As mobile technology continues to experience phenomenal growth, it has become imperative for businesses to offer users a seamless digital experience that compliments their lifestyle. User experience design has taken center stage when it comes to developing a successful app for any business.
Today, organizations have the opportunity to reach out to more customers across diverse platforms by implementing highly targeted strategies. And, a clear understanding of what customers expect and need when they visit a website proves highly beneficial in creating a well-defined roadmap for developing apps with optimized user experience.
When it comes to Android app development, there are many development tools to choose from such as Android Studio – a popular toolkit widely used for developing feature-packed native apps that offer a great UI/ UX design. On the other hand, cross-platform solutions are also gaining momentum lately for being viable, feasible and cost-effective option. No matter what you choose, user experience and user interface are both crucial for launching an app successfully. Read our blog in case you are still wondering about the difference between UI and UX.
To make your mobile app development process more rewarding, we have listed down the top 10 things you should keep in mind to deliver apps that offer great user experience.
1. Do your research
Starting with a new project? Stay away from the temptations of jumping straight to designing the mockups. Instead do your research first to understand who the users are and their expectations. The aim is to offer a delightful user experience that is in sync with the user needs.
- Perform competitor analysis by studying apps that are similar to the one you are developing. Figure out the elements you love and aspects you believe need improvement.
- Identify the target audience. Understand how the audience will interact with the app you design. Best, create user personas.
2. Know what’s important
Don’t make the mistake of adding too many features to make your app look more appealing to users. More features does not always mean great user experience. In fact, when an app has a lot going on, it tends to distract first-time users. The majority of apps in the market that are successful have minimalistic approach and focus only on the most important features. Therefore, prioritize well to appeal to more users.
Identify the core objectives and optimize the user experience around it. Compare all the must-have features and find the ones most likely to be used by the majority of the users. Once you have done the analysis, you can work towards making the experience even more engaging for the users.
3. Declutter the interface
Don’t confuse your users with too much information. It is easy for your users to get distracted as every image, text, button, etc., make the screen look busy and complex. Clutter is more prominent on a small screen so it’s important to do away with all the irrelevant mobile devices.
Stick to minimalistic approach when it comes to UX design. Avoid using unnecessary elements such as thick lines, drop shadows or gradients that complicate the user experience.
Move one screen at a time. Focus only on one aspect when you design a screen and remember not to add more than one call-to-action button. A clutter free screen is always easier to use and looks more appealing.
4. Make navigation the top priority
All successful apps have one thing in common, they are all easy to navigate and user-friendly. Even an app that’s loaded with features might fail to resonate with the audience if it has complex navigation.
- Ensure that the users feel comfortable when using the app. Implement logical paths for navigating app content. If app features are easy to locate and the users get a sense of familiarity your app will surely be a hit.
- Logical presentation of information is crucial for great user experience. Make sure that the users are able to find their way to the destination with minimal effort.
- Build a navigation architecture that effectively supports the app without distracting the users.
- Don’t leave users in the dark. Allow them to be aware of the location they are currently in the app.
5. Offer ample touch targets
Smaller touch targets result in wrong taps by mobile users. So when designing a mobile app care must be taken to make the touch targets of adequate size to enable a great user experience.
- Offer users adequate touch targets especially for elements that require more user interaction. Make sure to create touch controls that are at least 7-10 mm so that the user’s finger can snuggly fits and it is easy to perform the function.
- Also, make sure that between two tap targets adequate space is maintained.
6. Pay attention to text
If the content is not visible it will fail to create the desired connect with the target audience. Easy-to-read content that is presented well is what attracts people to a particular app and helps them stay. Making the text easy to read and interpret is of utmost importance if you want your app to be successful.
- Select a typeface that works seamlessly in wide range of sizes to maintain user-friendliness and text readability. It is best to retain a platform’s default font for consistency.
- Choose a font size (at least 11 points ) that can be read easily on any device without having to zoom in.
- Use legible font colors so that the text doesn’t blend with the color in the background.
7. Respond to every user action
Every action should have a reaction. Every time a user inputs something on a screen a response is expected. It is crucial to offer users a response in exchange of the input to make the experience enjoyable and engaging.
- Response acknowledges input of information by user and assures users that the information was received. Imagine if a user taps on a button and there is no response to show that the action is being processed and the result will be delivered shortly, the user might press the button again delaying the process even further.
8. Reduce user effort
Keep the typing requirements to minimum for users as typing on a small screen is always susceptible to errors.
- Keep only necessary fields in the forms for simplicity and ask only what’s important.
- Make the data entry process seamless. Use prefill fields or allow users to select from available options instead of typing their answers.
9. Offer seamless experience across devices
Stay away from silos in an age where cross-compatibility is the basic requirement. In today’s digital world users expect an app to work flawlessly and offer exceptional experience regardless of the device being used. Fluidity is definitely the way forward.
- Sync user’s progress across all the devices to enable continuity of user journey.
10. Test your app in real world
Nothing in this world is perfect. Even a thoughtfully designed UX can contain numerous hidden flaws which only come to light when put to the test in real scenario. Also, all the things that seem to work flawlessly on the drawing board initially might end up being not so great when tested on a mobile device. This is the reason why it’s imperative to test even well-thought apps in real world scenarios by real users across devices to ensure that the final outcome is as perfect as it can be.
- Get real users to use the app and perform regular tasks. This will offer an insight into the actual app performance and the scope for improvement if any.
- Regularly measure your app’s performance. You can’t just develop an app and forget, it requires continuous improvement. User feedback and analytics plays a significant role in making your app stand out.
People expect a lot from mobile apps today, and the expectations are just getting higher. You need to work hard to meet these expectations and make your app useful, relevant, and valuable for your users. Improving the user experience isn’t a one-time task, it’s an ongoing experience.
When customers visit your app, you have only a few seconds to attract their attention. UX optimization is a thoughtful investment that is imperative for gaining your customers’ trust, enhance brand visibility, and ensure customer retention.
As a leading mobile app development services provider, SunTec India caters to the diverse needs of clients from across the globe. If you are planning to develop mobile app anytime soon, you can take a look at the benefits and importance of custom mobile app development. For queries on UI/UX design and development feel free to reach out to our experts at info@suntecindia.com.
