TechBehemoths UX/ UI Design Expert Insights 2026

User expectations continue to evolve, and even small UX decisions can influence whether visitors stay, engage, or leave.

To explore what makes digital experiences successful, we spoke with three UX/UI design leaders who share practical insights from designing products and websites for businesses across different industries.

Meet the Experts

Lee Garton is the Design Director at Bulb Studios, a UK-based digital product agency focused on UX/UI design, branding, and digital experiences. He specializes in human-centred design, helping businesses create intuitive websites, applications, and digital products that balance user needs with business goals. His portfolio includes projects for global organizations such as Jaguar Land Rover, Sony, Warner Bros. Studio Tour London, and Network Rail.

Pavel Gavrilov is the Head of the UX/UI Department at *instinctools, an AI-powered software engineering company headquartered in Germany and the United States. With more than 25 years of experience and a global team of over 400 professionals, *instinctools delivers AI-powered software development, enterprise automation, web development, and data solutions for organizations worldwide.

Nasir Ali Joiya is the Head of Design Unit at ZAPTA Technologies, where he helps startups and enterprises transform ideas into scalable digital products. With expertise in UX/UI design, AI, product development, and digital transformation, he works closely with founders to launch MVPs and build user-centered digital solutions. He is part of a team of more than 500 engineers that has delivered over 250 projects for clients worldwide.

Let's begin with our first question.

What causes users to leave a website within the first few seconds?

Lee Garton, Bulb Studios

A disconnect between expectations and reality. If the value proposition, pricing, or call to action isn't clear within seconds, attention is lost, and users leave.

Pavel Gavrilov, *instinctools

Users leave when they hit friction. Even small interface issues can break trust and create frustration. If people can’t quickly understand what to do or find what they need, they’ll leave and often switch to a competitor.

Nasir Ali, ZAPTA Technologies

People don’t leave a website because they lack patience. They leave because they don’t understand it. If visitors can’t quickly understand what you offer, why it matters, and whether they can trust you, they’ll move on. Clarity is one of the most important elements of a successful user experience. Before focusing on creativity, businesses should ensure their message is clear, relevant, and immediately understandable.

How do you identify usability problems before they start hurting conversions?

Lee Garton, Bulb Studios

We look for friction before it becomes a problem. By combining user research, behavioural analytics, and journey mapping, we can spot patterns that indicate users are struggling and address them proactively.

Pavel Gavrilov, *instinctools

We focus on catching issues early through usability testing, UX audits, and wireframe validation. By observing real users and testing ideas before development, we can identify friction points and solve them before they impact performance.

Nasir Ali, ZAPTA Technologies

The best usability issues are the ones you discover before launch. You don’t need hundreds of participants to identify major problems. Even observing a few representative users can reveal confusion, friction points, and missed opportunities. Early testing helps teams validate assumptions, improve user flows, and avoid costly redesigns later. Investing time in usability testing almost always saves time, money, and conversions.

How much should user feedback influence design decisions?

Lee Garton, Bulb Studios

User feedback is essential but it's only one metric. Our role is to understand the underlying need behind the feedback and balance that insight with business objectives, data, and product strategy.

Pavel Gavrilov, *instinctools

User feedback is important because it helps us understand real needs and pain points. But feedback is only one input – we balance it with business goals and technical feasibility to make the right design decisions.

Nasir Ali, ZAPTA Technologies

User feedback is incredibly valuable, but it should not be followed blindly. Users are excellent at describing their experiences, frustrations, and challenges, but they may not always know the best solution. The role of a designer is to understand the underlying reasons behind that feedback and balance user needs with business goals, technical constraints, and professional expertise. The strongest design decisions come from combining all of these perspectives.

Which UX trend is receiving too much attention right now?

Lee Garton, Bulb Studios

The bigger issue is the industry's tendency to treat trends as solutions. The most successful teams focus less on what's fashionable and more on what's valuable.

Pavel Gavrilov, *instinctools

It’s designed for aesthetics over usability. Visually impressive interfaces can generate buzz, but if they add complexity or slow users down, they ultimately hurt the experience. Great UX isn’t about looking innovative — it’s about helping users achieve their goals effortlessly.

Nasir Ali, ZAPTA Technologies

I believe the industry is paying too much attention to visual trends and decorative effects. Advanced animations and impressive visuals can attract attention, but most users care more about simplicity, speed, accessibility, and ease of use. Great design is not about showcasing creativity for its own sake. It’s about helping users accomplish their goals efficiently and confidently. Function should always come before decoration.

What's one small UX improvement that can significantly impact conversions?

Lee Garton, Bulb Studios

Improving clarity. A clearer value proposition, button label, or form instruction often delivers bigger gains than a complete visual redesign.

Align your brand across every touchpoint by combining your brand foundation, messaging toolkit, and design system to instil clarity and confidence from day one.

Pavel Gavrilov, *instinctools

Reduce friction wherever possible. Something as simple as clearer navigation, faster load times, or a smoother checkout flow can make a huge difference. The easier it is for users to achieve their goal, the higher your conversions will be.

Nasir Ali, ZAPTA Technologies

If I had to recommend one improvement, it would be reducing uncertainty throughout the user journey. Clear headlines, stronger calls to action, transparent messaging, and visible trust signals help users feel confident in their decisions. People are much more likely to take action when they understand what will happen next and feel secure in their choice. Small improvements in clarity and confidence often create a surprisingly large business impact.

What All Three Experts Agreed On

• Clarity comes before creativity. Users should immediately understand what a business offers, why it matters, and what to do next.
• Small usability issues have a big business impact. Even minor points of friction can reduce engagement, trust, and conversions.
• Test early, not after launch. User research and usability testing help identify problems before they become expensive to fix.
• User feedback should inform—not dictate—design decisions. The best outcomes balance user insights with business objectives and technical considerations.
• Great UX is measured by outcomes, not trends. Simple, intuitive experiences consistently outperform designs that prioritize visual novelty over usability.

Ultimately, successful UX isn't defined by how modern a website looks, but by how easily people can accomplish their goals.

Thank you to Lee Garton (Bulb Studios), Pavel Gavrilov (*instinctools), and Nasir Ali Joiya (ZAPTA Technologies) for sharing your expertise and contributing to TechBehemoths UX/UI Design Expert Insights 2026.