Cover image for 8 Critical Usability Issues in Web Design (and How to Fix Them)

Introduction: Why Usability Can Make or Break Your Web Design

You land on a beautifully designed website—stunning visuals, compelling hero image, perfect color palette. Then you try to find the pricing page. Five clicks later, you're still lost. The mobile menu won't open. The contact form throws cryptic errors. You leave.

This scenario plays out millions of times daily. 46% of users abandon a website entirely if it takes longer than 4 seconds to load, and bounce rates increase by 32% when load times creep from 1 second to 3 seconds.

For climate tech and purpose-driven organizations, these usability failures don't just cost conversions—they undermine trust in your mission before visitors even understand your solution.

Usability issues are often invisible to designers who know exactly where everything is. But for users encountering your site for the first time, poor navigation, unclear calls-to-action, and accessibility barriers create friction that directly impacts your bottom line.

The good news? Most critical usability problems follow predictable patterns and have proven fixes.

TLDR: Key Takeaways

  • Page speed matters: 0.1-second improvements boost retail conversions by 8.4%
  • 51.29% of global web traffic is mobile—responsive design is mandatory
  • Better checkout flows increase conversions by 35% on average
  • Accessibility improvements lift conversions 17% and reach 16% more users globally
  • User testing prevents costly post-launch redesigns

Issue 1: Slow Page Load Speed

Why Speed Matters

Speed is the foundation of user experience. Users lose focus on a task after just 1 second of delay, and the relationship between speed and revenue is linear.

Research tracking 37 brands found that a mere 0.1-second improvement in mobile site speed increased retail conversions by 8.4% and travel conversions by 10.1%. The bounce rate impact is equally dramatic: as load times increase from 1 to 3 seconds, bounce probability jumps 32%. By 5 seconds, that probability hits 90%.

Common Causes of Slow Load Times

The primary culprits:

  • Large JPEG and PNG files that lack compression or modern format conversion
  • Too many JavaScript libraries loading simultaneously
  • Render-blocking resources: CSS and JavaScript files that prevent page display until fully loaded
  • Shared servers with limited resources or distant geographic locations

How to Fix It

Apply these solutions immediately:

  • Convert to WebP or AVIF: These modern formats offer ~30% file size savings over JPEG, with AVIF providing even greater compression
  • Never lazy-load your hero image (the Largest Contentful Paint element), as this delays the most important visual content
  • Use a CDN: Content Delivery Networks reduce physical distance between your server and users, improving Time to First Byte
  • Load below-the-fold images only as users scroll down

Validate your improvements with these testing tools:

  • Google PageSpeed Insights
  • Lighthouse (built into Chrome DevTools)
  • WebPageTest for detailed waterfall analysis

The Business Impact

For purpose-driven organizations building trust with new audiences, speed signals professionalism.

Climate tech companies working with What if Design have seen faster feature rollouts and reduced development costs by prioritizing performance from the design phase, ensuring technical solutions load quickly even when presenting complex data visualizations.

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Issue 2: Poor Mobile Responsiveness

The Mobile-First Reality

Mobile devices now generate 51.29% of global web traffic as of January 2026, surpassing desktop.

Yet retailers still experience 45% lower conversion rates on mobile compared to desktop, revealing a massive usability gap.

Common Mobile Usability Failures

Users encounter these friction points constantly:

  • Buttons and links too small to tap accurately without zooming
  • Content that extends beyond the screen width, forcing horizontal scrolling
  • Font sizes requiring pinch-to-zoom to read
  • Form fields that don't trigger appropriate mobile keyboards
  • Navigation menus that fail to open or require multiple taps

Responsive Design Best Practices

These fixes address the most critical mobile usability barriers:

  • Enforce minimum touch targets - Use 44×44 pixels minimum (Apple HIG) or 48×48 dp (Material Design) for all interactive elements
  • Design mobile-first - Start with the mobile layout and enhance for larger screens, not the reverse
  • Simplify layouts - Mobile screens demand focused content without clutter
  • Use flexible grids - Implement CSS Grid or Flexbox for layouts that adapt smoothly across breakpoints

Testing Your Mobile Experience

Don't rely solely on browser simulators. Test on actual devices—iPhones, Android phones, and tablets—to identify touch responsiveness issues that desktop testing misses.

