In light of the massive $935 billion income that mobile applications are predicted to produce this year in 2023, many businesses are thinking about developing their own apps. It’s a highly competitive market, too, with 3.48 million apps currently available for download on the Google Play Store alone.
It’s not enough to have a simple mobile application design when developing an ecommerce app, a productivity tool, or an entertainment app; the UX and UI of your app can have a significant impact on whether a user continues to use it or uninstalls it after installing.
Users are looking more and more for apps that not only meet but also surpass their expectations because there are so many options available.
How therefore can you differentiate your app from the competition?
Understanding the user, streamlining the user experience, and presenting material in the appropriate manner are the first steps. And this is what today’s blog is all about, so hear out these 12 tips that make the perfectly inclusive beginners guide to app design.
1. Always Start With Research
Your team could desire to create a feature-rich software, but your users might prefer straightforward goods with fewer features and functionalities. Your target audience will ultimately use the application, therefore it’s critical to comprehend their wants and expectations.
Users win!
That’s why it’s crucial as well to determine your target audience, the narrow category who is going to use your application. You also need to understand their challenges and demands.
Going for a quick market – app store – look, will help you understand the design standards your app must have to succeed, and the potential gaps to be addressed based on current downloads and reviews.
Our second tip is a huge hint for your next app’s standards.
2. You Need Super Fast Loading Times
According to Google, the likelihood of a user jumping out of your app increases by 32% as page load time rises from one second to three seconds. This means that users will probably pick an alternative if yours takes a long time to load. Even though speed is a top priority during the design and development of your program, some processes will still take time to complete.
Instead of showing a blank screen while your application page is loading, you could show a skeleton screen. This would progressively load the material in the visible region of the screen first while the rest of the content loads in the background.
3. Go For The Easiest Navigation
A superb mobile design makes it easy for consumers to utilize the application and encourages them to explore its contents. You should abide by a few fundamental navigational guidelines while creating mobile applications.
For instance, use common navigational techniques so that people may easily explore your application. For Android, these may be navigation drawers, and for iOS, a tab bar. Reduce the amount of swipes, taps, or screens required for frequent user operations like making an order to reduce user effort.
Not understanding how to use applications is one of the common issues users run into when utilizing them. This may occur if an app has an excessive number of features or pages.
4. Know That White Space Is Okay
Your application becomes more and more complex with each icon, picture, or button on one screen. When designing, try to keep things simple and be careful about adding more elements to the screen.
Pick a straightforward layout from the first app design stages and add only what is required by the user.
5. Design Workflows
Imagine having the choice between the two possibilities listed below:
- Option 1: Check out in five minutes.
- Option 2: Use our five steps checkout process. Each will only take a few seconds.
Although the two options are very similar, the majority of us would pick the latter.
Why? Since it has a flow to it.
By organizing your checkout or subscription process into manageable phases, you may prevent your users from feeling overburdened.
6. Remember Touch Operations
Designers must now account for touch as smartphone sizes continue to grow. Designing for touch entails considering where users’ fingers and thumbs will rest on a product as well as accounting for the existence of touch screens.
Always design with thumbs in mind. Most of us hold our phones in one hand, which implies that we tap or swipe with our thumbs. It’s critical to create apps without finger stretching.
7. Save Information For Later
Remember applications that save your address information at checkout?
Time to be the next one.
Keeping track of client information like names, emails, and addresses can make using your application easier for visitors.
Just like in the case of website designs, utilizing autocomplete options, bookmarking or favorites, and teaching field values to prevent errors are further approaches to reduce user effort.
8. Choose Familiarity
Making use of recognizable screens can make it easier for people to utilize and comprehend your software. Screens with names like “Getting Started,” “Search,” or “News Feed” are now typical templates that adhere to the current guidelines for mobile design.
So, go for them!
9. Contrast App’s Details
Not every component of an app is made equal. You would want the user to pay closer attention to a call to actions or prioritize using particular features or pieces. By using larger text sizes, thicker lines, bolder fonts, and distinct colors, you may give these items more visual weight.
10. Include Inclusive Interfaces
When creating mobile apps, it’s important to remember that your target audience may not be the same as you. They may have distinct abilities, such as not being able to see specific colors or comprehend intricate details. Next are some tips for improving the accessibility of your app’s user interface.
- Avoid utilizing red and green color schemes since they are difficult for colorblind people to see.
- To eliminate bias, use language that is inclusive of both genders.
- For those who could be blind, make the option for larger text sizes available.
11. You Can Skip Notifications
28% of users remove apps because they get too many advertisements or notifications. We all detest pointless notifications, but we also like those that are useful. These might be suggestions for what to watch next or reminders of our forthcoming commitments like meetings and duties. Determining the usefulness of push notifications and not using them excessively are two wise generalizations.
12. Last: Test Your App
Demand testing your design and gathering feedback are the final essential steps before releasing your mobile app. Our tip suggests you use visual feedback tools instead of written comments, which can quickly become confusing and result in time consuming back-and-forth or mistakes that could delay your launch.
And that’s a wrap for today’s TeckYou experts’ tips. Contact us anytime for professional consultations or app design services. We’re always ready to assist in digital innovation.
