Welcome back, my caffeinated creatives!
Clients. We love them. We need them. And sometimes, we question whether they secretly have a Pinterest board labeled “Design Ideas That Will Drive My UX Team to Madness.”
If you’ve worked in UX for more than five minutes, you’ve likely had a client or stakeholder suggest a design change so catastrophically against best practices that you had to physically restrain yourself from flipping your desk over.
“Let’s put all the text in script font.”
“What if we hide the navigation until users shake their phone?”
“I want it to look modern… but also vintage… but futuristic.”
And just like that, your research-backed, user-tested, accessibility-friendly design is at risk of becoming a Frankenstein’s monster of gut feelings, bad advice, and a splash of “Well, I saw it on a competitor’s site.”
But here’s the kicker: clients aren’t trying to sabotage good design. They just don’t always know they’re doing it. Because UX is invisible when it works well, most people assume design is just about aesthetics. And because they use apps and websites every day, they think that qualifies them to direct UX like a seasoned pro.
This is the same logic that turns casual sports fans into “If I were the coach, we would’ve won that game” analysts. Using something ≠ knowing how to create it.
So, how do we stop bad design decisions before they happen without making our clients feel like we’re dismissing their input? How do we educate without sounding condescending? And most importantly—how do we keep our sanity while doing it?
Let’s break it down, friends – refill your coffee, we’re going to be pulled in all directions on this one!
Why Clients Suddenly Think They’re UX Experts
Ah, the moment when a client—who up until now had no strong opinions on UX—suddenly turns into the self-proclaimed Steve Jobs of your project.
It happens out of nowhere. One day, they’re nodding along to your user flow presentation, and the next, they’re asking if you can “make the site feel more disruptive” without explaining what that actually means.
But let’s be real—most clients don’t wake up one morning and decide,
“Today, I will systematically dismantle years of UX research.”
No, no. This transformation into a design visionary usually happens for one of three reasons:
1. They Want to Feel Involved
Nobody likes being the person who just nods and signs the check. When clients invest in a project, they want to have a hand in shaping the final outcome. Which is completely fair—except that involvement often manifests as “I don’t really like the color blue, can we make everything red?”
It’s not that they don’t trust you. It’s that, like a kid helping decorate cookies, they want to participate—even if their contribution is just aggressively shaking sprinkles onto the icing. And while their enthusiasm is adorable, too much “helping” can quickly derail an otherwise solid UX strategy.
2. They Assume Personal Preference = Good Design
We’ve all been there. You present a well-researched, user-tested feature that solves a very real problem, only for a stakeholder to shut it down with:
“I wouldn’t use that.”
Congratulations, you’ve just hit one of the biggest UX roadblocks—the belief that personal opinion represents the needs of an entire audience.
This is like a restaurant owner removing vegetarian options from the menu just because they don’t eat tofu. Or a CEO banning google chat from their company because they prefer email chains from 2006.
Just because someone in leadership doesn’t personally see the value in a feature doesn’t mean their users won’t. In fact, most of the time, the people making these decisions aren’t even the target audience. But that doesn’t stop them from assuming that their experience is universal.
3. They’ve Read (Bad) Advice Online
Few things strike fear into a UX designer’s heart like a client starting a sentence with, “I was reading an article on UX trends and…”
Brace yourself, because what follows is usually a laundry list of terrible, outdated, or just plain bizarre ideas:
- “We need a full-screen video background. People love those.”
- “Let’s add infinite scrolling. No one likes clicking.”
- “Can we put the entire navigation into a hamburger menu… on desktop?”
- “What if every button moved slightly when you hover, so it feels alive?”
Look, I love a good design trend as much as the next person, but there’s a reason we don’t blindly follow every one that comes along. (Remember when websites were obsessed with Flash intros? Yeah, how’d that work out?)
Trends don’t always equal good UX. What works for a flashy marketing campaign might be a nightmare for usability. And just because a competitor is doing something doesn’t mean it’s working for them—it just means they committed to the trend first.
At the root of it all, most clients aren’t wrong for wanting a say in design decisions. They genuinely care about the product and want it to succeed. The problem is, they often don’t have the full context of why certain UX decisions matter.
That’s where we come in—not just as designers, but as translators, educators, and, occasionally, professional “let’s rethink that” diplomats.
How to Push Back Without Sounding Like a Jerk
Let’s be real—no one likes being told they’re wrong, especially not a client who is paying you to be there. And yet, as UX designers, we often find ourselves in the awkward position of explaining why their latest idea might torpedo usability—without making it seem like we’re just being difficult.
It’s a delicate dance: push back too hard, and you risk bruising egos and derailing the project. Go along with every request, and you’ll end up with a design so cluttered and confusing that even you don’t know how to navigate it.
