As I'm observing engineers, I notice that most of them share the same characteristic: unending loads of curiosity. You, software developers, are deeply interested in how things work underneath; you implement, break, troubleshoot, fix, and break again. You create apps that people use everyday and by doing so, you shape the digitalised world we live in today.
Now let me share something personal: I am terrified of breaking things. I am often terrified to such an extent that I find it hard to breathe. I am suffering from something called Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD), which basically means I am allergic to uncertainty. While most people see trying something new as exciting, for me it's a source of stress. Every unknown step, every unfamiliar process, every situation where I don't know what comes next — it triggers something. My brain immediately goes to the worst-case scenarios. "I can't do this." "I'll do it wrong." "What if something breaks?" These thoughts don't just pop up and disappear — they pile on top of each other until they become paralyzing.
But this story isn't about anxiety — it's about how good UX can change a moment from overwhelming to manageable. And how you, as a software developer, can make a real change for people who are struggling.
The app that saved my day
A few months ago I decided to change my mobile operator. The alternative offer had much better terms that sounded really appealing to me. No long-term contract, competitive prices, support for eSIM for travellers abroad – in short: very flexible. Head held high, I went to the new operator's office to ask them to transfer my number.
But the agent quickly wiped the smile off my face. "Yes, this offer is flexible, but you need to do all the operational work yourself in the app. I can only offer you a regular long-term contract," he said. He gave me my new SIM card, and I, with a long face, went to the nearby cafe.
The thought that I had to transfer my number myself felt daunting. "What if I do it wrong?" "What if I lose service?" "I'm too dumb for that." These thoughts swirled around in my head. All the courage I'd gathered throughout the day disappeared. I was ready to give up, even though staying with my old operator was not better for me.
Then I opened the app.
I expected to stumble upon one problem after another. I expected over-formal language like you often see on formal papers. But this wasn't the case. Instead, the app turned out to be friendly and inviting. The UI was clear and simplistic, the flow was simple, and the text felt casually human. Encouraged, I started to go through it. Every step told me exactly what to do next and what to expect. Whenever I started overthinking, the app immediately addressed it with reassurance:
- "You're doing great! For the next step, prepare your ID."
- "Don't worry, this can take a while."
- "We have all we need! This is what happens next: ..."
That last message really saved me from lots of overthinking and blaming myself for doing something wrong.
Later I got a confirmation message that everything was done successfully, plus a schedule of the upcoming steps and the transfer date. The app answered the questions I hadn't yet dared to ask and that would for sure turn into some sleepless nights if not addressed.
What good UX did for me
This is where the lesson landed for me: good UX wasn't about polish or a nice layout. It was what made me feel safe enough to keep going. For me, the app did three crucial things:
- It reduced uncertainty by explaining what would happen next.
- It built trust with friendly, human language.
- It gave progress signals so I wasn’t lost.
The process of moving my number was something extremely complex and difficult in my head. It seemed like something technically complex that I was doing for the first time and that I rather expected an experienced professional to do for me. The app handled all my doubts perfectly by gently guiding me through every step and giving reassurance that I'm doing fine. And this was exactly what I needed to keep going and to not give up in the middle.
Why UX matters
I shared this story because I want you to remember that pausing for a moment and taking time to improve UX matters. As someone who has sat through the moment when a simple task feels overwhelming, I want engineers who build software to hear this.
Next time something feels obvious and easy to you, and you want to limit the time spent on improving UX, pause and ask yourself:
- Can I make this clearer for someone who is doing it for the first time?
- Can I reduce the number of decisions they must make?
- Can I explain the next step before they ask for it?
- Can I use language that feels supportive instead of confusing?
People struggle in many different ways: they are sick, tired, depressed; they struggle in ways that you cannot even imagine. A thoughtful form, a clear button label, a gentle status message — these are not small details. They are the difference between someone continuing with confidence and someone giving up.
