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Essential Mobile App Design Functionalities

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una rouz
Essential Mobile App Design Functionalities

Even though it is only a decade old, the mobile app ecosystem is already one of the biggest industries on the planet. Last year, the number of app store downloads almost hit 200 billion and we are likely to reach new heights in 2018 and beyond. Competition is immense for sure and that means standing out poses a daunting challenge. To pierce through the noise, developers are under pressure to nail it with features and functionalities.

 

The goal is not to squeeze everything you can think of inside and end up with a bloated and dysfunctional product. Each and every function must have clear purpose and value for users. Therefore, play it smart. Strategize carefully and narrow down your focus. Assess the wants and needs of the target audience in order to meet and exceed expectations. Start with the essentials that address potential pain points and foster a better user experience.

 

Simple onboarding

 

The onboarding process is the first key step on a user’s journey. It is supposed to communicate the value of using an app and help people grasp its basic functions. Yes, this means you should do some handholding in order to improve retention and decrease abandonment rates. But, be careful not to overload people in the registration phase and impede the fuss-free entry.

 

For instance, the “Login” and “Register” features must be clearly visible and password authentication seamless (ponder fingerprint authentication). If you feel lost yourself, learn from the best of the best in the market. The Messenger app is a great example of smooth onboarding: once downloaded, it synchronizes with Facebook account and displays only the basic functions of the app.

Smooth navigation

 

Once they successfully enter the app, users go on to explore its real estate. Therefore, one of the key functions of every app is navigation. In a nutshell, it must be simple and intuitive, guiding people to desired products, features, and services quickly. What is more, it is of the utmost importance to save precious screen space. In other words, do away with any clutter, unnecessary features, and visual noise.

 

Furthermore, stay up-to-date with popular design solutions such as Tabbed menus. They occupy top or bottom of the screen and conveniently stay within the tapping distance. Likewise, consider card-based layouts to display categories in a subtle manner and enable frictionless transition for users seeking to go from app to the web. Namely, you should follow the best practices of web development and offer a fully-responsive web experience that complements your app environment.

 

Time-saving functions

 

Users these days know what they want and they want it right away. They tend to lose patience when they cannot fulfill their goals with a few taps of the thumb. Similarly, they are dismayed by apps that are too slow. Thus, to win user’s favor, see to that they are not drifting around aimlessly in a confusing labyrinth of content and features.

 

Ensure fast loading times and include features that save time. Add search, filtering, product comparison, and sorting options on a home screen. They are must-haves that streamline the app experience and minimize the amount of guesswork and resulting frustration. Along the similar lines, see if you can add auto location alongside visible manual location entry. Cover all your bases.

 

User-friendly gestures

 

Along the similar lines, you have to pay close attention to gestures people use. Pinching, swiping, and scrolling actions are mainstays of a modern, functional UX. Swiping, for instance, has gained prominence over the years and is now used for sharing and deleting. Gmail and Facebook also went an extra mile and showed us how side swiping menus can save space and help in designing a minimal UI.

 

Naturally, it always helps to scope out what your direct competition is doing and how satisfied their users are. One also has to keep an eye on novelties such as the 3D touch on iPhone. This pressure-based technology allows users to perform a multitude of new functions and utilize various shortcuts.  This example reminds us once again just how important it is to value users’ time.

 

Data-based fine-tuning

 

Apps live and die by the ability of developers to fine-tune functions and UI on a regular basis. Even the most stunningly-designed apps have to evolve following the currents of user feedback. This is to say you need to set up an easy feedback system and process the acquired qualitative data. User’s satisfaction is likely to be increased in the processes because of your appreciation of what your customers have to say.  

 

Finally, make good use of available app UX analytics. They involve a slew of handy features along the lines of touch heatmaps and user recordings. Hence, they are superior to traditional mobile analytics and effective in identifying the causes behind high drop-off rates and technical issues. Just establish key metrics to monitor and refine the experience based on them. Never seize learning and improving.

 

Success by design

 

The market is flooded with millions of apps and many of them fight for the same user base as you do. To ward off competition and maximize your chances of success, dig into data to develop a deeper understanding of what your audience wants.

 

Be in control of how your app feels and looks like. Do not overload your design with superfluous features and too many bells and whistles. Prioritize speed and simplicity as foundations of the development process. Present an organized layout with neat visual solutions and useful features.

 

Cut out the clutter and avoid any ambiguity: in the world of app design, less is indeed more. The ultimate goal is to craft a user-friendly interface, solve people’s problems, and add value to their lives. Following these steps, you should be able to elevate user experience to the next level and earn your place in the spotlight.

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