Common UX Design Mistakes Beginners Make (And How to Avoid Them)

When I shifted from freelancing as a graphic designer to exploring the world of UX design, I thought my eye for visuals would be enough. But I quickly realized UX goes much deeper—it’s not just about how things look but how they work. Like many beginners, I made a few classic UX mistakes along the way.

In this blog, I’ll share some of the most common UX design mistakes I’ve seen (and made myself), and how you can avoid them as you build your skills and portfolio.

1. Jumping into UI Without Understanding the Problem

💬 “Let’s make it look pretty first. ”Sound familiar? As a graphic designer, this was my default approach. But in UX, solving the user’s problem comes first—pretty comes later.

Avoid it by:

• Starting with user research, even if it’s basic (Reddit threads, app reviews, etc.)

• Writing down the core problem you're solving before you open Figma

2. Designing for Yourself Instead of the User

It’s tempting to design what you like. But UX isn’t about what looks good to you—it’s about what works for your users.

Avoid it by:

• Creating user personas based on real pain points

• Asking: “Will this help the user achieve their goal quickly and easily?”

3. Overcomplicating the Interface

As beginners, we often think more features = better design. But cluttered screens confuse users and break flow.

Avoid it by:

• Practicing simplicity and minimalism

• Prioritizing key actions on each screen

• Using white space generously to guide the eye

4. Ignoring Accessibility

I used to think accessibility was an advanced concept, something to learn “later.” But it should be a foundation, not an afterthought.

Avoid it by:

• Ensuring good color contrast (use tools like WebAIM contrast checker)

• Using readable font sizes and alt text for images

• Designing with keyboard navigation in mind

5. Not Using Real Content in Designs

Filler text like “Lorem ipsum” looks clean, but real content reveals design issues—like overflowing text or unclear hierarchy.

Avoid it by:

• Using realistic copy or even writing your own

• Testing your layout with different content lengths

• Planning for edge cases (like error messages)

6. Neglecting Feedback and Testing

One of the biggest mistakes is thinking your design is perfect… without testing it. Feedback—even from friends—can reveal blind spots.

Avoid it by:

• Creating simple prototypes and asking people to complete tasks

• Watching where they get stuck or confused

• Iterating based on what you learn (not just on what you think)

7. Skipping Wireframes and Jumping to High-Fidelity Design

It’s fun to jump into visual design, but without a solid structure, you’ll waste time redesigning later.

Avoid it by:

• Sketching rough wireframes first (even on paper)

• Defining the layout and flow before adding colors and visuals

• Using a design system to stay consistent

8. Not Documenting the Process for Your Portfolio

This one’s personal. I used to finish a design and just post the final screen. But UX hiring managers want to see your thinking, not just the outcome.

Avoid it by:

• Saving screenshots of your sketches, wireframes, and iterations

• Writing about the problem, your process, and what you learned

• Sharing failures and how you fixed them

Final Thoughts

Mistakes are part of learning—every UX designer, even experienced ones, still makes them. What matters is how you reflect and grow from them.

As a beginner, especially one coming from a visual design background, I’ve learned that the real magic of UX is empathy. It’s about putting yourself in the user’s shoes and designing solutions that work—not just ones that look nice.

Start small, ask questions, test everything, and never stop improving. That’s the heart of good UX.