Which of the following is NOT a UI design best practice when designing a site?

• A. Always start by taking inventory of all application pages, making sure the navigation among them is simple and intuitive
• B. Make sure all pages have concise and clear titles and section labels
• C. Apply different designs to similar pages to avoid confusion
• D. Use distinct visual styles to present the organizational structure of your page

Answer: (C)

Maintaining consistency across pages that serve similar purposes is essential for user learnability. When similar pages look and behave differently, users must relearn patterns each time, which increases cognitive load, slows navigation, and raises the chances of mistakes. A well-designed site relies on predictability: users should be able to anticipate where to find navigation, controls, and content because the layout and visual cues stay familiar across pages.

That’s why starting with an inventory of application pages and keeping navigation simple and intuitive helps users form a solid mental model. Clear, concise page titles and section labels improve scannability and accessibility, so users know exactly what each page contains. Using visual cues and a consistent structure to present hierarchy supports comprehension rather than causing confusion. In short, applying different designs to similar pages disrupts familiarity and undermines usability, which is why that option is not a best practice.