10 Common UI/UX Mistakes to Avoid When Launching Your App or Website

Whether you are launching a new app or a website, if your UI/UX isn’t up to par, all those hours of planning, developing, and marketing can go to waste. A poor experience on the user end of things can not only cause frustration and confusion but also user drop-off. So many promising products end up failing just because the users couldn’t figure out how to use them, or the experience wasn’t enjoyable.

In this guide, we will talk about 10 of the most common UI/UX mistakes you can be making when launching a product. These recommendations are based on real-world experience. Whether you’re working alongside a team or a UI/UX agency in Australia, these design tips can serve as website launch checklist items to help you build a product that users will enjoy using from day one.

Designing Without a Clear User Journey

Not taking the user journey into account is one of the biggest mistakes we see on a regular basis. Jumping into design without having a complete understanding of how the users are supposed to move through the app or site. If you are unable to articulate to the user what they should do from their first interaction to their end goal, then we have a problem.

Bad UX Example:

A new app designed to increase productivity is launched with seven different tabs on the home screen but no onboarding. It is not apparent to the user if they should create a project, add a task, or set a goal first, which inevitably results in the user leaving within minutes.

Solution:

Start with a journey map for the user. Get in the headspace of your user.

What’s their first touchpoint

What are they trying to achieve

Each step should be intuitively designed with minimal friction between action and reward

2. Ignoring Mobile Optimisation

More than 60% of the web traffic worldwide comes from mobile devices, and in-app usage is obviously mobile-first. But still, a lot of the platforms are designed with a desktop mindset, leaving mobile users to pinch, zoom, and squint their way through.

Bad UX Example

A site for travel booking displays perfectly on desktop, but on mobile, the data picker overlaps the “Book Now” button, making it impossible to confirm a reservation.

Solution

You can use responsive design frameworks prioritizing vertical layouts and run tests heavily on both IOS and Android devices. Your mobile design shouldn’t feel like a shrunken-down version of the desktop; instead, it should be tailored to smaller screens and touch-based interactions.

3. Cluttered Interfaces That Overwhelm

At first, it might feel efficient to pack everything into one screen, but it only ever results in decision fatigue. If users are overwhelmed with buttons, notifications, pop-ups, and banners, they will likely leave.

Bad UX Example

An e-commerce app featuring auto-playing product videos, a chatbot, discount banners, and a sticky cart all on the home page will likely result in the users feeling lost.

Solution

You should apply the principle of visual hierarchy. Play around with the contrast, size, and spacing so you can find the right balance to draw user attention to what matters most. Stick with one primary action per screen and let secondary content take a backseat.

4. Inconsistent Design Elements

Inconsistency erodes trust and makes users feel like your product is unpolished and unreliable. If button locations don’t line up across pages, or if the same action uses different icons or labels, users may feel unsure or confused.

Bad UX Example

The “Add to Cart” button is blue on one screen but green on another. One page says “Continue,” and the next says “Next Step” for the same action.

Solution

You can fix this by building a UI style guide and applying a consistent design system. This may include fonts, colors, button styles, iconography, and spacing. Consistency kills uncertainty and reinforces confidence.

5. Skipping Accessibility Considerations

Nowadays, it’s not just ethical to design for accessibility, but rather it’s smart UX. If your app or site is hard to use for people with visual, motor, or cognitive disabilities, then you are excluding a large portion of potential users.

Bad UX Example

A banking app that uses low-contrast grey text on a white background makes it unreadable for users who may have visual impairments or makes it difficult for users trying to read in bright light.

Solution

You can follow WCAG accessibility guidelines. Consider using high-contrast colors, readable font sizes, and clear labels. Make sure your platform is keyboard-navigable and screen reader-friendly.

6. Poor Onboarding and First-Time UX

There aren’t many chances to land a good first impression on the user. You only get one shot. If your onboarding is clunky, confusing, or non-existent, new users won’t stay to explore what your product has to offer.

Bad UX Example

Let’s say you downloaded a new fitness app that requires you to input 12 different fields of personal data before showing any value or functionality. Would you be inclined to stick around or find a better app immediately?

 Solution

A frictionless onboarding experience that uses progress bars skip options, and quick wins to show that your app helps, not just which buttons need to be pressed. Allow users to explore before signing up.

7. No User Testing Before Launch

Developers and designers have a closer understanding of the product than the user, but that mindset can be a hindrance in the search for bugs and issues. Not testing with real users may result in minor usability problems going unnoticed until you start losing users due to them.

Bad UX Example

A food delivery app was launched with a checkout process that required a ZIP code to be typed in uppercase, which went unnoticed till complaints started flooding in.

Solution

User testing strategies like usability sessions, A/B testing, and remote heatmaps. Testing can reveal significant insights even when done with a small group. Iterate before launch, not after.

8. Slow Load Times and Performance Glitches

If the app or website takes more than 3 seconds to load, statistically, more than half the users will abandon it. Lag, bad animations, or crashing pages kill trust.

Bad UX Example

A finance app tries to load everything at once, resulting in a 10-second blank screen.

Solution

Performance optimization should be a top priority. Compress images, minify code, and utilize content delivery networks (CDNs). Performance isn’t just a dev issue; instead, it’s a core UX factor.

9. Weak or Misleading Calls to Action

Call to Action (CTA) should guide users toward the primary goal.

Bad UX Example

A signup button takes users to a pricing page.

Solution

Use clear and concise CTAs, and make sure they are consistent across your product.

10. Launching Without Feedback Loops

Launch day isn’t the end; instead, it’s the beginning of ongoing UX betterment. You need tools to monitor user behavior. Otherwise, you’re flying blind post-launch.

Bad UX Example

An app with no in-app feedback tool

Solution

Set up analytics, collect NPS scores, and run user surveys.

Final Thoughts

Avoiding these UI/UX mistakes doesn’t require a massive budget, but it does require empathy, planning, and ongoing attention. These principles should be a part of every website launch checklist and app release.

If your app or site isn’t intuitive, consistent, and helpful, users won’t be inclined to stick around.

Work With a Trusted UI/UX Agency in Australia

Not sure where to begin? Partnering with a UI/UX agency in Australia, such as Cartenova, can make all the difference. We’ve helped startups and scale-ups design products that not only look good but also work beautifully.

From user research and design systems to testing and iteration, we tailor every project to real user needs. Let us help you launch with confidence.