{"id":14283,"date":"2022-09-23T10:06:00","date_gmt":"2022-09-23T10:06:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/userpilot.com\/blog\/how-to-reduce-screen-complexity\/"},"modified":"2025-09-22T22:56:50","modified_gmt":"2025-09-22T22:56:50","slug":"how-to-reduce-screen-complexity","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/userpilot.com\/blog\/how-to-reduce-screen-complexity\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Reduce Screen Complexity and Improve User Experience in SaaS"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Screen complexity is the villain to product adoption, <a href=\"https:\/\/userpilot.com\/product\/engagement-layer\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">high engagement<\/a>, and revenue.<\/p>\n<p>A bad UI design will kill any chance you have of guiding users to achieve value with your product.<\/p>\n<p>So, how can you reduce screen complexity in a way that doesn&#8217;t <a href=\"https:\/\/userpilot.com\/blog\/saas-customer-success-guide\/\">hurt customer success<\/a>?<\/p>\n<p>In this article, we&#8217;ll cover:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>What is screen complexity?<\/li>\n<li>Why is it important to reduce complexity in SaaS?<\/li>\n<li>10 actionable strategies to reduce screen complexity.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Let&#8217;s get started.<\/p>\n<h2>Summary of how to reduce screen complexity<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>Screen complexity describes the difficulty of navigating a UI, considering factors like how intuitive it is, how time-consuming it is and how much confusion it causes.<\/li>\n<li>Reducing complexity is essential for improving <a href=\"https:\/\/userpilot.com\/blog\/saas-conversion-rate\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">conversion rates<\/a> from potential visitors to buyers, boosting <a href=\"https:\/\/userpilot.com\/blog\/increase-measure-product-engagement\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">product engagement<\/a> amongst existing customers, and driving more <a href=\"https:\/\/userpilot.com\/blog\/customer-loyalty-and-retention\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">retention and loyalty.<\/a><\/li>\n<li>It improves conversions of potential visitors to paying customers by making the trial experience frictionless and easy to navigate. People need to <a href=\"https:\/\/userpilot.com\/blog\/time-to-value\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">experience value fast<\/a> and with little effort to be motivated to buy.<\/li>\n<li>It boosts engagement because an efficient, well-designed screen will naturally guide the users to complete the intended action. When users feel like they&#8217;ve achieved success, they&#8217;re encouraged to keep going.<\/li>\n<li>Improving screen complexity also increases retention and loyalty. Since an excellent UI design leads to improved <a href=\"https:\/\/userpilot.com\/blog\/how-to-measure-customer-satisfaction\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">customer satisfaction<\/a>, more and more customers will become <a href=\"https:\/\/userpilot.com\/blog\/customer-advocacy\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">brand advocates<\/a>, sharing their positive experiences with their peers. That sparks growth through word-of-mouth marketing.<\/li>\n<li>One way to minimize perceived complexity is by <a href=\"https:\/\/userpilot.com\/blog\/product-personalization-for-saas\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">personalizing the product experience<\/a>. Divide your customers into segments based on shared characteristics, and then only show relevant screens to the right customers.<\/li>\n<li>Use <a href=\"https:\/\/userpilot.com\/blog\/progress-bar-ui-ux-saas\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">progress bars<\/a> and multiple screens that focus on one task at a time to avoid overwhelming new users. They&#8217;re also great to <a href=\"https:\/\/userpilot.com\/blog\/gamification-strategies-saas-2021\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">gamify the product <\/a>experience, which psychologically motivates people to push through difficulty or confusion.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/userpilot.com\/blog\/empty-state-saas\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Blank states<\/a> are the empty areas in your <a href=\"https:\/\/userpilot.com\/blog\/product-dashboard\/\">product dashboard<\/a> that usually appear when someone uses your product for the first time and hasn&#8217;t completed any actions yet. Fill blank states with helpful <a href=\"https:\/\/userpilot.com\/blog\/in-app-guidance-saas\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">in-app guidance<\/a> to maximize screen real estate and help customers achieve value faster.<\/li>\n<li>Minimize unnecessary complexity by adding <a href=\"https:\/\/userpilot.com\/blog\/onboarding-tooltips-saas\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">tooltips <\/a>to show people around the product. They also help to reiterate the benefits of certain features, improving product adoption.