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How to Find Inspiration for App Design

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There are few things we love more than creating custom apps for our clients. Thanks to our expertise and experience, we’re always being asked to flex our creative muscles, allow our imaginations to run riot, and implement the latest trends and ideas into our app designs. However, even for seasoned professionals like us, there’s a common problem which strikes even the best of us down from time to time: creative block. That’s right: it’s not just authors and artists who struggle with the nagging irritation of struggling to come up with winning ideas from time to time. App developers constantly have to be on the hunt for new, eye-popping designs, innovative approaches, and trendsetting, unique ideas and that really can be exhausting. Whether you’ve been called upon to design a new app for an up-and-coming business project, need to create a stunning platform for an event or money-making venture, or have been commissioned to dream up new games and entertainment options, creative blocks can be devastating, and tricky to overcome. After all, you want to ensure your client can’t wipe the smile off their face when browsing your app, and making those big impacts is the way to guarantee future commissions. With all that in mind, we thought we’d write an article regarding the search for inspiration, and how to grapple with creative dry periods. Ready to have your imagination sparked into life? Read on, and see where our ideas take you! Stay Grounded The first point we feel we should make is to stay grounded, and to not let creative dryness affect you too strongly. Everybody in the creative industries struggles with inspiration from time to time, and it’s important to not let these temporary dry spots have too much of a negative effect. At the end of the day, there are always going to be moments when you feel like a whirlwind of energy and inspiration, and other moments when you can barely do more than scribble a few meager ideas down on paper. If you find yourself up against a brick wall, do what any other creative do: get out of the house or office, take a walk, enjoy a coffee in the sunshine, have a nap whatever it is you need to do to recharge your batteries and take your mind off the issue for a while. Once you return to your desk, you’ll probably find the ideas start to flow once more. Frustration is the natural enemy of inspiration – don’t let it take a hold of you! Where to Seek Inspiration? This is a question that really has more answers than we have time to write in one short article. As you probably already know, inspiration can come from the most random of sources. Magazines, TV programs, pre-existing apps that call out for improvement, mood boards, music, etc. The list goes on and on and on. As an app developer, you’ll know the places to go to when seeking inspiration, and you probably have your own favorite ways to get the creative juices flowing. However, we’d like to point out one question that you really should be asking yourself, and which often leads to highly satisfactory results. Instead of asking yourself ‘what should I create?’, you need to be asking yourself ‘what needs to be created?’. By putting yourself in the shoes of your client and their audience, you can step out of your usual pattern of working and thinking, and approach your project from a more user-oriented approach. If you were the customer of the business you’ve been booked to create an app for, what sort of features would you most like to see? Which colors or themes would you most immediately be drawn towards? What do you dislike about the apps currently on the market in the same field? All of these kinds of thoughts will help you narrow down your thought processes, and pinpoint more accurately how to proceed. For Love or Money If you’re seeking inspiration for your upcoming app design, it’s probably important to step back a moment and ask yourself an important question: why is it you’re doing what you do? Are you in the app development industry as a designer and passionate artist, or are you in it as a means to make a living? Of course, for many of us, the answer lies somewhere in between… but by thinking in this way, we can help push ourselves out of a slump, and start focusing on the destination, rather than on the journey. Does it help if your app is completely unique and a representation of the pinnacle of your creative powers? Probably. Is it absolutely necessary for every app you create to be this way? Probably not. Is your client interested in getting an app which shows off your creative talents, or one which does the job very well and is perfect for their needs? The answer is surely more likely to be later rather than the former, so instead of worrying about how great the app is going to look in your portfolio, start concentrating on delivering a product which fits the brief. Creative flourishes can come later, but the important part is getting the fundamentals right first! Remember: Most Unique Products are Successful Copies This might sound like an oxymoron, but there’s a lot of truth in this concept. It cannot be denied that many of the most successful and seemingly ‘unique’ apps, platforms, games, etc started their journey as copies and imitations of others on the market. If you browse through some of your favorite existing apps out there, we’ve little doubt that you – as a keen-minded app developer – will be able to find a list of flaws and faults, and niggling small details which you feel could have been done better. In essence, that’s your solution: take what’s already out there on the market, and fill in the gaps, adapt the features, and make the improvements you’d like to

