If you’ve ever rage-closed an app because it wouldn’t let you “go back” or stared at a form that made you feel like you were applying for citizenship in three countries at once, then congratulations—you’ve met bad UX. And once you’ve seen it, you  can’t unsee it. Or… if you’ve ever used a microwave with 47 buttons and no Start option, you’ve experienced bad UX. Good UX, on the other hand, is invisible. It’s the reason why you can order a pizza at 2 a.m. half-asleep without accidentally signing up for a gym membership. Whether you’re a beginner designer or a senior drowning in stakeholder feedback, these foundational UX principles are your North Star (or at least your emergency life raft). 1.  User-Centered Design : You’re Not the Main Character Your tastes? Irrelevant. Your favorite font? Cute. But unless you’re designing a portfolio site for  yourself , you are not the user. User-centered design means putting the user’s needs, goals, and behaviors at the core of everything.…