<\/li>\n<li>Reduce visual noise by balancing tooltips with hotspots, which are less invasive on the screen. People can choose to hover over them to see additional content.<\/li>\n<li>Maintain brand consistency across your entire UI design by using differentiating elements with shared colors, such as one color for notifications and another for product guidance.<\/li>\n<li>Declutter the UI with progressive disclosure, meaning you reveal one key piece of information at a time. This reduces overwhelm and makes it easier to <a href=\"https:\/\/userpilot.com\/blog\/new-feature-announcements\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">learn how to use new features.<\/a><\/li>\n<li>Minimize actual complexity by completely scrapping features that don&#8217;t deliver enough value. Track your behavioral data to recognize which features are well-loved and which ones wouldn&#8217;t be missed if they left.<\/li>\n<li>Ditch the expensive, time-consuming development projects to implement in-app guidance. Instead, use a no-code like <a href=\"https:\/\/userpilot.com\/userpilot-demo\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Userpilot<\/a> to easily build and trigger contextual experiences, such as <a href=\"https:\/\/userpilot.com\/blog\/welcome-page-saas\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">welcome flows<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/userpilot.com\/blog\/user-onboarding-checklist-tips\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">checklists<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/userpilot.com\/blog\/in-app-survey-design-best-practices\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">in-app surveys<\/a>, and more.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2 id=\"f5kep\">What is screen complexity?<\/h2>\n<p>Screen complexity describes how difficult it is to navigate a user interface (UI). It&#8217;s influenced by factors such as size, grouping, alignment, and element repetition.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"dne9f\">Why is reducing complexity important in UI design?<\/h2>\n<p>Reducing screen complexity is an essential part of UI design because a complexity issue affects everything from <a href=\"https:\/\/userpilot.com\/blog\/product-adoption-saas\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">product adoption<\/a> to customer satisfaction, <a href=\"https:\/\/userpilot.com\/blog\/saas-churn-calculation\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">churn<\/a>, and <a href=\"https:\/\/userpilot.com\/blog\/how-to-generate-revenue-with-customer-expansion-strategies\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">revenue.<\/a><\/p>\n<h3 id=\"649f1\">User-friendly design converts <strong>potential visitors into buyers<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Minimizing complexity leads to higher revenue since a user-friendly design is more likely to convert potential visitors into buyers.<\/p>\n<p>If potential customers are testing out a <a href=\"https:\/\/userpilot.com\/blog\/free-trial-vs-paid-trial\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">free trial<\/a> of your product, but are disappointed with a complex interface, they&#8217;ll quit trying and won&#8217;t upgrade.<\/p>\n<p>It&#8217;s not just limited to the in-app experience either. Build a user-friendly website and a user-friendly customer support experience to improve your conversion rates even more.<\/p>\n<h3 id=\"6skpu\">Simplifying design means more engagement<\/h3>\n<p>Simplifying design <a href=\"https:\/\/userpilot.com\/blog\/increase-app-engagement\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">improves engagement<\/a> because it reduces friction. When users can navigate through a clear product experience, they&#8217;ll stay engaged for longer.<\/p>\n<p>Overly complex designs are time-consuming and frustrating to navigate. In this digital age, customers have high expectations and minimal patience for any <a href=\"https:\/\/userpilot.com\/blog\/friction-log\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">friction.<\/a> They&#8217;ll move on <em>fast<\/em> if you can&#8217;t provide a seamless experience.<\/p>\n<h3 id=\"cj16a\">Consistent experience that drives retention and loyalty<\/h3>\n<p>In the long term, delivering a more consistent experience will keep customers around for longer and improve loyalty \u2013 both of which contribute to higher <a href=\"https:\/\/userpilot.com\/blog\/calculate-lifetime-value-saas\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">customer lifetime value (LTV)<\/a>, reduced churn, and more <a href=\"https:\/\/userpilot.com\/blog\/word-of-mouth-wom\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">word-of-mouth<\/a> growth.<\/p>\n<p>If customers consistently have a positive experience with your product, both specifically with the UI design and the experience as a whole, they&#8217;ll keep their subscription and spread the word to their network.