The world needs kindness in code and in design. Sometimes the smallest act of clarity can make someone's day a lot easier. Just like it did for me in this cafe 💛
Top comments (29)
This really resonated with me.
One thing I've been realizing lately is that the hardest part of many tasks isn't the task itself—it's the uncertainty around it.
I had a similar experience when I started communicating with Japanese clients. The technical part wasn't always the scary part. It was the not knowing. Not knowing if I'd understood correctly, if I was about to make a mistake, or if I'd missed some important context.
What I liked about your story is that it highlights something developers often overlook: reducing uncertainty is a feature.
A clear next step, a reassuring message, or simply explaining what happens next can completely change how someone experiences a product.
"Good UX wasn't about polish or a nice layout. It was what made me feel safe enough to keep going."
That line is going to stick with me for a while. Thanks for sharing this.
"it's the uncertainty around it" - You're absolutely right. What always stops me in GameDev is that idk what to do. So I sit and do the GDD, but after 10 hours of demonstrating my writing skills, I panic that I've accomplished nothing but this piece of junk paper. As a result, the work always stalls 😭
Honestly, I think that's exactly why so many creative projects stall.
Sometimes the problem isn't lack of motivation or ability. It's having so many possible directions that your brain starts trying to solve the entire project before you've built the first piece of it 😭
I've definitely fallen into that trap too.
One thing that's helped me is treating uncertainty as something to reduce through action rather than planning. Sometimes 30 minutes of building teaches me more than 3 hours of thinking about what to build.
Easier said than done though 😅
I was hoping if I can work with you to see your workflow. I have been into GameJam before and understanding the stress. Curious to know if I could help!
If you want, you could join me and @codingwithjiro on this since we are building a game on DEV after all. You would have to join Virtual Coffee to just talk there, but we can accommodate.
how do I join? What's this virtual coffee? btw my ds: jennytheglow
I added you on discord!
For virtual coffee, you would have to join on their website and you will be put on the waitlist. I will let the organizer know that you are on the waitlist: virtualcoffee.io/join
Fun Fact: @nickytonline is in this org and he used to work for DEV! :)
Thank you, Aryan 💛
I also have a feeling that developers often overlook UX and usability improvements. Many times I was testing products that were working, but the way to make them work was a way through hell 😅
Important to remember that you are making software for other people to use; that's why it's important to ask yourself who the user is, what their experience level is, and whether you can make it easier for them to use the product 💛
That's something I've started noticing more and more lately too.
As developers, we spend a lot of time thinking about whether something works, but users experience whether something feels understandable.
A feature can be technically correct and still feel intimidating, confusing, or exhausting to use.
I think that's why your story stuck with me. It was a great reminder that reducing uncertainty is just as valuable as adding functionality. 💛
Many users have that "GAD" mindset.
When things take time, they panic: "Why is this taking so long? Did I miss a step??"
Reassuring messages actually suppress that spiraling. They calm the noise so users can think clearly.
Building user-friendly apps isn't just about layouts, it's about emotional comfort. Users should navigate confidently from start to finish without ever feeling stuck.
Thanks for sharing this Klaudia ❤️.
Exactly! And we, as people who have a real impact on creating this digitalised world, can make such a big difference by taking accessibility into account while building apps 💛
This really hits home. The moment you described — being ready to give up even though the alternative was clearly better — that's such an honest way to put it. Most people would just say "I chose the easier option" but the truth is, bad UX takes that choice away from you before you even make it consciously.
The three things you listed at the end (reducing uncertainty, human language, progress signals) should honestly be a checklist on every project kickoff.
Agree! 💯 Apart from the human impact, good UX is very often a factor that makes a project stand out from the competition. No matter how fancy the tooling you used, in the end the users will choose the app that feels more convenient and more intuitive to use.
Nice story, well explained!
I guess many people have a mild form of "GAD", they're risk-avoidant, with a tendency to avoid or postpone actions where "something might go wrong" - bit of an "if it ain't broken don't fix it" mentality, or a reluctance to step out of their comfort zone (although actual GAD is surely something quite different) ...