For climate tech products, this means testing across the contexts where your users actually work: control rooms, field sites, and mobile dashboards. Real-device testing reveals friction points that simulators can't replicate.

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Issue 3: Confusing Navigation Structure

Navigation is the vehicle for task completion. Research debunks the "3-click rule"—users will tolerate longer paths if each step clearly indicates progress toward their goal. The real problem isn't click count; it's weak information scent.

When navigation fails to provide clear information scent, users encounter these common problems:

Common navigation failures:

  • Overloaded menus - Too many top-level items create choice paralysis
  • Vague labels - Generic terms like "Solutions" or "Resources" that don't communicate what users will find
  • Inconsistent placement - Navigation that moves between pages or disappears on certain screens
  • Missing breadcrumbs - Users can't determine their location within the site hierarchy

Addressing these issues requires both simplification and clarity:

How to fix it:

  • Streamline to 5-7 main items - Consolidate related pages under clear parent categories
  • Use descriptive labels - Replace "Services" with specific offerings like "Website Design" or "UX Audits"
  • Implement breadcrumb navigation - Show users exactly where they are: Home > Services > Website Design
  • Maintain consistent placement - Keep navigation in the same location across all pages

Issue 4: Unclear or Missing CTAs

Visibility drives action. Research shows content above the fold is viewed 102% more than content just below it.

Yet many websites bury their primary call-to-action or use vague language that increases confusion.

CTA best practices:

  • Place primary CTAs above the fold so users see your main action without scrolling
  • Replace generic phrases like "Get Started" with specific actions: "Schedule Your UX Audit" or "Download the Guide"
  • Use colors that stand out from your background with minimum 3:1 contrast ratio
  • Size appropriately - Minimum 44×44 pixels on mobile ensures buttons are obviously clickable
  • Differentiate primary vs. secondary actions through size and color hierarchy

The key principle: Generic CTAs like "Get Started" can actually act as roadblocks when users can't predict what happens next. Be explicit about the value and outcome.

Issue 5: Lack of Visual Hierarchy

Poor visual hierarchy makes content difficult to scan and comprehend. Users don't read word-for-word; they scan in F-patterns or Layer Cake patterns.

They look for headings and visual anchors that signal important information.

Common hierarchy problems:

  • Uniform text sizes - No clear distinction between headings and body text
  • Insufficient contrast - Text that's difficult to read against its background
  • Inconsistent spacing - Random gaps between elements that don't guide the eye
  • Everything emphasized - When everything is bold or highlighted, nothing stands out

Fixing these issues requires a systematic approach to typography, spacing, and contrast.

Solutions:

These hierarchy principles guide users through your content naturally, directing attention to key information and calls-to-action. Strong visual hierarchy can increase content comprehension by up to 70% and reduce bounce rates significantly.

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Issue 6: Poor Form Design

Forms are the final hurdle between users and conversions. Yet 18% of US online shoppers abandon checkout due to overly complex processes.

The average checkout contains 23.48 form elements, but research shows the ideal flow uses just 12-14 elements—optimizing this can lift conversions by 35%. These problems stem from specific design failures.

Common Form Failures

  • Asking for unnecessary information increases abandonment
  • Users don't understand what information is required
  • Errors only appear after submission, frustrating users
  • Generic alerts don't explain how to fix problems

Solutions for Better Forms

  • Minimize required fields: Only ask for information you absolutely need
  • Show errors as users complete each field, not after submission
  • Explain exactly what's wrong and how to fix it (e.g., "Password must include 8+ characters and one number" vs. "Invalid password")
  • Use proper HTML5 input types so browsers can auto-complete
  • Design single-column layouts for easier mobile completion

Forms with inline validation show a 22% decrease in errors and 42% decrease in completion time, directly translating to higher conversion rates.

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Issue 7: Accessibility Barriers

Approximately 1.3 billion people—16% of the global population—experience significant disability. Websites that fail to meet WCAG standards exclude this demographic and often signal broader usability problems.

Beyond inclusion, accessibility drives business results. Accessible e-commerce sites have demonstrated conversion rate increases of up to 17%.