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"b0nho\">10 Strategies to reduce screen complexity in SaaS<\/h2>\n<p>Here are 10 strategies to reduce unnecessary complexity in your SaaS business.<\/p>\n<h3 id=\"6kj97\">Personalize the user interface based on customer needs<\/h3>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/userpilot.com\/blog\/product-personalization-for-saas\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Personalize interfaces<\/a> for the user based on the actual goals they want to achieve from your product. Your customer segments have different challenges and goals that they want to resolve with your SaaS. Reveal features based on the user&#8217;s Jobs To Be Done and where they are in their journey.<\/p>\n<p>That way, they&#8217;ll experience a more useful and interactive user interface that suits their needs.<\/p>\n<p>Users see the most relevant information for their specific goals if you personalize the user interface based on <a href=\"https:\/\/userpilot.com\/blog\/jtbd-product-management\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Jobs To Be Done.<\/a><\/p>\n<figure class=\"image strchf-type-image regular strchf-size-regular strchf-align-center\"><picture><source srcset=\"https:\/\/blog-static.userpilot.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/advanced-personalization-Userpilot-how-to-reduce-screen-complexity_7cf42d34cc41b73bc36878bec43128f7.gif 1x, https:\/\/blog-static.userpilot.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/advanced-personalization-Userpilot-how-to-reduce-screen-complexity_7cf42d34cc41b73bc36878bec43128f7.gif 2x\" media=\"(max-width: 768px)\" \/><source srcset=\"https:\/\/blog-static.userpilot.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/advanced-personalization-Userpilot-how-to-reduce-screen-complexity_7cf42d34cc41b73bc36878bec43128f7.gif 1x, https:\/\/blog-static.userpilot.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/advanced-personalization-Userpilot-how-to-reduce-screen-complexity_7cf42d34cc41b73bc36878bec43128f7.gif 2x\" media=\"(min-width: 769px)\" \/><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/blog-static.userpilot.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/advanced-personalization-Userpilot-how-to-reduce-screen-complexity_7cf42d34cc41b73bc36878bec43128f7.gif\" alt=\"advanced-personalization-Userpilot-how-to-reduce-screen-complexity\" \/><\/picture><figcaption>Break users into cohorts and personalize the product experience with <a href=\"https:\/\/userpilot.com\/userpilot-demo\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Userpilot<\/a>.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h3 id=\"74lij\">Use progress bars and multiple screens to reduce complexity<\/h3>\n<p>Break down long and complicated processes into multiple stages that feel easy. Taking users through one task at a time using <a href=\"https:\/\/userpilot.com\/blog\/progress-bar-ui-ux-saas\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">progress bars<\/a> and multiple screens helps reduce perceived complexity.<\/p>\n<p>For example, instead of overwhelming users with a complex and friction-based sign-up flow, Airtable uses multiple user-friendly screens to guide users through the process.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"image strchf-type-image regular strchf-size-regular strchf-align-center\"><picture><source srcset=\"https:\/\/blog-static.userpilot.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/airtable-sign-up-flow_4725b0c538b50a9b6b66a2b4a39f0a3c_800.png 1x\" media=\"(max-width: 768px)\" \/><source srcset=\"https:\/\/blog-static.userpilot.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/airtable-sign-up-flow_4725b0c538b50a9b6b66a2b4a39f0a3c_800.png 1x\" media=\"(min-width: 769px)\" \/><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/blog-static.userpilot.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/airtable-sign-up-flow_4725b0c538b50a9b6b66a2b4a39f0a3c_800.png\" alt=\"airtable sign-up flow with multiple screens\" \/><\/picture><figcaption>Airtable uses multiple screens in its sign-up flow.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The Airtable team also uses progress bars to set users\u2019 expectations and motivate them to move forward.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"image strchf-type-image regular strchf-size-regular strchf-align-center\"><picture><source srcset=\"https:\/\/blog-static.userpilot.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/airtable-progress-bar_01a64d0c6f28a479a37a9732f5a796a6_800.png 1x\" media=\"(max-width: 768px)\" \/><source srcset=\"https:\/\/blog-static.userpilot.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/airtable-progress-bar_01a64d0c6f28a479a37a9732f5a796a6_800.png 1x\" media=\"(min-width: 769px)\" \/><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/blog-static.userpilot.