A UI/UX which works the way you described is absolutely a boon then ... nice story!
The avoidance you described is one of the symptoms of GAD. It's important to be aware of this, as if not handled, it can develop and start impacting your life. Missing chances and opportunities is one thing, but you can start choosing "worse" options because they feel safer. Just like staying with my old mobile operator would be. I also remember I was avoiding driving a car for a long time, and was even pretty successful in convincing myself a bus is a better option, even if it took much longer 😅
Wish you all the best; keep being mindful and self-aware 🙂
Thank you! Well, I guess many people have a mild form of it, and in many cases it won't really affect you that much beyond not "optimizing" everything in your life, but if you're actually getting "less happy" because of it then of course it's a different matter ...
As developers, we get so caught up in metrics, conversions, and complex feature roadmaps that we completely forget our code interacts with real human beings in vulnerable states. Your point about accessibility not just being a checkbox, but literally serving as a digital anchor during a medical emergency, is profound. This is a beautiful reminder of why user-centric design matters.
Klaudia, thanks for sharing this. The cafe example was a great way to explain it because it shows how something that seems small from a developer's perspective can have a big impact on the person using it.
Reading this reminded me that good UX is not only about making things work. Whenever I am building something, I try to think about the human side too. I often ask myself what questions someone might have, where they could get stuck, or what might make them hesitate. In a recent project, I spent time putting together FAQs and documentation because I knew people would probably run into those questions sooner or later.
Sometimes a simple status message, a clear explanation, or letting someone know what happens next can make the whole experience feel much easier. Your experience was a good reminder of that.
That's the whole point. I wish more engineers would be like you: considering how to make a product usable and accessible. Keep doing a great job! 🚀
This is a good reminder that app quality isn’t only about performance or clean UI.
Sometimes the real test is whether the product feels calm, clear, and reliable when someone is already stressed.
good article.
"I am terrified of breaking things". You didn't see me. I launch the AI, tell it what to do so it doesn't break. Half an hour later, result is -1000 lines, +2000. Everything doesn't work, but in the end, it does 😫 It's normal. Don't be afraid to break things
My mobile provider is so bad (like everyone else) that I have to use a VPN with the VLESS proto. It got me interested in networking and realized how difficult it is.
I recently switched to Linux Fedora, and what really impressed me wasn't KDE's HUD, but how user-friendly the Linux console is. Everything is clear. Everything is beautifully written and easy to use, even though it's just text, without an interface. It really makes you think that UX can be more important than UI!
Thank you for the comment 💛
Actually, I am learning not to be afraid of breaking things by exposing myself to this. It's called exposure therapy – so I build, break, and fix, proving to myself that I can handle the situation even if it gets bad. This is partially what got me into "coding" 😄
Interesting point! I always associated UX with UI, but, as you pointed out, it's way more than that! Well-commented code and intuitive design can make a huge difference both for users and fellow developers. Good to note that 🙂
While I don't share the same anxiety, I too have a different problem when it comes to badly implemented UX. If I find it too complex and confusing or just even looking at all the information I need to fill up, I just end closing he tab.
If too many is being asked, I just simply walk away. Even a simple need for signing in for a new account just for a simple task of, say, converting a file is too much of a hassle.
I'm glad you brought this up. People are opening a site to do one thing. Let them do it peacefully without adding more stress in their life with bad UX.
Good that you pointed that out! Sometimes I have a feeling that engineers expect the user to be as excited as they are while writing software. Meanwhile, the market is way more strict. If the app requires too much and feels overwhelming, the user just closes the tab and looks somewhere else.
Good UX may turn out to be a main factor that makes the app stand out from the competition.
Those four prompts are actually a universal design litmus test for reducing cognitive load, emotional load, and decision risk—not just in UX, but in architecture, policy, onboarding, documentation, and even governance frameworks.
Exactly! Would be super cool to keep them in mind in our everyday work 💛
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