I've been thinking a lot about the difference between UI and UX lately—particularly after wrapping up a project where the designer had some pretty ambitious animation ideas. We're talking elements fading in and out all over the place, images that needed to stay perfectly positioned while transitioning between sections, interactive grids with custom overlays. Gorgeous stuff, really.
My job? Figure out how to make it all actually work for the poor souls trying to use the site.
Don't get me wrong—the animations weren't just eye candy for the sake of it. But there's always this dance between creating something that makes people go "wow" and making sure they can actually accomplish what they came to do. The thing is, good UX isn't about picking sides between beautiful and functional—it's about making beautiful things that don't drive people crazy.
This month, I'm digging into the mobile UX frustrations that make users throw their phones (metaphorically, hopefully 😬). Plus, I'm sharing the book 📖 that completely changed how I think about web design, and some fixes you can actually implement today to stop hemorrhaging mobile users.
Just a heads up: some links in this newsletter are affiliate links, which means I earn a small commission if you decide to purchase through them—at no extra cost to you.
🔎 SPOTLIGHT
"Don't Make Me Think" by Steve Krug 📚
This little book completely rewired my brain about web design, and I can't recommend it enough to clients and fellow designers/developers alike. Krug's big idea—that good design shouldn't make users think about how to use it—sounds almost too simple until you start noticing how many websites completely ignore this principle. (Spoiler alert: it's a lot of them.)
If you've never read it, seriously, grab a copy. If you read the original back in the day, the updated "Don't Make Me Think, Revisited" edition is worth checking out. It's got fresh examples and an entire chapter dedicated to mobile usability—which, given that we're all basically glued to our phones now, feels pretty essential. The core wisdom stays the same, but the mobile insights make it worth the revisit.
💡 DEEP DIVE
Why Mobile UX Still Makes People Want to Throw Their Phones 😬
I've lost count of how many times my partner has come to me for help with some website form that's acting up on her phone. The scenario is always the same: form throws a tantrum with validation errors, but half the time there's no actual explanation of what went wrong. The other half? The error message shows up at the top of the page, so she has to scroll up to read it, scroll back down to fix whatever field is angry, hit submit, and start the whole scroll-fest over again.
And here's the kicker—these aren't websites from 1999. They look reasonably modern and professional. Someone clearly put effort into making them look... decent. They just forgot to make sure they actually work when you're trying to use them on a phone.
This scenario plays out everywhere. Restaurant websites that insist you download a PDF menu while you're standing outside with one bar of signal. Contact forms with tiny buttons that make you pinch and zoom just to tap the right spot. Checkout processes that completely lose their minds the second your connection hiccups. You get the point.
The Real Problem: The Mobile Mindset Gap
Here's what gets me: these aren't technical problems. They're empathy failures. Too many people still think of mobile as "desktop, but squished" when the reality is completely different.
Your desktop user is probably chilling at their desk with a decent internet connection and all the time in the world (as long as the boss isn't around). Your mobile user? They're standing in line at the grocery store, walking to their car, or frantically trying to find something while their kid is having a meltdown in the backseat. They've got about zero patience for websites that make them work harder than they need to.
Oh, and here's something that really drives the point home: for a lot of people, their phone isn't just their preferred way to browse the web—it's their only way. Not everyone has a laptop or tablet sitting around.
The Reality Check Your Website Needs
Want to know if your website actually works for mobile users? Don't just shrink your browser window and call it good. Grab your phone, step outside, switch to cellular data, and try to complete the most important thing someone would want to do on your site—while walking around the block. Bonus points if you go out to the middle of nowhere and try it.
I promise you'll discover issues that never showed up during your comfortable office testing sessions.
Quick Fixes That Actually Make a Difference
Stop Playing Hide and Seek with Error Messages
When your forms get cranky, put the error explanation at the top of the form AND right next to whatever field is causing the drama. Don't make people hunt for clues about what went wrong.
Make Things Actually Tappable
Design buttons and links that are big enough to tap without requiring surgical precision. Nobody wants to play "will I hit the right button or accidentally close the tab?" This isn't just nice-to-have stuff—it's the difference between someone buying from you or rage-quitting to your competitor.
Test on Real-World Connections
If your checkout process falls apart when the internet gets sluggish, you're literally watching money walk away. Have someone test your most important pages while connected to cellular data in an area where the signal isn't perfect.
Know Your Crowd
Not all connection speed concerns are created equal. If your audience is mostly professionals in downtown areas with solid internet, you've got more wiggle room. But if your users are often on mobile data or in areas where WiFi is more of a suggestion than a guarantee, every little optimization can make or break the experience.
Prioritize Ruthlessly
Mobile screens are small. Every pixel counts. If something isn't directly helping users accomplish their goal, consider whether it belongs on the mobile experience at all.
The websites that actually succeed on mobile aren't just the ones that look good when you squish them down—they're built by people who genuinely get how frustrating it is to use your phone when you're in a hurry, distracted, or dealing with a less-than-perfect internet connection. Your users will notice the difference, and more importantly, they'll stick around long enough to actually become customers.
📝 FROM THE BLOCK 81 BLOG
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How User Experience Design Increases Website Conversion Rates
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Organizing My Life With Things 3 in 2025
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22 Years of Block 81
After 22 years in web design, I'm reflecting on the journey from table-based layouts and Flash to responsive design and modern workflows. From learning that responsiveness means client communication as much as code to embracing location-independent work, here are the lessons that have shaped Block 81.
Will AI Kill SEO? Why It Actually Strengthens It Instead
The "AI will kill SEO" narrative is everywhere, but AI systems still rely on search engines and well-optimized content to provide answers. Instead of killing SEO, AI is transforming it and creating new opportunities for visibility. Quality, expert-driven content has never been more valuable.