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/airtable-progress-bar_01a64d0c6f28a479a37a9732f5a796a6_800.png\" alt=\"airtable progress bar sign-up flow \" \/><\/picture><figcaption>Airtable uses a progress bar in their sign-up flow.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h3 id=\"14b6n\">Use the blank state to help orient users<\/h3>\n<p>Blank states are moments in a user&#8217;s experience with a product where there is nothing to yet display. This can happen when the user is using the application for the first time.<\/p>\n<p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/userpilot.com\/blog\/empty-state-saas\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">empty state<\/a> is the first impression the user will get from your product. That&#8217;s why you must use this opportunity to help users <a href=\"https:\/\/userpilot.com\/blog\/empty-state-time-to-value\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">experience value faster<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Do this by filling in the blank states with call-to-actions and <a href=\"https:\/\/userpilot.com\/blog\/user-onboarding-checklist-tips\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">checklists<\/a> to help users get started. That way, they&#8217;re not overwhelmed by the white space of a blank screen.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"image strchf-type-image regular strchf-size-regular strchf-align-center\"><picture><source srcset=\"https:\/\/blog-static.userpilot.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/empty-state-guidance-to-reduce-screen-complexity_076919bb856fe2ee988772b3c6930bed_800.png 1x\" media=\"(max-width: 768px)\" \/><source srcset=\"https:\/\/blog-static.userpilot.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/empty-state-guidance-to-reduce-screen-complexity_076919bb856fe2ee988772b3c6930bed_800.png 1x\" media=\"(min-width: 769px)\" \/><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/blog-static.userpilot.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/empty-state-guidance-to-reduce-screen-complexity_076919bb856fe2ee988772b3c6930bed_800.png\" alt=\"empty-state-guidance-to-reduce-screen-complexity\" \/><\/picture><figcaption><a href=\"https:\/\/userpilot.com\/userpilot-demo\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Userpilot<\/a> adds clear CTAs and checklists to its empty states to orient users.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h3 id=\"34ruj\">Minimize perceived complexity with tooltips<\/h3>\n<p>Perceived complexity is how difficult or easy a user perceives a product experience to be.<\/p>\n<p>Help users overcome uncertainty and reduce perceived complexity by helping them find their way around the product with <a href=\"https:\/\/userpilot.com\/blog\/in-app-guidance-saas\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">in-app guidance.<\/a><\/p>\n<p>For example, use <a href=\"https:\/\/userpilot.com\/blog\/tooltip-examples-saas\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">tooltips<\/a> to highlight features and explain how to use and get value from them. The user learns the benefits of the features on top of how to use them, increasing motivation and <a href=\"https:\/\/userpilot.com\/blog\/feature-adoption-101\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">feature adoption.<\/a><\/p>\n<figure class=\"image strchf-type-image regular strchf-size-regular strchf-align-center\"><picture><source srcset=\"https:\/\/blog-static.userpilot.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/tooltip-to-reduce-screen-complexity_d9210a4b8bbc50792a450372c96d6363_800.png 1x\" media=\"(max-width: 768px)\" \/><source srcset=\"https:\/\/blog-static.userpilot.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/tooltip-to-reduce-screen-complexity_d9210a4b8bbc50792a450372c96d6363_800.png 1x\" media=\"(min-width: 769px)\" \/><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/blog-static.userpilot.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/tooltip-to-reduce-screen-complexity_d9210a4b8bbc50792a450372c96d6363_800.png\" alt=\"tooltip-to-reduce-screen-complexity\" \/><\/picture><\/figure>\n<h3 id=\"18rai\">Reduce visual noise with hotspots<\/h3>\n<p>In the previous section, we encouraged you to trigger in-app experiences and guidance to help users. That being said, overdoing it is a common <a href=\"https:\/\/userpilot.com\/blog\/ux-design-mistakes\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">UX design mistake<\/a>. In this example, StoryChief goes overboard with its in-app guidance by displaying a modal and survey popping up at the same time. It clutters the UI and causes friction.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"image strchf-type-image regular strchf-size-regular strchf-align-center\"><picture><source srcset=\"https:\/\/blog-static.userpilot.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/storychief-bad-ux-to-reduce-screen-complexity_18df42958107701a530c19fd5647efba_800.png 1x\" media=\"(max-width: 768px)\" \/><source srcset=\"https:\/\/blog-static.userpilot.