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The Difference Between Wireframe, Mockup and Prototype

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Creating designs for your application is not a simple task or one time action. To design a mobile or web application is not purely a technical work, it requires lot of imagination, conceptualization, and creativity to put together with technology. There are lots of iterations required to make an application functionally accurate and visually appealing. Research says that in development cycle, designing itself takes 30% of the development time, which is a big stack of investment a company is doing for their project. Therefore, designing scores to be a critical part of an application development. And to make it precise and exclusive to meet your requirements, it is necessary to follow best industry standards pertaining to create wireframes, mockups, and prototypes. There is huge misconception about the meanings of wireframes, mock-ups, and prototypes. More or less they are considered as same to serve a purpose of showing a sample design. Even if you do a research over internet to find the definition. There are ample of results giving different meanings to all the three terms. However, there is a difference between wireframes, mockups, and prototypes, and it serves a very critical element of designing an application. This article is focused on explaining the key factors that creates a difference between wireframes, mockups, and prototypes; which will make it easy for app designers to implement while mobile application development. Wireframes First of all, let us understand what wireframes are meant for. When you intend to design a mobile application or a web application, you will first need a sketch of how each page is going to look like. It is important for a designer to be conceptually clear on what the business requirement is, and how the functionality will be delivered. Only based on business concepts, a designer can define the application flow and a first draft of design, that has a sketch of how it will look like, what buttons will be there, what fields will be there, etc. That is what wireframe is meant for. Wireframe is a visual illustration of a web page, which showcase how each component of the web page is organized and how it will look like. The page layouts are static and it is to guide the development team for starting the developments. Wireframes are generally part of software requirement specification documentation, to guide developers as well as testers on what the requirement is. The wireframes are not required to have specific fonts or color, they are static draft layouts of the design. It is easy to make an initial draft to bring clarity on what is required. You do not need to add logo or pictures at this stage. You can simply add the blocks with name that this will be place or logo or banner. Mockups Mockups are more alive pictures. They are visually more appealing, has colors, fonts, themes, buttons, logo, etc. At this stage labels of the fields, notes, font types, navigation menu, etc. are specified in the design. A mockup is also static page layout, but it showcases how the final product will look like. It is an exact representation of the how the mobile app will look like or web pages will look like. The objective of creating mockup designs is to review the final design before launching it. This is to prevent any change requests in design after launch. Therefore it is a key step for an application designer to make mockups of the final design. Mockups are not just used by the internal development and testing teams, but can also be shown to the client as it depicts how the final product will look like in detail. Prototype Prototype is when we are shifting from User Interface (UI) design to User Experience (UX). Prototypes are created for the users to operate an application, perform its actions. It helps users to understand how the the functionalities in an application will work. How user will interact with the interface designed. A prototype is intended to give users an experience of interaction with the application. At this stage of designing a mobile app or web page, gives users an experience of how the system will perform. Users can click on the buttons, enter field information, and check the operational flow as per requirements. It allows users to test the prototype application and if there are any loopholes in the designed flow, it can be identified before final publishing and can be corrected. Mockplus and FluidUI are rapid prototyping tools to make interactive prototypes on mobile, web as well as desktop, which would be a great help for UX/UI designers, software engineers, product managers and developers of any level to visualize their ideas much faster and easier. After learning the fundamental difference between the wireframes, mockups, and prototypes, it is important to decide the milestones of what is to be delivered at what stage of the project delivery. Application designing always starts with wireframe designing, and further goes to developing mockups and prototypes, depending on the complexities of the mobile app or web app. After all designing an app needs a stretch of ideas and creativity along with technological efforts. Hence, it is recommended to follow these standards to reduce redundancy or iterations in application designs at the time of app launch. Spending time in the initiation planning wireframes, mockups and prototyping, can later save lot of time in developing and implementing the application as per business requirement. Blog Source- https://www.mindinventory.com/blog/the-difference-between-wireframe-mockup-and-prototype/

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Comprehensive Guide on Choosing the Optimal Mobile Prototyping Tool

