The article was inspired by Cameron Chapmans “Mobile UX Design Principles”.
Users expect more from an app than just a mobile site. Users are waiting for an ecosystem - an assistant who will be ready 24/7 to take on an assignment and provide a service - clearly serve offline and online.
Statistics from “Fortune” reports that 75% of downloaded apps are only opened once. This article was analyzed in detail the reasons that just need to be worked out in the first place in order for the application to play a significant role in the customer's lives.
Why are the specifics of mobile app UX design and why is it important?
The mobile traffic in the world in October 2016 amounted to 51% and for the first time in history exceeded traffic from personal computers. And it continues to grow. In the third quarter of 2020, mobile devices (excluding tablets) generated 51% of global website traffic.
Principle 1 - Authorization via social networks and SMS is better than input fields
In modern applications, authorization through social networks and an SMS code is already a standard. One tap on the social network button, and you have already entered the application. No memories of email addresses, confirmation of their correctness, no new passwords and logins.
Example: The most striking examples here are banking applications: without a card, all you need is a phone number and you are inside.
Principle 2 - Good onboarding is a guide to important goals
Users don't learn the ins and outs of your promotional materials (website, App Store, or Google Play). If you want to know for sure that you have a client who is interested in achieving goals, open up a map of goals that he can achieve using the application, the best way is to offer him to choose a learning path and support him on the way.
Principle 3 - The application is like an errand assistant, so valuable features should constantly grow
You have probably already met superapp - these are applications with an extended set of functions. Such an application keeps the user within one ecosystem of the services of a particular company. This principle is best studied on them. The main issue is to balance communication and make competent naming and identity. Don't break the habits of your customers - build new reasons to solve the problem with your application. The key subtlety here is to balance the mentality of the client and the functional concept of your application.
Principle 4 - Support for common gestures is the key to an intuitive app
Standard applications set the culture. The more you study the habits of customers, the more nuanced gestures you will take into account in your interface. Scroll, swipe, zoom photo is a base. Take a closer look at the gestures and take into service what is already familiar and familiar to users.
Principle 5 - Navigation and search, like a compass and a map, they are accelerators in achieving goals
Analytics will help make navigation effective. Take a look at Amplitude or Firebase yourself, or ask an analyst to upload it for you. So you can explore the most popular routes, explore empty results for search queries and dumps of users on the way to the goal.
Your task is to make a smart navigator out of the application, and then each user, regardless of the complexity of the scenario, will be able to teleport to the target using clear steps through signboards and a quick access menu. Balance is important in intuitive navigation, otherwise it can become too intrusive.
Principle 6 - Place Controls Close to Your Fingertips
Gather context on how customers use your app. This way you can make sure that all key controls are within reach. For example, if you hold the phone in your right hand, then the key functions should be located within the reach of the thumb. Explore maps of touch areas for different screens.
Principle 7 - The application should be as useful as possible offline
Without the internet, a good app provides most of the useful features. Carefully tell users that valuable content can be downloaded and viewed/listened to offline. And, of course, as soon as the connection appears, save.
Principle 8 - Your application is expected to be as fast as standard phone applications: YouTube, Browser and Mail
Optimize the application or find points where the user has to wait for a response from the interface. Think about how to beat them, a small animation of the search or preloader is better than a pause of a couple of seconds with no reaction to user actions. Animation can help smooth out the waiting time.
Principle 9 - Remember preferences and recent activities
The user can be pulled out of the context of work in the application by a random call, a message in a chat, or a dead battery. Carefully remind to user what he viewed recently or offer to start over.
Principle 10 - Provide a seamless UX - a team game between laptop, tablet and phone
All devices in the world of users are a single ecosystem, offer to install the application on all devices and explain how it will speed up the work.
Conclusion and recommendation
Many of the rules come from extensive research. But their main goal is not to tie you down, but to accelerate the achievement of the norm and open up new opportunities for creative pursuits and unlimited customer satisfaction. The rules and advice in the article are more of a general recommendation than a strict classification but we hope that you find them really helpful. If you hane any questions or ides please do not hesitate to contact us!
