, not internal jargon.
• Test the flow. A quick tree test or card sort reveals where users get lost.

Navigation should feel like a well‑lit path, not a scavenger hunt.

3. Misaligned Mental Models

A mental model is how a user expects something to work. When the product’s logic doesn’t match that expectation, friction appears.

What does this mean?

• Features placed where users wouldn’t think to look
• Interactions that behave differently than expected
• Terminology that doesn’t match real‑world understanding
• Workflows that feel backwards or unintuitive

How do I fix it

• Talk to users. Genuine feedback from your target market is invaluable and will tell you how people really feel about the site.
• Map the mental model. Understand the user’s natural flow before designing the interface.
• Align terminology. Use words that match the user’s world, not the company’s internal vocabulary.
• Prototype and test early. Misalignment becomes obvious when you watch someone try to use the product.

When mental models align, everything feels easier, even if the task is complex.

4. Accessibility Gaps

Accessibility isn’t a “nice to have”, it’s a core part of good UX. When accessibility is overlooked, entire groups of users are excluded.

What does this look like?

• Low‑contrast text
• Tiny tap targets
• Missing alt text
• Keyboard traps
• Motion or animation that can’t be reduced

These issues don’t just affect people with disabilities, they affect everyone at some point.

How I fix it

• Check contrast ratios. Ensuring readable text is one of the quickest wins.
• Increase target sizes. Buttons should be easy to tap, even on small screens.
• Add semantic structure. Proper headings, labels, and alt text improve navigation for all users.
• Test with assistive tools. Screen readers and keyboard navigation reveal hidden barriers.
• Offer control. Reduce motion, allow pauses, and avoid flashing content.

Accessible design is simply better design.

Why These Red Flags Matter

These issues aren’t just aesthetic, they directly impact conversions, trust, and user satisfaction. When you fix them, you create experiences that feel intuitive, supportive, and human.

Spotting these red flags quickly helps teams avoid costly redesigns and build products and websites that people genuinely enjoy using.

Get in touch if you’d like to discuss how you can make the most of your website design.

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