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If one has to define prototype in the simplest of languages, it means a sample or a trial product. And to tell you the truth, the mobile prototyping tools have gained popularity with wide variety of extensive features. Every now and then we come across a new prototype tool for mobile that makes the market further competitive. However, selecting the best prototype tool for the mobile design as such can be a daunting task. But answering a few questions in this context will help in simplifying the job to much extent. So, let’s first answer to a few vital queries to sort out this issue (choosing the apt prototype tool) better: Are you actually searching for the Best Mobile Prototype Tool? Now this question needs to be initially answered at the top. You might think it to be silly, but it is important. Are you searching for the prototyping tool just for the sake of remaining in the competition? If you want to test the low fidelity version, then trying out the paper prototyping such as the sketches isn’t a bad idea. The Reason You Need a Mobile Prototype Tool People today want to remain updated with the latest mobile technology and design and testing the tool soon after its release will assist to improve the outflow of the work and accomplish favourable outcome. Other than that it helps to reduce the time span needed to develop a new app. Prototyping Tool is not confined to Mobile Only Yes, that’s right. Prototyping is one of those tools which do not remain confined to mobile app, but it can predominantly used in desktop apps and websites. This actually decides what type of tool you might have to use. FluidUI is one of the best prototyping tools that is used to make interactive prototypes for mobile, web and desktop. Which Prototyping Tool is Appropriate? Well, it largely depends upon the kind of project and the tool which will solve your purpose. Here you need to be careful and choose the app very attentively because it can provide a new uniqueness to your mobile apps. Prototype Tools for Mobile Applications When you come upon this stage, you will have to choose the tool depending on the type of app you are approaching. For instance, if it is a native based app, then it is best advisable to pick tools such as Form, Pixate, Origami, etc. On the other hand, if you have access to screen mockups, then choosing tools like Concept.ly, Solidify will better suffice your purpose. Involvement of the Various Stages of Prototyping You should be aware of the fact that there are various stages involved i n the task of prototyping tools. There are different tools for these varied stages. As for example, in the beginning you require low fidelity version and therefore tools like Balsamiq and MockFlow are useful; whereas if you are in the later stages, then high fidelity version such as Invision and Concept.ly is what you need. Most Prototyping Tools Aren’t Free of Cost Well, this is one fact that can surprise you a lot, but the truth remains that most of the UX prototyping tools are not available free of cost. You need to pay in order to access their features. Even those with free accounts have limited access. So, decide your budget when choosing the tools. Now that we have answered the vital questions in short, let’s move on to discuss the essential Technical factors that can help you master in choosing the optimal Mobile Prototyping Tools: A More Interacting Fidelity is Crucial You can find the interactive fidelity at different levels. However, first you need to decide what kind of communicative flow you are searching for. You can choose either a static page or multi-step interaction. The former is suitable for conceptual and usability testing. It offers you feature like clickable area with hyperlinks and side-ins. And the latter is handy if you are looking for documentation based prototypes. Examples of less interactive prototypes include InVision and the more interactive tools are Axure. Visual Designing for Instant Appeal This can be regarded as one of the most significant constraints while choosing the prototype tools for the mobile. It is important to take into considerations the expectations of deliverable visual fidelity. This is one task which is usually taken by UXers, mostly in large firms. It is taken on three different levels; high, moderate and low. The pitches are in general high; the usability testing is moderate, whereas the concept proofs are low. All these depend on the target audience and the purpose of the project. If you want to take about some illustrations, then cloud based tools such as Pixate or InVision are helpful for interaction, while some others like Axure or Justinmind is beneficial for creating the explicit visual design. They may use shadows, reused approach or the custom fonts. Incorporating Animation is A Big Boost The third most vital technical aspect which plays a decisive role in selecting an appropriate mobile prototyping tool is the animation and motion. It will be better for you to decide at the commencement of the project if or not you wish to develop animations in prototype. Animation is one such tool that helps to communicate complex interactions. Another essential point to know at this juncture is the level of control over the animation prototype. Here you can avail tools with the facility of in-built animations. Examples of such tools include Blueprint, POP and Xcode. However, they lack customizability. On the other hand, there are stronger animation tools known for their elastic settings and functionality such as the Axure, Justinmind and Proto.io. But if your priority is controlling the velocity, elastic friction etc, then tools like Framer or CSS3 animation can prove useful. Mobile Prototyping for Gestures The Gestures can be regarded as one of the important factors in choosing the prototyping tools; however, it is not that you might necessarily need the gestural inputs for the