Ever tried designing a site where every stakeholder got exactly what they wanted? Congratulations, you’ve created a myspace profile page of pop-ups, neon buttons, conflicting CTAs, and an “innovative” navigation system that requires a scavenger hunt to find the Contact page.
So how do you tactfully steer clients away from bad UX decisions without sounding like an arrogant know-it-all?
You speak their language, show them the data, and—when necessary—let them see their own mistakes in action. Because sometimes, the best way to convince a client that their idea doesn’t work is to let it fail in real-time.
1. Speak Their Language (Not Design Jargon)
The fastest way to lose a client’s trust is to start throwing around UX terms like cognitive load, Fitts’s Law, and UX analysis like you’re giving a TED Talk on usability. If they don’t understand what you’re saying, they’re not going to feel confident in your decisions—they’re just going to feel left out of the process.
Here’s the thing: Clients don’t need to know every UX principle in existence. What they do need is a clear understanding of how those principles help them meet their business goals.
So instead of rattling off research-backed UX jargon, translate it into something they care about: conversions ($$$), engagement, retention, and happy customers.
Example Translations:
What NOT to say:
“We can’t do that because it increases cognitive friction.”
What TO say:
“If we do that, users will likely get frustrated and leave the page before converting.”
What NOT to say:
“This goes against accessibility standards.”
What TO say:
“This will alienate a big portion of your audience, including users with disabilities—meaning fewer customers for you.”
What NOT to say:
“A five-second autoplay video will disrupt the user experience.”
What TO say:
“A five-second autoplay video will make 90% of your visitors click ‘back’ causing them to either be annoyed or leave all together.”
By framing your reasoning around real user behavior and business impact, you’re not just telling them why something is a bad idea—you’re showing them why it matters.
2. Use Data to Back Yourself Up
There’s no better argument in UX than one backed by cold, hard facts. Opinions can be debated, but numbers don’t lie. If a client is adamant about a questionable design choice, one of the best ways to counter it is by showing them why it won’t work.
Take this real-life personal example:
I once worked with a financial services client who was absolutely convinced that stuffing their dashboard with more features would make users happier. Their logic? More options = more value.
Except… that’s not how humans work.
So, we ran usability tests. What we found was not shocking (at least to those of us in UX). Users weren’t just ignoring the extra features—they were actively getting frustrated because they couldn’t find the ones they actually needed. Their dashboard had become a maze of unnecessary tools, making it harder to accomplish even the most basic tasks.
We showed the client session recordings of users fumbling through menus, struggling to locate essential functions, and—my personal favorite—giving up entirely and rage-quitting. It was like watching someone try to assemble IKEA furniture with 17 extra screws and no instructions.
The moment we simplified the interface and reduced cognitive overload? Engagement skyrocketed, and their conversion rate jumped by 27%.
Suddenly, “simpler is better” wasn’t just my opinion—it was a measurable business win.
So next time a client insists that “more is more,” hand them a heatmap, some drop-off stats, or a before-and-after user flow. If the data tells the story, you don’t have to.
3. Give Them Controlled Choices
Asking a client, “What do you think?” is basically an open invitation for them to redesign everything. They don’t mean to go full art director mode, but give them an inch and suddenly you’re debating between five shades of blue and adding features no one needs.
Instead of opening the floodgates, guide the conversation by presenting structured options:
🚫 Bad: “Do you like this layout?”
Clients will take this as an opportunity to nitpick every detail, whether it matters or not.
✅ Better: “Would you rather emphasize A or B? Both together would overwhelm users.”
Now they have to think in terms of strategy instead of personal taste.
💯 Best: “We tested three versions, and this one performed best with your target audience.”
Boom. Now you’re not asking for opinions—you’re making a data-backed recommendation.
By shifting the focus from preference to business objectives, you’re reducing the likelihood of unnecessary revisions while still keeping them engaged in the decision-making process.
4. Show, Don’t Just Tell
Some clients won’t be convinced until they see the problem for themselves. So, instead of debating, prototype it, test it, and let the results do the talking.
Want a pop-up on every page? Let’s run a test and see how many users immediately close it.
Insist on a long-scrolling homepage? Let’s pull up heatmaps and track where users actually drop off.
Obsessed with making everything a carousel? Let’s check engagement rates and watch as people scroll right past them.
I once had a client insist on cramming every possible service they offered onto the homepage because they were convinced users wanted to see everything up front. We ran a click-tracking test, and sure enough—users were completely ignoring 80% of the content. The page was overwhelming, and users were bouncing before even engaging.
Once they saw the data, the client immediately agreed to simplify the design. No arguing, no endless revisions—just results.
Nothing ends an argument faster than real user behavior.
Case Study: The Time I Had to Save a Water Filtration Website from Drowning Itself
A while back, I worked with a water softener and filtration product manufacturer that was gearing up for a complete website redesign. Their products were top-notch, their technology was industry-leading, and their passion for clean water was palpable. But their existing website? It was about as user-friendly as assembling Ikea furniture without the instructions.
