In the world of user interface design, we often spend hours obsessing over complex navigation structures, high-resolution imagery, and intricate animations. Yet, the success of an entire digital product often rests on a handful of pixels: the button.
Buttons are the primary "interactive bridges" in your design. They are the final gatekeepers of user action. If a button is poorly designed, it doesn't just look bad—it creates friction. Friction leads to hesitation, and hesitation is the enemy of a great user experience. For a junior designer, learning to spot and fix common button mistakes is one of the fastest ways to elevate your work from "student-level" to professional-grade.
Why Button Design Deserves Your Undivided Attention
If you think about it, a button is a promise. When a user clicks it, they expect a specific result. If the design of that button is ambiguous, the user feels a subtle sense of anxiety. "Is this clickable?" "What will happen if I press this?" "Is this the main action I should be taking?"
When buttons are designed correctly, they provide visual clarity and psychological safety. They reduce cognitive load by telling the user exactly where to go. In a professional setting, well-designed buttons directly correlate with business goals, such as increased sign-ups, lower bounce rates, and higher customer satisfaction. Designing a button is not just about choosing a color; it’s about architecting an interaction.
Modern Button Styles and Their Roles
Before we dive into the mistakes, let’s refresh our memory on the styles that define current UI design. Using the right style for the right context is half the battle.
The Solid (Primary) Button
This is your "heavy hitter." It uses a bold color to stand out against the background. It is meant to be the most visible element in any given view.
- Best for: The single most important action on a page, like "Register" or "Buy Now."
The Outline (Secondary) Button
Also known as a "ghost" button, this style uses a border and transparent center. It carries less visual weight.
- Best for: Actions that are important but not the main focus, such as "Cancel" or "View Details."
The Text (Tertiary) Button
These look like standard text but have specific padding and hover effects. They are the most discreet option.
- Best for: Low-priority actions like "Help," "Dismiss," or "Learn More."
The Soft-Shadow (Elevated) Button
Borrowed from the principles of Material Design, these use shadows to create a sense of Z-index (depth).
- Best for: Mobile apps where the button needs to appear "tapable" and distinct from other flat elements.
UI/UX Best Practices: The Foundation
A great button follows three core principles: Visibility, Affordance, and Feedback.
- Visibility: The user shouldn't have to search for the button. It should be obvious in their peripheral vision.
- Affordance: The design should signal its function. Through shadows, rounded corners, or color, it should say, "I am a button, you can press me."
- Feedback: The button must react when interacted with. This includes hover, active (pressed), and loading states.
Common Button Design Mistakes to Avoid
This is where many junior designers stumble. Let’s break down the most frequent errors that can break an interface.
1. Lack of Visual Hierarchy
The most common mistake is giving every button on the page the same visual weight. If you have a "Delete Account" and a "Save Changes" button looking identical next to each other, the user has to pause and read carefully to avoid a mistake.
The Fix: Use color and style to rank your actions. Your primary action should be bold; your secondary action should be an outline or a text button.
2. Tiny Touch Targets
On mobile, we design for fingers, not cursors. A common error is making a button that looks proportional on a 27-inch monitor but is impossible to tap on a smartphone.
The Fix: Follow the 44x44 pixel rule (Apple) or 48x48 dp rule (Google). Even if the visual button is small, the "invisible" clickable area should be large enough for a thumb.
3. Confusing Microcopy
"Submit" is perhaps the most boring, ambiguous word in UI design. It describes what the computer does (submits data), not what the user achieves.
The Fix: Use action-oriented labels. Instead of "Submit," use "Create My Account." Instead of "OK," use "Got It" or "Proceed."
4. Poor Contrast Ratios
Designers often love "aesthetic" color combinations, like white text on a light mint green button. However, if the contrast ratio is below 4.5:1, users with visual impairments won't be able to read it.
The Fix: Use contrast checking tools. Accessibility isn't a feature; it's a requirement.
5. Inconsistent Corner Radii
Consistency is the hallmark of a professional. If your "Login" button has a 4px corner radius and your "Sign Up" button has a 20px radius, the interface feels jittery and unpolished.
The Fix: Establish a design system. Decide on a "border-radius" value for your buttons and apply it globally.
6. The "Invisible" Disabled State
Sometimes designers make disabled buttons look exactly like secondary buttons. This confuses the user, who might click a disabled button repeatedly, wondering why it’s "broken."
The Fix: Lower the opacity of disabled buttons and, if possible, change the cursor to a "not-allowed" icon on desktop.
Tips for Designers and Developers
Creating a button is a collaborative effort. Here is how to ensure your design translates perfectly into code.
For Designers: Design the "Empty" and "Loading" States
Don't just hand off a beautiful static button. What happens when the user clicks "Pay Now"? The button should probably show a loading spinner or a "Processing..." state. This prevents inconsistency.
For Developers: Use the Correct HTML Tag
It’s tempting to make a <div> and style it to look like a button. However, this is a nightmare for accessibility. Use the <button> tag. It comes with built-in keyboard support and tells screen readers exactly what the element is.
Original Insight: The "Order of Action"
In multi-button dialogs (like "Cancel" and "Save"), the placement matters. In LTR (Left-to-Right) languages, placing the "Next/Commit" action on the right feels like moving forward in a timeline.
Real-World Use Case: The destructive "Delete"
Imagine a user is about to delete a folder of photos. You present two buttons: "Cancel" and "Delete."
The Bad Design: Both buttons are blue. The user, in a hurry, clicks the right-most button assuming it's "Save" or "Continue" because that’s the habit. They lose their data.
The Good Design: "Cancel" is a neutral gray text button. "Delete" is a solid red button. The color red acts as a universal "Stop and Think" signal.
Conclusion
Buttons might seem like the simplest part of your UI, but they are the most prone to "invisible" errors. By avoiding tiny touch targets, ensuring high contrast, and maintaining a clear visual hierarchy, you create an interface that feels effortless.
The best UI is the one that disappears—where the user achieves their goal without ever having to think about the "mechanics" of the screen. Master your buttons, and you’ll master the flow of your entire application.
Would you like me to create a quick checklist you can use to audit the buttons in your current project?