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/storychief-bad-ux-to-reduce-screen-complexity_18df42958107701a530c19fd5647efba_800.png 1x\" media=\"(min-width: 769px)\" \/><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/blog-static.userpilot.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/storychief-bad-ux-to-reduce-screen-complexity_18df42958107701a530c19fd5647efba_800.png\" alt=\"storychief-bad-ux-to-reduce-screen-complexity\" \/><\/picture><\/figure>\n<p>Consider using hotspots instead. These are small icons, usually in the form of animated, pulsing circles that invite users inward to learn more.<\/p>\n<p>They can be strategically placed on certain elements to indicate that more information is available. Users then have to click on the hotspots if they want to learn more.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"image strchf-type-image regular strchf-size-regular strchf-align-center\"><picture><source srcset=\"https:\/\/blog-static.userpilot.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/hotspot-to-reduce-screen-complexity_ab67d5856ae14834a5f71e3a360cc7d0_800.png 1x\" media=\"(max-width: 768px)\" \/><source srcset=\"https:\/\/blog-static.userpilot.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/hotspot-to-reduce-screen-complexity_ab67d5856ae14834a5f71e3a360cc7d0_800.png 1x\" media=\"(min-width: 769px)\" \/><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/blog-static.userpilot.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/hotspot-to-reduce-screen-complexity_ab67d5856ae14834a5f71e3a360cc7d0_800.png\" alt=\"hotspot-to-reduce-screen-complexity\" \/><\/picture><\/figure>\n<h3 id=\"785bq\">Maintain b<strong>rand consistency across the user journey<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Consistent design is a <a href=\"https:\/\/userpilot.com\/blog\/cx-trends-customer-experience-trends\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">CX trend<\/a> that improves the usability and learnability of a product and simplifies the user experience.<\/p>\n<p>For example, Asana has prioritized brand consistency across its <a href=\"https:\/\/userpilot.com\/blog\/in-app-messaging\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">in-app communication. <\/a>Each UI element has the same color, text, and button, so anyone who sees them immediately recognizes them.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"image strchf-type-image regular strchf-size-regular strchf-align-center\"><picture><source srcset=\"https:\/\/blog-static.userpilot.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/brand-consistency-asana-userpilot_cd32b0548f895f49c6afe6779c13eb19_800.png 1x\" media=\"(max-width: 768px)\" \/><source srcset=\"https:\/\/blog-static.userpilot.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/brand-consistency-asana-userpilot_cd32b0548f895f49c6afe6779c13eb19_800.png 1x\" media=\"(min-width: 769px)\" \/><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/blog-static.userpilot.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/brand-consistency-asana-userpilot_cd32b0548f895f49c6afe6779c13eb19_800.png\" alt=\"purple tooltips in asana brand consistency\" \/><\/picture><figcaption>Example of brand consistency in Asana with purple tooltips.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The purple tooltips are reserved for product tips, while the white ones are reserved for notifications.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"image strchf-type-image regular strchf-size-regular strchf-align-center\"><picture><source srcset=\"https:\/\/blog-static.userpilot.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/notification-asana-userpilot_1469303c165cf4d4157ee3d4c5c306d7_800.png 1x\" media=\"(max-width: 768px)\" \/><source srcset=\"https:\/\/blog-static.userpilot.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/notification-asana-userpilot_1469303c165cf4d4157ee3d4c5c306d7_800.png 1x\" media=\"(min-width: 769px)\" \/><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/blog-static.userpilot.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/notification-asana-userpilot_1469303c165cf4d4157ee3d4c5c306d7_800.png\" alt=\"white notification in asana brand consistency\" \/><\/picture><figcaption>Example of a white notification in Asana.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h3 id=\"ane4l\">Declutter the user interface with progressive disclosure<\/h3>\n<p>Minimize visual noise by disclosing information gradually as the user needs it. Not only will it make the UI design more friendly for mobile devices, but it will also give customers the ability to quickly scan and capture the heart of the content easily.<\/p>\n<p>Once customers have completed one step, you can move them forward to the second step.<\/p>\n<h3 id=\"au5ga\">Reduce actual complexity by eliminating unnecessary features<\/h3>\n<p>Track <a href=\"https:\/\/userpilot.com\/blog\/product-usage-analytics-saas\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">product usage <\/a>data to determine which parts of your product users engage with the most vs. the least. This helps you identify features that don\u2019t bring any value to users.