Common Accessibility Barriers

  • Missing alt text: Screen readers can't describe images to visually impaired users
  • Poor keyboard navigation: Users can't tab through interactive elements
  • Insufficient color contrast: Text is unreadable for users with low vision
  • No focus indicators: Users can't see which element is currently selected
  • Small touch targets: Difficult for users with motor impairments

How to Fix Accessibility Issues

  • Use semantic HTML: Proper heading hierarchy (H1, H2, H3) and landmark elements
  • Provide descriptive alt text: Explain what images show and their purpose
  • Enable keyboard navigation: Ensure all interactive elements are accessible via Tab key
  • Meet WCAG 2.2 standards: Minimum 24×24 pixel touch targets and 3:1 contrast for focus indicators
  • Test with screen readers: Use NVDA or VoiceOver to experience your site as visually impaired users do

Climate tech companies pursuing government contracts should prioritize WCAG-AA compliance, as accessibility standards are often mandatory requirements for public sector work.

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Issue 8: Inconsistent Design Elements

Inconsistent buttons, fonts, colors, and spacing create confusion and undermine brand credibility.

When every page looks slightly different, users spend cognitive energy figuring out the interface instead of engaging with your content.

Common consistency problems:

  • Multiple button styles - Different colors, sizes, and hover states across pages
  • Varying typography - Font families and sizes that change without reason
  • Inconsistent spacing - Random gaps between elements
  • Conflicting color usage - The same color meaning different things in different contexts

How to fix it:

  • Establish a design system - Document colors, typography, spacing, and component styles
  • Create reusable components - Build a library of buttons, forms, cards, and other UI elements
  • Conduct regular design audits - Review pages quarterly to catch inconsistencies
  • Use design tokens - Define variables for colors, spacing, and typography that can be updated globally

These principles prove especially critical for scaling companies. What if Design employs atomic design principles to create scalable design systems for climate tech companies, ensuring visual consistency from MVP through enterprise platform scaling.

Their approach includes establishing color systems, typographic hierarchies, icon libraries, and design tokens that maintain consistency across all digital touchpoints.

Conclusion: Building Usability Into Your Design Process

Usability isn't a one-time fix—it's an ongoing commitment to user-centered design. The eight issues covered here represent the most common and costly usability failures, but they all share a root cause: designing without testing with real users.

The most effective approach combines proactive design decisions with iterative testing and refinement. Start with these steps:

  • Audit your current site against these eight criteria
  • Prioritize fixes based on user analytics showing where visitors struggle most
  • Implement mobile-first layouts, clear CTAs, and accessible markup
  • Test changes with real users before full deployment

For climate tech and purpose-driven organizations, usability directly impacts mission success. When your website makes it easy for utility partners to evaluate your grid solution or for consumers to understand your carbon capture technology, you're not just improving conversion rates—you're accelerating the adoption of innovations that matter.

At What if Design, we help climate tech and purpose-driven organizations translate complex innovations into intuitive digital experiences. Through user journey mapping, stakeholder testing, and data-driven optimization, we ensure your mission reaches the right audience—whether that's enterprise buyers evaluating your platform or field workers accessing dashboards on mobile devices.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the 7 C's of a website?

The 7 C's framework defines critical interface elements: Context (layout), Content (text/media), Community (user communication), Customization (personalization), Communication (dialogue), Connection (external links), and Commerce (transactions). Together, these create comprehensive user experiences.

What are the 5 E's of usability?

The 5 E's framework defines core usability principles: Effective (accuracy), Efficient (speed), Engaging (satisfaction), Error Tolerant (mistake recovery), and Easy to Learn (supports continued learning). These principles guide user-centered design decisions.

How do you test website usability?

Primary methods include user testing with representative users, heuristic evaluation by experts against usability principles, and analytics review of bounce rates and conversion paths. Combining qualitative observation with quantitative data provides comprehensive insights.

What is the difference between UX and usability?

Usability focuses specifically on ease of use—how effectively, efficiently, and satisfactorily users can complete tasks. UX (user experience) encompasses the entire interaction including emotions, perceptions, attitudes, and overall satisfaction before, during, and after using a product.

How long does it take to fix usability issues?

Simple fixes like button sizes or color contrast take hours to days. Navigation restructuring or form optimization requires 1-2 weeks. Comprehensive redesigns addressing multiple systemic issues take 4-8 weeks depending on complexity.

What tools can help identify usability problems?

Google Analytics reveals behavior patterns, heatmap tools like Hotjar show click patterns, accessibility checkers like WAVE identify compliance issues, and Google PageSpeed Insights pinpoints performance bottlenecks. Combining these tools provides comprehensive usability insights.