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How to Improve UX Design in SaaS: Examples and Best Practices

Modern challenges in a highly connected world have led to modern solutions. One of these leaps is the creation and adoption of Software as a Service (SaaS) products and applications. Leading organizations worldwide have subscriptions to multiple tools and platforms that make their tasks easier. These tools include customer relationship management, internal communication and management, project progress tracking, and much more. Almost all of these services fall under the definition of SaaS.

The SaaS audience, therefore, pays close attention to efficiency and seeks solutions that are useful, usable, and valuable to their organizations. Designing SaaS applications, like any other product or service, requires that the needs of the target audience be at the heart of the design process. New products, and even new features for existing products, should be created with a user-oriented methodology. Since modern users expect SaaS solutions to make their lives easier, it is essential that these applications deliver on that promise, or users may turn to alternatives.

UI/UX Design and SaaS Business

The user experience (UX) design of SaaS is critical. In this article, we introduce the concept of UX design in SaaS, highlighting the importance of UX design for any SaaS company. We also share a list of best practices that can serve as a checklist for your future SaaS design projects.

What is SaaS in UX Design?

From a UI/UX design perspective, working on SaaS can be complex. On one hand, traditional design considerations must be taken into account. On the other hand, designing a SaaS product or service also requires some understanding of enterprise UX design, as these products are primarily used by large and small businesses.

UX design in SaaS is crucial for the success of any SaaS application. From registration and onboarding to the ease of use of all tasks, UX design in SaaS covers all user touchpoints. It is essential for designers to focus on designing SaaS applications to ensure the best usability.

When working on SaaS design, UI/UX designers must be aware of every user journey and ensure that the overall goals and values of the target audience—businesses in this case—are not compromised. This means that when designing a UX strategy for SaaS, these key factors must be considered.

The Importance of Good UX Design in SaaS

Just like any other business, some of the key performance indicators (KPIs) of any SaaS business include customer engagement levels, user satisfaction, and conversion rates. When it comes to digital products, it’s impossible to improve these metrics without good design practices. When dealing with SaaS software and solutions design, it’s important for designers to choose a suitable design framework, develop a solid strategy, conduct user research, and adhere to fundamental design principles to achieve the desired results.

Best Practices for Improving SaaS UI/UX Design

Designing a SaaS application can seem complex at first. However, the UX process in SaaS is not as daunting as it might appear. Like any UX design process, there are certain guidelines and tips that have proven effective. Based on common practices in some leading designs, we present below a list of best practices for SaaS UX. These practices help streamline the design process and ensure better results.

What Are the Best Practices for Improving SaaS UI/UX Design?

Here are some best practices that can help you improve the UX design in SaaS:

 

  1. Keep Things Simple
    SaaS applications are inherently complex. One of the most important tasks of a UX designer is to simplify the user interface and experience as much as possible. This doesn’t mean compromising on key features but rather paying more attention to user interaction. Creating a familiar experience using easy-to-use buttons, gestures, and textual or media content helps make things simple and clear.
  2. Design for All Platforms and Devices
    Another important aspect to consider when working on SaaS UX design is the adaptability and flexibility of the application. Since a SaaS application will be used by various organizations for different purposes, it’s crucial that the design isn’t limited to just one platform or device. If, for instance, an application is designed solely for iOS devices, it excludes a significant portion of the potential audience from the design. This could be detrimental to the overall performance of the SaaS application.
  3. Ensure Easy Registration
    For users, registering for a new service is often a frustrating experience. In this case, users have to provide a lot of information and spend some time with the user interface without actually enjoying the services. It is crucial that SaaS applications have a simple and easy registration process so users can complete it quickly and with minimal effort.
  4. Enhance the Onboarding Experience
    Learning a new tool can always be confusing for new users. This fact remains true for SaaS applications. Therefore, alongside an easy registration process, it’s also important for designers to create a simple and helpful onboarding experience. This means that onboarding, like the registration process, shouldn’t take too long. Moreover, the overall goal is to educate new users so they can interact with the SaaS software in a way that is most beneficial.
  5. Create a Better Information Architecture
    When creating any tool for the digital environment, good information architecture (IA) is always crucial for its success. SaaS applications can benefit greatly from improving their IA, as this can help users navigate easily and find the right content with little effort. Even a well-designed tool with many unique features can fail if users cannot find all the information they need.
  6. Provide an Effective Search Tool
    Given that SaaS applications have a lot to offer, it’s no surprise that users might feel lost in the information and overwhelmed. This is where the power of a search tool comes in handy. UI/UX designers must ensure that a search tool or feature is included in the design of a SaaS product or service. Additionally, they must ensure that this tool is robust enough to cover all bases and provide answers to most audience queries.
  7. Provide Access to Support
    One of the defining features of a successful SaaS product is the availability and efficiency of customer support. Although designers can’t improve the performance of the support department, they can ensure that access to customer support is an integral part of the UX design in SaaS. This will give users a way to reach out for help and get their questions answered while using the tool, rather than turning to other search engines and external resources.

    Examples of Good UI/UX Design in SaaS

    There are numerous excellent examples of UX design in SaaS that can serve as inspiration. These UX design approaches follow the best practices listed above. Upon closer inspection, it is not difficult to observe the SaaS UX design patterns in these examples.

    What Are Some Examples of Good UX Design in SaaS?

    Below are some of the best examples of UX design in SaaS:

    • Simplicity of Jotform
      Jotform is one of the simplest SaaS applications to use. There are a number of templates available, and users can modify them as needed without spending much time learning any complex processes.

    • Onboarding in Slack
      Slack is known for its onboarding process, which feels highly personalized. When using Slack for the first time, users get a good feel for the app’s interface, making the process enjoyable and engaging at the same time.

    • Information Architecture in HubSpot
      HubSpot is one of the most widely used SaaS platforms in the digital age. A unique feature of HubSpot that makes it successful is its information architecture. The platform is incredibly easy to navigate, and the content is efficiently organized so users can perform their tasks without feeling overwhelmed.

       

    • Dashboard in Jira
      Jira is another excellent example of good UX design in SaaS. By taking information architecture efficiency to a whole new level, Jira’s dashboard provides users with plenty of control while ensuring that the overall picture doesn’t overwhelm them.

    • Overall Presence of Canva
      Canva is one of the most popular modern design platforms. Canva’s overall presence, from its website to social media, helps this tool stand out in the market. By using best practices in SaaS UX design, this tool prioritizes user needs, adding value to their overall experience.

       

Conclusion

Designing SaaS applications is one of the tasks that modern UX designers may encounter at some point. The best way to prepare for such projects is to understand how SaaS UX differs from any other type of design, such as customer-facing products or enterprise UX. While the general principles remain the same, there are some subtle differences that can affect the design process and the products created as a result.

The examples and best practices listed in this article can help you get started with SaaS design. These guidelines can be adjusted based on user needs, the nature of the service, and the organization’s goals. Once you understand the principles of SaaS UX design, you can add more exciting projects to your portfolio, enhancing your career as a UX designer.