Undeniably, user experience (UX) is one of the most critical parts of any mobile app design. UX includes the design, usability, and function of an app. If users find the design difficult to navigate and use to solve their problems, they will find an alternative. Of course, no one wants to encounter technical issues when interacting with a product.
But how do you ensure a seamless hitch-free user experience on your mobile app design?
Create a user persona
Like a buyer persona, a user persona is a fictitious representation of your app’s ideal user. What problems do they face in their daily life or job? What are they looking for in such a mobile app? And what challenges do they have with the apps designed by your competitors?
You would have to conduct thorough research on your target audience to develop their user persona. Only when you deeply know your customer can you hope to solve their problems and needs. It has to resonate with them.
Simple learning curve
Would you rather use an app that feels overly complicated at first use or look for another simpler one? According to TechCrunch, nearly 1 in 4 people abandon mobile apps after one use. So you want to give a great first impression about your app. How?
During onboarding (introducing the user to the app during the first use), give them a glimpse of the app’s best and most enticing features and benefits.
And ensure that this onboarding process is simple and in a few steps. It might be a turnoff if a user discovers they’ll have to go through ten steps to execute a function.
Know when to use push notifications
Push notifications are excellent tools for keeping users engaged but can be a menace when overdone.
You want to avoid spamming users with push notifications, or they might be pushed to disable/uninstall the app. Deploy them only when relevant, and users will appreciate them more as being valuable. For example, you can design your app to send push notifications when the user hasn’t logged in for a while.
Prioritize speed
One crucial aspect of a good app design is speed. Users want to be able to do what they have to do in as minimal time as possible. But there may be multiple technical issues that make your app slow. This can be tremendously frustrating and a turnoff for most users unless they are incredibly patient.
Since many technical issues are involved in the front end and back end of mobile app development, there is often a need to work with a larger team to ensure all possible loopholes are covered. While hiring more app developers may sound expensive and time-consuming, mobile development Latin America has become a solution for numerous American-based tech firms looking for more hands. You get access to engineering talent to work on the backend and frontend technicalities to maximize the speed of your product.
Have a simple design
Simplicity, they say, is the ultimate sophistication. Of course, you have a lot of features you want to showcase on the front page of your mobile app, but that tends to be counterproductive. The design may end up looking cluttered.
Instead, make the design simple and easy to use. If there’s anything that may confuse the user, it’s best to remove it. A minimalist app design will have a clear focus, with a visual hierarchy key to leading the user to other areas. Use colors and fonts to direct users to the right place. Graphic design is crucial in this regard.
Navigation must be easy
As mentioned, apps with lots of steps to accomplish anything will only frustrate and annoy users. Help users find what they need easily; there should be clear navigation to lead them there.
The goal of any mobile app is to make life easier. So, use clear labels and help icons. The most frequently used features should also be at the top of the menu, where users can easily see them.
Add FAQ section or live chat
Users will likely encounter problems at some point and need to ask questions for guidance. Anticipate these questions and form a FAQ section using that information.
You may also build live chat into your app to give users more personalized solutions to their unique problems.
Consider including autocomplete
Autocompleting forms and auto-sign-in can also make life easier for users. Rather than looking at their address or contact list for minutes to ensure they get their login right, auto-signing removes that challenge.
But while at it, ensure that data security remains a priority and that someone else can never complete any financial or fraudulent transaction even though they can auto-sign in.
A good user experience is important for retaining users. It makes life easier for them, meaning a larger customer base and more revenue. Thankfully, the tips above can help you achieve that and more. Just ensure you have a great team working solidly behind you.
