Nowadays, most people can’t live without their mobile phones because of the comfort and ease of use it provides to users. Thanks to various mobile apps, they can install and use in exchange for many traditional ways of doing their tasks. For instance, some no longer use journals because they can use a mobile app to write about their day, appointments, and the like.
Whether for individual or company use, mobile apps cater to everyone. Their usefulness is why there are many mobile apps available in the market. If you’re a mobile app designer, you may have to stand out to let more consumers install and use your app. To do this, you may have to consider the following things to make a well-designed mobile app:
1. App’s Intended Use
One of the most important things you need to consider is when, how, and where the app will be used. Without a clear purpose of the app, you may not know what features to include in your design.
For example, you may have to give importance to the device’s GPS if the app is more likely to be used while walking around. A food delivery app may have to use GPS because it helps the food delivery driver to navigate or locate the customer. If this isn’t easily accessible, the users may find it challenging to maximize the app’s capabilities.
Moreover, if you plan to hire an app developer, it may be best to hire the local ones for a geo-based app because they’re familiar with the community and the geography. Not only that but also gauge their expertise in the food delivery app. For instance, if your food delivery app is based in Hong Kong, you may want to consider the said recommendations when hiring app developers.
On the other hand, if the app is aimed at retail, you need to focus on designing the buttons to quickly show buyers what steps to take to fulfill a purchase. Creating an interface that includes accessible buttons such as “add to cart,” “buy,” “check out,” and the like will likely make their buying process easier.
2. Understand Your Target Users
Another consideration you need to know is who will use the app. If you design one without understanding its intended users, you may only waste your time hoping that they’ll like it. Prevent it from happening by knowing the needs of your customers to which the app should provide an answer or solution. When you do, you’re improving the user experience or UX which is also a crucial part of the app’s success.
For instance, if your users are health enthusiasts and find it hard to know how many calories they have burned, add this feature to your app design. Whatever they’re doing, the app must calculate the number of calories they’re shedding. This will want them to keep on using the app.
Whether you’re starting to design an app or already have one that needs some updates, here are some ways you can understand your customers’ needs to improve your app design:
- Ask For Feedback: Take opinions and feedback from your target audience about the features they may be looking for in an app. That way, you can align the user’s demands with your objectives.
- Regularly Update Your Research: If you already have data about your users’ needs, check the year they were gathered. Because technology changes rapidly, chances are, your customers’ needs have changed too. Thus, you may need to conduct another updated research to keep up with their current needs.
- Use Web Analytics: Another way to find what your users need is to take advantage of web analytics. You can learn what devices they’re more likely to use and the activities they usually perform relative to the app you want to design. With this data, you can customize the features and design of your app.
3. Use Color Effectively
Although text can help labeling features in your mobile app, you may have to avoid overwhelming your users with text. Thus, you can use color to differentiate one function from another. For instance, you may use one color as your overall design, then another color for labeling diminishing options or submenus.
However, you should also avoid too many colors as it may not result in a pleasing design. It’s recommended to have a maximum of three colors for all elements like images, text, menus, buttons, and the like.
Also, remember to use colors based on your target audience. Since everyone has their perception of color, it’s essential to know the location and culture of your target audience. That way, you can choose the best color palette. Moreover, you should also use color to associate with your brand.
4. Have Long-Lasting Designs
Since trends change rapidly as the years pass by, your mobile app design should also stand the test of time. If you use shadow-littered or gradient-filled apps before, it may not work now. However, it’s noteworthy that most users regard and believe that what matters most is a glitch-free design. Thus, it may be best to have an app that offers a smooth user experience and has a slightly trendy aesthetic yet still sticks to a classic design.
One way to make your mobile app design last for longer is to have a proper plan before execution. It’d be best to have ready solutions to incorporate sudden changes in your app design without redoing all of your hard work. Thus, you have to do your due diligence to predict some problems you may encounter and their remedies.
5. Include Privacy Policy And Maintenance Measures
Most importantly, your app design elements should have a privacy policy and allows maintenance or updates easily. The mobile app’s privacy policy should be clear, including how you collect the data, what information to collect, and how you’ll use it.
That way, your users will know what to expect when using your app. When they use your app, it means that they comply or agree with the privacy policy, or they allow you to collect their information. Thus, your design should also measure how you do information collection from the start of your mobile app development.
Moreover, it’d be best if you also had user analytics to know your app’s performance. That way, you can quickly identify which areas need improvement or updates. Even if you have accomplished a well-designed mobile app, users’ needs change. Thus, the need to update your app is also vital.
Conclusion
If you want to make your mobile app successful, you may want to consider the above tips. From planning to launching, your design must be commensurate with the needs of your target audience. That way, all the features of the app will be user-centered. As a result, your users will enjoy and benefit from your app.
On the other hand, if your app doesn’t make their lives easier, your users are more likely to uninstall and give negative feedback. If this happens, you can still improve your app with the considerations above.