Interview frequency: …
Short answer
Users spend most of their time on other websites and apps, so they expect your site to work the familiar way they already know.
Explanation
Users bring preexisting mental models: for example, they expect the shopping cart in the upper corner, the site logo to return to the home page, and a gear icon to open settings. When a designer invents an unfamiliar navigation system, users must spend mental effort learning the interface instead of focusing on their goals and the platform's content.
Common mistakes
- Moving conventionally placed items such as the search field and shopping cart just to look visually distinctive.
- Using novel, unclear icons without accompanying explanatory text.