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Avoid Committing These UX Pitfalls When Designing an App

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Mobile Application Development is a complex task; ask any professional app developer and he would guide you through the process. As all designed websites doesn’t get the boost on the search engines, similarly most of the released mobile apps don’t get any public attention. One can site various whys and wherefores for people not downloading and installing your app. To be honest, one of the prime reasons, which makes your apps suffer is poor User Experience (UX) and User Interface (UI) design. Even one of the survey states that 88% of the customers do not return to a website or the mobile application if they have a bad user experience. Obviously you don’t want to fall in the same trap and so getting some valuable information on what the common user experience flaws are can prove as an eye-opener and worthy. However, it will be viable to throw some spotlight on what user experience is and why is it considered to be one of the most imperative tools for generating traffic to any app. A Short Brief Intro to User Experience (UX) As you can draw some line from its name; it is a designing tool that helps to enhance the experience of the end users while they are using your mobile application, increasing the satisfaction level. It is through the UX that accessing and navigation of the mobile application becomes simpler and hence the app becomes user friendly. Another vital reason that makes user experience is one of the must have assets is it helps in creating a brand awareness, which is necessary to compete with the competitors. But most importantly the customers tend to identify your product or service through an adorable UX design. As such UX is not just limited to offering an aesthetic and beautiful visual design, but the testing is also an essential aspect that an UX designer has to perform to check its functionality. And before beginning the designing process, the designer has to conduct a thorough research to get the innovative ideas. UX and UI are Same Sides of Coin The user experience designers tend to get perplexed considering that both user experience and user interface are the same sides of the coin. However, it is just a misconception and nothing else. While user interface (UI) can be defined as the page or the screen of the mobile app that the users view including the icon helping to establish the interaction between the user and the device. On the other hand, as already mentioned before user experience (UX) is the tool that is related to personal experience of the user while he is using the app. So, do not intermingle UI with UX. User interface is often used in the broader sense that comprises of interactive design, visually appealing design, easy to read content and eye-catching app icon. But user experience is often designed after doing a deep research and understanding the specific needs and demand of the end users. Inappropriate and Inconsistent Design Methods One of the major faults committed by the designers is choosing inappropriate and inconsistent design that adversely affects the performance of the app. This can start with taking a wrong decision on designing the interface of the app. A poorly designed UX will make it difficult for the users to navigate through the app. Therefore, your ultimate aim is to offer a design that will seamlessly operate on all types of devices without any hindrance. The mobile application has to be a consistent performer where the customers can easily understand and get through the functionality of the app. The content must be easily comprehendible; especially if the customer is booking for an item. If the designer is using the symbols to indicate something, it must be clear and must not be confusing at all. According to a research, 94% of the users delete the app within the first month of downloading it and many of them do so because of bad UX. Unnecessarily Including the Login Page You know there are a number of apps where the customers are compulsorily required to login into the page after entering a few important details such as name, email id and so on. The examples of such apps are online cab booking, eCommerce app etc. But it is not necessary that every app has to have a login page. Moreover, you must not keep on pocking the customer for the registration every time he opens your app. This will annoy him. Give some time so as to understand how the app operates and how it is useful to him. If your app requires the user to sign in, make it as simple as possible. Please remember the fact that 15.6% of the users uninstall the app due to poor registration experiences. Overstuffing and Overcrowding the App with Features It is a wrong conception that adding lots of features will generate more traffic to the mobile app and also enhance the experience of the users. The designer should always keep the point in mind that is developing the app for the customers and not for his personal usage. So, when you commence to design the interface, please sit with your team and discuss what features are vital to include in the app. If you are stuffing the app with too many features, you are actually taking the user into the zone of uncertainty and create confusion in his mind. So, better first understand what the app is all about, what products or services it will deal with and then proceed further. The users will get frustrated and it is your app that has to bear the consequences at last. It will also harm your brand value. It is advisable to keep a proportionate ratio as far as adding of the features is concerned. Not Conducting Deep Research to Understand User Demand It is evidently known that the story of a highly successful user experience begins with a deep rooted research to

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How to Create an Extraordinary UI Design for Mobile App that Instantly Draws Attention

