Major Mistakes In App Design
Abhinav Singh
CEO @ Techugo (CMMI Level 3) | Bespoke & Scalable Mobile App Development
The recourse to everyday monotony is with us 24x7; I am referring to the smartphones and mobile devices, the one you are using right now… to read this article.
Time spent on an app in your phone, turns out to be good if you enjoy using it. The user experience depends a lot on the app-design. If it is loved, enterprises and different websites can generate business and earn higher profits. Users can easily have the required information in no time, (P.S.:) a lot of swiping and scrolling is involved though!
Mobile applications are of various kind and cater to the needs of different domains differently. But it is not necessary that every application that is developed will win over the users and become highly successful. Many times, they are outrightly rejected by potential customers – because they don’t enjoy the experience a particular application offers.
Sometimes, developers despite giving their best are unable to leave a mark on customers. This is disheartening as the investment on such projects doesn’t just involve money, but time and energy too. Even after taking care of every aspect, when an application doesn’t fair well with users, it is an unpleasant experience for a developer.
Dear reader, don’t worry about getting disheartened in this regard again. Keep reading to avoid mistakes that can prove to be harmful.
Steer clear from the following and witness improvement!
Apart from overcoming several development challenges, another stage requires deep understanding. It is the design of your application. It should be given due attention and it is crucial to handle this domain intelligently. An application should be designed only after a thorough research and understanding about the end-users.
Avoiding the following mistakes during the designing phase, can help you up-your-game several notches! Let’s talk business now, shall we?
1. Poor first impression
The first impression is an umbrella point; if anything goes wrong in this regard, or appears confusing or boring, it can disinterest users in a jiffy. Hence, it is pertinent to cast a strong first impression.
Make sure the onboarding process isn’t too lengthy or too difficult to comprehend. The application should appear interactive and aesthetically pleasing to get users hooked.
2. Do not overcomplicate your app design
The design should be such that users don’t find the application difficult or boring to explore and use. Keep things simple to avoid complexity. Complexity doesn’t ensure an enlarged user-base. People love investing time on easier things, that don’t stress them much and get work done as well!
While designing your app, avoid overlapping app-concept, integrate symbols and interfaces. Investing time on design and concept can prove to be highly beneficial.
3. Don’t use irrelevant content
Putting content everywhere just to utilise empty space might not work the intended way. Functionality of an application must be established clearly, without providing any information that’s not useful.
Keep away from superfluous ads and recommendations to go along with your content.
4. Say no to tedious on-boarding process
Users tend to be on their toes, almost always.
No one wants to invest hours or even several minutes just to get the hang of an application. A time-taking on-boarding process might just turn-off users’ interest.
The focus should be to make on-boarding process effective and free of regular pop-ups every time the application is opened.
5. Abusing notifications
Push notifications can potentially affect users’ interest. If they are too many, it is highly probable that notifications will be turned off and the user will forget about the app. The same problem might occur if notifications are too less.
Notifications can enhance the UX and reinforce an app’s usefulness. But the catch is, in extreme cases they prompt the users to delete the app. Hence, one should tread cautiously in this regard.
6. Design inconsistencies
Make sure designs are consistent across the app. Every new piece of content shouldn’t be seen as an opportunity to introduce a new design concept.
With respect to design, one should aim to try and find a balance between boredom and intuitive consistency.
7. Under-utilising Beta testing
Beta testing is cardinal. It allows designers to learn how their application is being perceived in the beginning itself.
Some inconsistencies and mistakes with respect to an app can potentially harm a venture. The above-mentioned don’ts can take a toll on your app and affect its overall performance. Here’s to hoping the inputs have helped you.
Let us know in the comments if you have any queries or feedback. We would love to hear from you. At Techugo, we have helped many businesses come up with better solutions and grow. Write to us if you want to resolve technical doubts and explore opportunities.
Great wishes innovators!