The Day My Circuit Fried (Literally)

Back in my Electrical Engineering days, I wired what I thought was a simple LED circuit. Instead, I accidentally triggered a mini fireworks show in my dorm room. The culprit? A misplaced wire – a tiny mistake with big consequences. That’s when I realized: small design flaws create major usability disasters.

Fast Forward to UX Design...

When I transitioned into UX design, I had a déjà vu moment – bad UX is like a faulty circuit. Users expect things to work smoothly, but one bad design decision can leave them frustrated, confused, or ready to give up.

UX Short Circuits in Action

• Mystery Buttons: Ever clicked a button and had no idea what just happened? It’s like a switch that does nothing. Annoying, right?
• 404 Dead Ends: Clicking a link and hitting a 404 page with no clear way back is like flipping a switch and cutting off the power – completely disorienting.
• Infinite Loops: Some apps ask you to re-enter the same information over and over. It’s the equivalent of a circuit that keeps tripping – super frustrating.

What We Can Learn

Just like in electrical circuits, good UX design should be clear, efficient, and frustration-free. If users struggle to navigate, find buttons, or understand what to do next, they’ll short-circuit – meaning they’ll leave.

Final Thoughts

Switching from Electrical Engineering to UX design made me realize that both fields focus on creating seamless experiences – one with circuits, the other with interfaces. And just like in engineering, one small flaw in UX can bring everything crashing down.

Lesson: Whether it's electronics or UX, the goal is simple – make things work without shocking people!