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What is it that draws the attention of the target audiences towards a mobile application? Well, people may have various opinions on this; while some may prefer a unique feature-loaded mobile app, others might give preference to exclusively designed User Interface and User Experience. Whatever may be the fact, the app designers have to offer a seamless experience to the end users. However, the design of your mobile app is likewise important. According to another statistic, 94% of the first impressions are related to designs. Therefore, you can well understand the significance of User Interface and User Experience while designing an app. At the same time don’t mix and match User Interface with User Experience. Although they might seem to be similar, they are poles apart. User Experience is purely based on enhancing the satisfaction level of the customers and it mainly focuses on offering optimal usability and better access to the app. The UX helps in creating a brand awareness and the users tend to identify the products with the help of UX design. But we are here to discuss how to create an awesome UI design for mobile app that can appeal to the large number of audiences. User Interface is an indispensable tool, which draws the user towards the app. User Interface or UI aims at improving the user interaction through simple and sophisticated designs. In short, the goal of the UI designer is to create user-centric designs. In fact, you can also say that the success of User Experience relies on how well and efficiently the UI has been designed. The UI is not restricted to just designing a few eye-catching buttons and making the navigation simpler. It is about how well the user can get connected with the app. So, you the UI designers not only have to pay attention to the aesthetic beauty but also emphasize on the app functionality. You have to make the app user-friendly and think about various aspects of designing such as placement of the buttons, call-to-actions etc. So, what are the inputs that need to be put so as to make an appealing UI? Let’s have a brief discussion: The UI Designers Should Focus on Clarity One of the important aspects that keep the UI designers on their toes is adding the visual elements to the designing process. They seem to be concerned about how the app would look finally; because their aim is to establish the connection with the user. How about offering a clear shape to the app designing? Well, this is important if you want to enhance the brand awareness. The interface should not be perplexing or confusing but on the contrary, everything should be clear. Avoid adding the element of ambiguity and make the language easier. Try to keep the design as simple as possible. Do not overcrowd your app with the bunch of unnecessary words. This will not create a positive impact as far as interface is concerned. Make Use of Familiar Buttons or Call-to-Actions The UI designers want to implement unique buttons and icons when it comes to designing the interface. There is no harm in doing so, but you also need to remember that trying out too many things at the same time can lead to hampering the design. Create buttons that are easier to understand such as choosing the red color for the delete option. You need to keep in mind that if somebody is using your app for the first time, he should be familiar with the call-to-action keys. Speeding Up The App Performance The app should have a good navigation speed and should not lack behind. It must be noted that according to one of the surveys, 53% lose their interest in the mobile app due to slow speed. It also creates a negative influence on the performance of the app. You can ask for a feedback even if the screen is loading. This will keep the users informed as to what is happening. A highly responsive app will run seamlessly on different operating systems such as Android and iOS and on various devices. Choose the Appropriately Sized Fonts The Font play a crucial role in deciding the fate of the interface whether it is website or a mobile app. So, the UI designers have to take clear stand while choosing the font for the app; both in case of style and size. Don’t go for very stylish fonts that are difficult to comprehend. In addition, the size of the font should match with the interface design as well as the background color. It must be appropriate; neither should it be too small making it difficult to read the content or large so that you face the difficulty in adjusting the entire content. Making it Aesthetically Pleasing is Important It’s good that you are trying your level best to implement the best features and functions into the app; however, your app also need to be aesthetically pleasing to the target audiences in order to attract more. In order to achieve that end, the best way is to incorporate some animations if your app demands so. We know the trends are changing and today the static images and animations have been replaced by the motion pictures. This is one little trick that the UI designs can employ to enhance the performance of the app. Moreover, you can also keep your word of implementing something unique. This is where you can take full advantage of the CSS in giving life to your user interface. Keep Following the Latest UI/UX Trends The UI designers have to make sure that they are up-to-date with the latest trends related to mobile app designing. The trends keep altering and so nothing is constant. If you are not following what’s currently prevailing in the market, your app will lack behind in the stiff competition and there is no other way that you can come forward. Conducting Beta Testing is Necessary The UI designers should also

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Thinking of Prototyping a Mobile App: Just Follow the Step by Step Procedure

