While the basic fundamentals of coding are a basic digital literacy that every app developer knows, coding skills alone will not guarantee an app’s success. User experience has very little to do with the quality of your coding. If you look at a mobile app and see simplicity and that it is easy to use, this means the right amount of effort was been put into the application during the design stage. Generally, if something is simple to use, it requires more effort and creativity upfront during the design stage.
Things often go wrong during the first steps within the app development process. This is so especially true if you do not employ skilled designers that understand User Experience (UX) to design your application.This is why most mobile apps fail at the outset in failing to place the proper importance on app design.
You need to be able to connect your software to your users and it is the user interface that does this. User Experience matters — no debate there. It matters because the bounce rate of mobile app users is high. This is due to the fact that the first interaction leaves a permanent impression. That’s why your app needs to be intuitive and easy to use.
Is your mobile app simple and easy to use? Or is it hard for your customers to use? Bad user experience can make users question the quality of the company launching the application and can make them jump on your competitor’s app. For this reason, it is of utmost importance to get your mobile app UX right from the very start. We outline 5 UX tips that will help you to design a great user interface.
#1. Design for your users
Put your ego aside. Do not design for yourself. It is a bad idea to design for your own needs. This can lead to poor design decisions. Designing an app that works for users will make the app work for your business. Your app users are the ones who will find information and complete tasks. Your job is to make that user experience better. So do not let your personal tastes and experience influence your design. Just because something looks good to you, that does not mean it will appeal to everyone. The best way to ensure your app meets the needs of users is by asking them.
#2. Avoid feature bloat
Stuffing too many features into an app is one of the most common mistakes committed by businesses. Do not be tempted to add all the features you can think of into your app. By trying to make your app do everything, it probably will end up not serving its primary purpose very well. Even the best or most experienced developers cannot deliver a quality, refined and easy to use mobile app if they are forced to cram a plethora of unneeded features into an application. Many of the features that seem interesting during development might merely clutter the app unnecessarily.
Thus, understand what you want your app to do and how it is going to benefit and serve its target users. Identify the key features that meet the immediate requirements of the users you are developing the app for and eliminate all other features. Additional features can always be added in another app with the same branding.
#3. Originality
When it comes to designing for mobile, sticking to the OS’s recommended guidelines is a solid way to go. While these themes can serve as a path, that does not mean you do not need to be creative and original. Being unique is a smart move and will help your app stand out from the crowd. Do not limit yourself to traditional ways of doing things; if you have a new idea that is capable of shining don’t be afraid to try it. You can go as far as your mind lets you and it can be impressive to try something new.
Remember, if you try something unique and new, test it on a sample audience before releasing for everyone to make sure users are able to easily understand and use it.
#4. Make it fast
Speed is of the essence now more than ever in app design. Designing for speed cannot be emphasized highly enough these days. When users are on the go, the best mobile app experience is a fast one. Users always want a faster experience. If not, they are bound to go to your competitor’s app, looking for an app that has been optimized for speed. In addition, the success of your of
In addition, the success of your app is usually contingent upon how efficient it is. For example, instead of letting them upload large files one by one, allow them to select a number of files to upload at once. This will save a lot of time. Keep testing your app to see that it really is the fastest possible iteration you can create. There are a number of tweaks you can make here and there to make it as fast and efficient as possible.
#5. Let users customize
You need to create an app that can be personalized by the user. This way, users will be able to tailor the experience based on their preferences or tastes. Letting users have their app tailored to their interests, location and needs is the key to making the most of mobile technology. Allow them to change the appearance or the color scheme of your app. You may even let them make more advanced changes like alterations to the layout and size of certain elements. For example, they can hide features they do not use or set bookmarks.
Basically, if users can use your app in many different ways, depending on their preferences and tastes, it will result in an experience that not only feels more personalized, but also quicker and more satisfying.
Final Thoughts
When all is said and done, an app that doesn’t factor in great user experience is not going to win many hearts and is destined to fail. Without strong mobile app UX design, the app can cause productivity to plummet and users may completely delete the app. So the better the UX, the more likely users will download and use the app on a regular basis.
Images: ” Female using her mobile phone, city skyline night light background / Shutterstock.com“
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