HACKER Q&A
📣 echeden

Why do websites have bad designs?


Amazon, Craigslist, and Steam, those massive online hangouts with millions of users, are sticking with what I would consider "not-so-great user interfaces".

Now, I'm no UI guru, but it's pretty clear that these platforms seem to have crammed in a boatload of info without much consideration for user-friendliness.

So, what's the deal with that?

  👤 serf Accepted Answer ✓
I'm not sure what the UI/UX similarity is between those websites that you're comparing, but I do know one thing : those websites are too big to radically change without a lot of thoughtful time considering the outcome.

Well, each of those companies has a lot of people saying the same thing against a tide of people that say "Well, it's working now, and changing stuff; that's a risk."

The same struggle that exists anywhere with decisions made by a group of people.

So, my answer condensed : Internal friction and fear of poor outcome prevents large companies from 'rocking the boat' more often.

👤 cameron_b
Often those are very considered designs employing what some call “dark patterns” to influence visitor behavior. You may favor a design that leaves room to process information in some logical order, but that desire is not shared by the designers who have optimized for sales. They have determined that a barrage of color, image, type face, even moving video will overstimulate your cognitive processes that operate your self control and direct you toward more impulsive and reactive behavior, closing more sales.
👤 efortis
User friendliness is just one of many design aspects. It’s important but it doesn't define good design. Moreover, a big apprentice mark is trying to make things easy to learn at the expense of usability.

Engelbart said:

"…if we were focused on making everything easy to learn, rather than easy to use, we would all be riding tricycles. The bicycle is harder to learn to ride, but much more powerful."

👤 billybuckwheat
To each their own, I guess. Those sites might not have designs that you like, but that doesn't necessarily mean the designs are bad.

I've never used Steam's site and haven't used Amazon in quite a few years so I can't comment on what their designs are like at the moment. But I do appreciate the no-fills aesthetic of Craigslist. Always have.

👤 MattGaiser
You have three websites with three very different design philosophies. What specifically do you find user unfriendly about them?
👤 pestatije
they have that design on purpose, have no doubt about it...its your opinion they have a bad design...bad design considering what?...they have an excellent design considering optimising sales, which means it is a design appropriate for the web site publishers, not necessarily for the web site users
👤 PaulHoule
What do you think is a good example?