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The mobile app development isn’t just restricted to coding practices and testing exercises. You also have to learn how to prototype a mobile app if you are serious about your successful app launching. It also helps you to gain an upper hand advantage over the competitors and certainly, you can pitch with a better app when targeting the potential customers. However, before you learn the steps leading to a successful mobile app prototyping, let’s have a quick view of what a mobile app prototype is and why it is considered to an essential aspect or part of the app development process. Defining a Mobile App Prototype Well, the prototype is said to be a version of the mobile application, which helps the developer in viewing and testing the key functions. As such, it involves the as least cost and time possible. In fact, the mobile app prototype is being compared with the MVP (Minimum Viable Product) due to the similarity of concept. But the fact is that are invariably different. The iOS app developers should note that unlike the MVP they won’t be able to conduct an open prototype test due to the regulations laid down by Apple, which says that you have to get your app reviewed and approved before publication. So, if you want to test your prototype, the best possible way is to opt for a small sample size. You can conduct the user experience testing by creating small groups of potential users and getting their feedback. Why is Mobile App Prototype Important? When you are prototyping a mobile app, you are actually working on the interactive model and also showing the design as well as navigation process to brings ideas into life. However, if we talk about the benefits of app prototyping: It helps in validation of ideas thereby helping to explore new ideas and designing methods. It is during the testing process that one comes to know which features and functionalities needs an improvement. Prototype helps to bring changes in the project. The mobile prototyping offers you the scope of involving your client and stakeholder in the development process. This indeed allows the developers to take the approval from the clients before moving on to the next stage. The mobile app prototype offers a model or demonstration of how the final product would look like. So, the client who is investing in the project is certain that he is making the right decision once he approves the prototype. Mobile app prototype can also be used to know if there is a demand of a particular app in the market. You just have to run prototype through a user test. Important Steps for Creating a Mobile App Prototype Following are the important steps that will help you for creating a successful mobile app prototype: Identifying the App and Understanding Problem First things first, you have to define your app and specifically understand the problem that it will be solving. In addition, you also have to know who your potential customers are and mobile app prototyping could prove handy. For instance, if you are building a grocery app, where people can directly buy the products, it would be a B2C app. However, when you are opting for the mobile app prototype, you have to consider the unique selling point. So, you have to think if your app has solved the problem or not. Talking about the USP of the given example, the app eliminates the hassles of customers as they don’t have to visit the grocery shop and they can shop everything at one place saving a lot of time and money. Research to know if Idea is Viable If you want to build a mobile prototype, it is quite essential to get familiar whether the app idea is viable or not. This calls for researching the mobile market. The research will help you to understand the needs of target audience, thereby reducing the risks related to designs and development. You can also conduct a reliable survey to avail better results where you can get valuable information. This assists in taking easier and apt decisions. What Features and Functionalities to Implement One of the important steps of mobile app prototyping is to list the various features and functionalities that you want to implement in your app. In fact, you can choose the list of the features even before you have begun to develop the app. Once you have done that you can keep those in the order of preference. You can start by incorporating a few and simple features in the beginning, which are necessary to conduct the test and once your app gains the spotlight, you can increase it depending on user demand. Add the most important features during the initiation and after the completion of prototyping, you can add others as you will get a much better idea of your app. Initiating the First Sketches of Screen Next step while developing the mobile app prototype is focusing on the user experience. So, you have to commence with the creation of a few rough or primary sketches of the screen. You can actually categorize the screen functionalities into three main divisions; namely, the dashboard, the profile and the matches. After the sketches of the screen are prepared, you can proceed with the final creation of screens. Proceed with the Wireframe Once you have your primary screens ready, it’s time to divert the attention towards app wireframing. It is often regarded as the basic structure of any mobile app. This is one area where you can use the various types of prototyping tools and functional wireframes available to craft your ideas into reality. A few examples of these include Xcode or JustMind etc. A wireframe can be defined as a bare skeleton or low-fidelity product that mainly comprises of boxes, lines or descriptions at times. It is through wireframing an app that a developer can determine if he is going in the right direction of app

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9 Common UX Design Mistakes To Avoid When Developing an App