The problem? They wanted their homepage to explain everything about water filtration.
I mean everything—the science behind ion exchange, the history of hard water, an entire glossary of water treatment terminology, and an in-depth guide on how municipal water systems function. Oh, and let’s not forget the 45-minute company origin story (which, spoiler alert, was not a thrilling read).
Their reasoning? “Our customers need to understand how water softening works before they buy.”
My reasoning? “Your customers just want their dishes to stop looking like they’ve been through a dust storm.”
The Approach:
Rather than flat-out telling them that their homepage was shaping up to be a Wikipedia entry no one asked for, I did what any UX designer worth their salt would do: I tested it.
I ran heatmaps and user testing on their existing site, and—shockingly—almost no one was engaging with their meticulously written water chemistry breakdowns. Users were scrolling right past the technical jargon, skipping the dense educational sections, and heading straight for the “Find a Dealer” button.
Then, we conducted user interviews and discovered something hilarious but obvious:
- People don’t want to become water filtration experts.
- They just want softer laundry, better-tasting water, and a product that works.
- If they really care about ion exchange, they already work in the industry.
The Moment of Truth:
Armed with data, I went back to the client and said:
“Look, I love a good deep dive on water chemistry as much as the next person, but your customers? They’re here because their shower water smells like a public pool, and they just want a solution—fast.”
Instead of overwhelming users with endless technical content, we proposed a clean, benefit-driven homepage that:
✅ Focused on user pain points (hard water stains, weird-tasting tap water, clogged appliances).
✅ Highlighted the simple, effective solutions their products provided.
✅ Offered a clear, action-driven CTA to help them get a quote or find a dealer.
The Results:
- Bounce rates plummeted by 52%.
- Users were converting 38% faster than before.
- Engagement with product pages skyrocketed, while engagement with the “How Water Softening Works” section… well, it remained exactly where it belonged—in the footer for those rare users who truly wanted to geek out.
The Takeaway:
This was a classic case of overestimating what users actually care about. The client was passionate about their industry (rightfully so), but passion doesn’t always translate into usability. Customers don’t need to be water softening scholars to make a purchase—they just need a clear, simple path to solving their problem.
And the best part? The client was thrilled with the new design. They still got to showcase their expertise—but in a way that actually helped customers instead of overwhelming them.
The Caffeine Kick: What the Data Says About UX and Client Feedback
We all know good UX leads to better business outcomes, but let’s back that up with some hard data—because, let’s be honest, clients love numbers more than they love your carefully curated typography choices.
Bad UX = Business Death Spiral
Imagine launching a brand-new website, pouring money into marketing, and then watching potential customers flee like they just saw a popup asking them to “Subscribe Now!” before they’ve even scrolled. Well, that’s reality for 70% of online businesses that fail due to poor usability (UXCam). Turns out, if your site is a nightmare to navigate, users won’t stick around out of loyalty—they’ll peace out and take their wallets with them.
Users Have No Patience for Bad UX
Think your audience will power through a clunky interface? Think again. 88% of users say they won’t return to a site after a bad experience (Maze). That means almost 9 out of 10 people would rather find an alternative than give your site a second chance. And let’s be real—there’s always an alternative.
Want Conversions? Invest in UX.
If a client ever tells you “UX isn’t a priority,” just show them this: Companies that prioritize UX see conversion rates increase by up to 400% (Forrester). That’s not a subtle improvement—that’s the difference between a site that prints money and one that turns potential customers into bounce-rate statistics.
First Impressions are Brutal
You’ve got 50 milliseconds to make an impression on a visitor. Yes, you read that right. Before a user even blinks, they’ve already decided whether they trust your site or not (Behaviour & Information Technology Journal). That’s barely enough time to register a background color, let alone the 15 navigation links crammed into your header.
The Takeaway? UX Isn’t Optional.
Good UX isn’t about making things look pretty—it’s about keeping people on your site long enough to actually buy something. Educating clients on usability isn’t about “winning” a design debate; it’s about keeping their product from becoming a cautionary tale. And if they don’t listen? Well, at least you’ll have some great examples for your next UX blog post.
Final Thoughts: UX Design or Client Wrangling? Both.
Pushing back on bad UX suggestions isn’t about shutting clients down—it’s about guiding them toward better decisions without making them feel shut out of the process.
At the end of the day, most clients want a great product. They’re not trying to sabotage usability; they just don’t always understand how UX really works. That’s where we, as designers, come in—not just as pixel-pushers, but as consultants, strategists, and, sometimes, patient translators of “No, a blinking neon CTA isn’t the answer.”
So, what’s the wildest client request you’ve ever had? A homepage with 15 competing CTAs? A login form before users even see the site? Drop it in the comments, I’ll bring the coffee!
freshbrewedux.com 
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