<\/p>\n<p>How does this reduce actual complexity?<\/p>\n<p>You can simplify the user interface by sunsetting features that don&#8217;t bring value. Leave more screen real estate for the ones that do.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"image strchf-type-image regular strchf-size-regular strchf-align-center\"><picture><source srcset=\"https:\/\/blog-static.userpilot.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/product-usage-tracking-to-reduce-screen-complexity_443f3a12cd04c3e579126b0b779cd9ca_800.png 1x\" media=\"(max-width: 768px)\" \/><source srcset=\"https:\/\/blog-static.userpilot.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/product-usage-tracking-to-reduce-screen-complexity_443f3a12cd04c3e579126b0b779cd9ca_800.png 1x\" media=\"(min-width: 769px)\" \/><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/blog-static.userpilot.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/product-usage-tracking-to-reduce-screen-complexity_443f3a12cd04c3e579126b0b779cd9ca_800.png\" alt=\"product-usage-tracking-to-reduce-screen-complexity\" \/><\/picture><figcaption>Track product usage in <a href=\"https:\/\/userpilot.com\/userpilot-demo\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Userpilot<\/a>.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h3 id=\"91oii\">Less development time &#8211; use a tool for tips and hints<\/h3>\n<p>Spend less time and money on expensive development projects to code your in-app help. Instead, use a no-code in-app experience builder like <a href=\"https:\/\/userpilot.com\/userpilot-demo\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Userpilot<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Create contextual flows with a range of UI patterns such as <a href=\"https:\/\/userpilot.com\/blog\/modal-design\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">modals<\/a>, tooltips, hotspots, and more.<\/p>\n<p>Then, set them to trigger based on user actions with advanced <a href=\"https:\/\/userpilot.com\/blog\/personalization-saas\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">personalization<\/a> options.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"image strchf-type-image regular strchf-size-regular strchf-align-center\"><picture><source srcset=\"https:\/\/blog-static.userpilot.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/UI-patterns-Userpilot-to-reduce-screen-complexity_b7b69703da146d6255a997235b6dfee8_800.png 1x, https:\/\/images.storychief.com\/account_6827\/UI-patterns-Userpilot-to-reduce-screen-complexity_b7b69703da146d6255a997235b6dfee8_1600.png 2x\" media=\"(max-width: 768px)\" \/><source srcset=\"https:\/\/blog-static.userpilot.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/UI-patterns-Userpilot-to-reduce-screen-complexity_b7b69703da146d6255a997235b6dfee8_800.png 1x, https:\/\/images.storychief.com\/account_6827\/UI-patterns-Userpilot-to-reduce-screen-complexity_b7b69703da146d6255a997235b6dfee8_1600.png 2x\" media=\"(min-width: 769px)\" \/><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/blog-static.userpilot.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/UI-patterns-Userpilot-to-reduce-screen-complexity_b7b69703da146d6255a997235b6dfee8_800.png\" alt=\"UI-patterns-Userpilot-to-reduce-screen-complexity\" \/><\/picture><figcaption>Choose from a variety of UI patterns and build flows with <a href=\"https:\/\/userpilot.com\/userpilot-demo\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Userpilot<\/a>.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2 id=\"1smj9\">Conclusion<\/h2>\n<p>Reducing screen complexity is the bare minimum for achieving an excellent UI design. Minimize visual noise, maximize screen real estate and eliminate anything that doesn&#8217;t add value.<\/p>\n<p>Prioritizing this will transform your customer&#8217;s success with your product.<\/p>\n<p>Want to build product experiences that reduce complexity code-free? <a href=\"https:\/\/userpilot.com\/userpilot-demo\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Book a demo call <\/a>with our team by clicking the button below and get started!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Screen complexity is the villain to product adoption, high engagement and revenue. A bad UI design will kill any chance you have of guiding users to achieve value with your product. So, how do you go about minimizing complexity in a way that doesn&#8217;t hurt customer success? In this article, we&#8217;ll cover what screen complexity is, why it is important to reduce complexity in SaaS, plus 10 actionable strategies to reduce screen complexity.