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Smartphones have become an essential part of our lives. According to Statista, the number of smartphone users will reach approximately 3.5 billion by the end of 2020. In fact, as per the 2020 Digital Statshot report, there are more connected devices in the world than human beings! So what makes smartphones such a staple in the lives of the masses? The answer is the apps. Now, individuals rely on applications for all the different activities of the day, whether it be waking up in the morning, connecting with friends, or sending work emails. Statista further reports that by the end of 2020, the industry is expected to generate revenue of approximately 581.9 billion USD. While many might think that developing an app in today’s age is a clear-cut road to success, such is not always the case. Common UX Design Mistakes to Avoid Instead, owing to increasing competition, it is imperative to deliver an optimum experience to users. Anything less than perfect will surely be discarded in favor of other competing apps. The first thing you must perfect is the UX design of your app. Here are the common UX design mistakes you must avoid during mobile app development. Overlooking compatibility with other apps Your app does not function in isolation. Instead, a smartphone is full of different applications and features. You must make sure that the designed app works seamlessly with other apps as well as the device. For instance, take the example of the COVID-19 contact tracing app. It is said that such apps will make use of geolocation applications within a phone and link the data with a network of apps. In case the application fails to work properly with other features, it will fail. Just like this, all apps must be able to work in the presence of other applications. Also, they should ideally be responsive in nature to ensure the same experience in different screen sizes. Complex interface All the popular apps of today have one thing in common – they have a highly simplistic interface. Remember, the consumers of today live a highly fast-paced life. They need solutions that work seamlessly and quickly. Anything that is too complicated for users to navigate is automatically abandoned by them. When developing an app, rethink its features. Gauge whether the navigation and the features provided have a purpose. Can it be done in a simpler way? If yes, then redesign. Airbnb is one app that excels due to its navigation and interface. The app categorizes a user journey into five screens rather than adding it all in one go. This helps in maintaining simplicity while not compromising on intuitiveness and functionality. Poor app architecture The foundation of the app is more important than its outward experience. Creating an app architecture before entering into the development stage will allow you to link each step to the bigger picture you wish to create. Map out the user flow as well as the structure of the map before worrying about the aesthetics. Keep the industry requirement as well as your consumer’s desire in mind when making the process flow. There are three layers you will have to build, namely presentation, business, and data access layer. While the presentation layer deals with the UI of the app, the business layer focuses on functionality and features. Data access layers help in securing data transaction and storage. Disappointing first impression A lot of people compare the experience of using an app for the first time with a handshake you make when meeting a stranger. You form impressions in both scenarios in split seconds. If the app fails to impress users from the get-go, there is a slim chance it will be adopted. In fact, as per Andrew Chen, approximately 77 percent of users end up abandoning an app after three days of downloading it. So, unless you have the right onboarding experience, your app won’t stick long. Include a detailed onboarding if the app is complicated to create the right impression. However, make sure not to make the onboarding too long. Whatever you do, don’t overwhelm them with information. Divide it into multiple steps or gamify your app for better retention. Mimic competition Just like any other sector, your app must also differentiate itself from competition to gain an edge. Merely copying your rivals will not be enough. Let’s have a quick exercise to prove the point. When you think of messaging apps, what solutions come to your mind? The chances are WhatsApp. After all, as per Oberlo, 65 billion messages are sent on the platform every day. But, did you know that there are various other similar apps that failed to gain the same recognition and market share? This includes Viber and Line. If you fail to differentiate from those within your sector, you will surely be lost in the crowd. Highlight your uniqueness, even in UX. Spammy push notifications As per Invespcro, an average smartphone user in the US receives at least 46 push notifications a day. And 31 percent of users don’t find them useful at all. Let’s face it. No one likes getting too many notifications from its apps. While the promotion of your application is the key to increase the adoption of the app, you must avoid spamming. Here too, you must strive to find the balance between not being spammy and too absent. Don’t send random news via push notification. Instead, notify them of things that matter – whether it be new updates or news about their usage. Sunshine is an excellent example to learn from. The weather forecasting app sends customized alerts about the weather. No white space Negative space is essential to prevent the UX from seeming overwhelming. A successful app balances between content and white space. Understand that your app requires breathing room to best highlight the features and elements you want to showcase to your users. Trying to offer everything via using up all the space on the screen will only increase

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