How to Create an App Design That Works

Apps are the fastest way of communicating, accessing information, and performing activities. Nowadays, almost every business owns an app, and those who don't, are trying to get one.

Now, the app designing process is a complicated one, and it consists of multiple steps.

Today, we will be looking at the app development process and how to tackle it.

But, we need to understand which app design will work.

●    A design that targets a specific problem and simplifies it

●    People must find it appealing

If the design does not meet these criteria, what will happen?

●    People may never look at your app and download it

●    People will download your app, only to uninstall it again (mostly within a month)

If these situations arise, then the purpose of app creation will fail. We don't want that, do we?

So our goal would be to create a mobile app that:

●    Drives app downloads, usage, and customer engagement

●    Meets customers’ expectations

●    It prevents people from abandoning the application.

Now the million-dollar question is how we will do it?

1. Formation of idea

We will start with the creation of an idea; it is our stepping stone. While doing so, we will look at the following factors:

●    Purpose

●    USP (Unique Selling Point)

●    How will we appeal to app users?

Of course, this step alone requires a lot of research. We need to see how similar apps are performing in the market. Also, we must research how to stand out from them.

2. Planning

This step involves deciding the app's functionality and the underlying procedures. Also, we will decide if we need to incorporate some paid features in the design or not.

Again competitive research is necessary to learn where we can improve. It is time to decide the visual elements crucial for an app and which ones can go away.

3. Wireframing

Now that we have done the preliminary research, it's time to start wireframing. It will provide a visual of how the app will look like, along with its functionalities.

You must know that this is just a rough sketch of the final product which will go through many changes. Also, it will provide a structure to the entire application, thus enabling us to decide what we want in it.

We will later add different components and test it to see if the app is becoming navigation-friendly. It's best to show it to others to get a general idea about the application.

Also, we can get rid of the problems from the very start, thus preventing the chances of redoing everything from scratch again.

4. Starting app designing

There are a couple of ways to do this; you could hire an app development agency or a freelancer to do the job. Or, if you have the technical skills, you can design the app yourself.

As an app designing agency, we will choose the last route. We need to focus on the following points:

●    Efficient navigation

The app's navigation bar must be visible on every page. Users shouldn't have to zoom in and out to see the menu's location. Also, it must function well and must have a clearly defined navigation direction.

The point is; people must land on the desired page after clicking a button. Navigation is a part of a user-friendly UX design, don't forget that.

●    Simple design

Simple designs are the most popular among people. A modern, sleek look, with substantial whitespace and minimalist outlook, makes everything pop without being too harsh on the eyes.

●    Selection of color palette and fonts

Fonts and color combinations must be coherent to the app's niche, style, and overall look. The golden rule is to always go for a clean, consistent, and organized look.

●    Visual elements

We need to add the essential visual elements, focus on their weight and hierarchy. Why? Because they provide a final look to the app. The focus is once again on consistency throughout the UX.

5. Design sampling

Here, we once again collect feedback from users and make necessary changes. It is to provide a general feel on how the app will perform in real-time. No, this is not the finished product yet; it must go through other changes. 

6. App development and prototyping

If the project has gone through the previous stages with passing colors, the app is ready for development. But, it's better to create a prototype or a minimally viable product (MVP) to check for snags that went undetected earlier.

7. Testing

This is a step where the application goes through rigorous testing to ensure it fits the app store's requirements. If the application passes this round, then it will be selected for a prelaunch round.

8. Prelaunch and launch

Although the app will not have technical snafus after testing, it's still wise to check what others are saying about it. Beta testing the application will provide user-centric answers and tell us if we are going in the right direction. We can also learn how to improve the app to gain traction in the market.

After giving the finishing touches to the application, it will be ready for launch.

Some apps to draw inspiration from:

●    Google Keep

An effective way of staying efficient and organized. Easy to use, and stay professional all the time.

●    Flipboard

You can create personalized magazines and journals with this application, using the images you have collected across the internet.

●    Shutterstock

It offers a plethora of images and videos, and you know how the design is simplistic yet effective.

●    Eventbrite

This app provides information about local events that might interest you and your friends.

●    ESPN

An app that provides sports updates directly on your feed is ESPN. The app has a pretty minimalist outlook and goes easy on the eyes.

There are many options to add to this list, but we will stop for now.

For assistance with app designing, you can consult Swadesh Softwares.