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":19,"featured_media":14284,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"content-type":"","inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[23],"tags":[184,977,332,1035,1052,86,363,898,619,52,873,699,201],"class_list":["post-14283","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-good-ux-inspiration","tag-best-customer-success-tools","tag-boost-retention","tag-customer-engagement","tag-customer-loyalty","tag-customer-perceived-value","tag-customer-satisfaction","tag-customer-success","tag-onboarding-ui-design","tag-product-engagement","tag-product-experience","tag-progress-bars","tag-ui-design","tag-user-experience"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v27.2 (Yoast SEO v27.2) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>How to Reduce Screen Complexity and Improve User Experience in SaaS<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Screen complexity is the villain to product adoption, high engagement and revenue. Here&#039;s how to reduce screen complexity in SaaS.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/userpilot.com\/blog\/how-to-reduce-screen-complexity\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"How to Reduce Screen Complexity and Improve User Experience in SaaS\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Screen complexity is the villain to product adoption, high engagement and revenue. Here&#039;s how to reduce screen complexity in SaaS.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/userpilot.com\/blog\/how-to-reduce-screen-complexity\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Thoughts about Product Adoption, User Onboarding and Good UX | Userpilot Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2022-09-23T10:06:00+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-09-22T22:56:50+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/blog-static.userpilot.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/How-to-Reduce-Screen-Complexity-and-Improve-User-Experience-in-SaaS_541b754dc65f963157e86e8906995741_2000.png\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1876\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1228\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/png\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Userpilot Team\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Userpilot Team\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"10 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/userpilot.com\/blog\/how-to-reduce-screen-complexity\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/userpilot.com\/blog\/how-to-reduce-screen-complexity\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Userpilot Team\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/userpilot.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/c23f142272c9525f442450e3db3b3d00\"},\"headline\":\"How to Reduce Screen Complexity and Improve User Experience in SaaS\",\"datePublished\":\"2022-09-23T10:06:00+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-09-22T22:56:50+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/userpilot.com\/blog\/how-to-reduce-screen-complexity\/\"},\"wordCount\":1714,\"commentCount\":0,\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/userpilot.com\/blog\/how-to-reduce-screen-complexity\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/blog-static.userpilot.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/How-to-Reduce-Screen-Complexity-and-Improve-User-Experience-in-SaaS_541b754dc65f963157e86e8906995741_2000.png\",\"keywords\":[\"best customer success tools\",\"boost retention\",\"customer engagement\",\"customer loyalty\",\"customer perceived value\",\"Customer Satisfaction\",\"customer success\",\"onboarding ui design\",\"product engagement\",\"product experience\",\"progress bars\",\"ui design\",\"User Experience\"],\"articleSection\":[\"Good UX Inspiration\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/userpilot.com\/blog\/how-to-reduce-screen-complexity\/#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/userpilot.com\/blog\/how-to-reduce-screen-complexity\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/userpilot.com\/blog\/how-to-reduce-screen-complexity\/\",\"name\":\"How to Reduce Screen Complexity and Improve User Experience in SaaS\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/userpilot.com\/blog\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/userpilot.com\/blog\/how-to-reduce-screen-complexity\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/userpilot.com\/blog\/how-to-reduce-screen-complexity\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/blog-static.userpilot.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/How-to-Reduce-Screen-Complexity-and-Improve-User-Experience-in-SaaS_541b754dc65f963157e86e8906995741_2000.png\",\"datePublished\":\"2022-09-23T10:06:00+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-09-22T22:56:50+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/userpilot.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/c23f142272c9525f442450e3db3b3d00\"},\"description\":\"Screen complexity is the villain to product adoption, high engagement and revenue. 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