Handys now are the most used devices in our lives. We’re always in a hurry and don’t want to spend our free time after work sitting in front of computers or laptops. That’s why mobile devices have become so popular nowadays and together with the website, companies create mobile apps to make it more accessible for larger audience. However, the interface should be user friendly so that the users don’t delete it after a few clicks. So, we decided to write an article with the easy steps how to design mobile ui.
1. Think about the OS you want to develop an application for. Looking at the popular apps for these operating systems, we can notice the distinctions in the interfaces. Apple and Google provide developers with specific directions for developing the user interface. These guidelines help to give your application a completely different look and feel, depending on the OS that you will be using. Applications for iOS create a streamlined design that makes you feel that you are using an application. On the other hand, Android applications have a more realistic design. This is the result of the concept of Google’s Material Design, the purpose of which is to make the effect of a conventional sheet of paper. The elements of the Google user interface have edges, joints and shadows, so that the interface has a natural appearance.
2. Matching the design of the application with the business objectives of the project. The design should meet not only the needs of end users, but also the major tasks of the customer company that uses the mobile application as an effective business tool.
3. The user should be able to go to the previous page. While interacting with the mobile application, the user may want to go one step backwards. Thus, it is very important that the back button is on each page, so that a person does not have to start all over again by going to the main page and losing all the information entered. Detailed monitoring of navigation always helps to improve the conversion.
4. Make the text readable. It is very important that the user doesn’t need to zoom in the text to read it. That it is why pay attention to the fonts and its sizes used. Also, make sure there’s a contrast between the text and the background.
5. Keep the mobile app consistent with the website. Use the same images, colours, navigation so that the users don’t feel the difference when searching products using mobile app and making purchase via web version, for example.
6. Captions should be added to all icons. In order to be sure that the user understands the icons, captions should be added to them. Recent studies have shown that a variety of icons have different meaning in different applications, and therefore can be interpreted differently by users.
7. Each action in the application should be provided with a visual response. If the user adds the goods to the basket or makes an order, he must receive confirmation that the action was successful. Be sure to provide each successful action with animation or some other visual response so that the users don’t get puzzled.
8. The application menu should be convenient and simple. Users find it difficult to navigate through the menu sections when it does not match the accepted categorization principles. The menu sections should be clearly marked, their contents should not overlap. This is especially important, since people often access the menu only after they could not find the information they needed with the help of the search tool.
9. Make sure that the transition from your application to the web browser is comfortable. Users are very confused when the layout and design of the elements on the website and in the application are very different. Moreover, it can make your business less recognizable and bring less profits.
10. Notify of errors when entering information in real time. Users do not like it if they click on the “Confirm” button and they are notified that they have filled in a wrong field. You need to notify the user about the error immediately after filling out the form, and if the data is entered correctly, a corresponding notification should appear.
11. Create simple and convenient forms. Filling the form assumes that users can enter data in any convenient way for them. In addition, make sure that some interface elements do not overlap the various form fields. As the user enters data, the form should scroll down automatically. Effective also will be the functions of autocomplete, capitalization, as well as reading credit cards.
- Today, users need just a few seconds to understand whether they like the application or not, so you need to take care not only of the beautiful “wrapper”, but also of the user experience. Competent application of design principles will allow you to meet this deadline and present the mobile application in the most favorable light.
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