Contributed article in our business series. Enjoy! – Kimberly
The use of mobile phones for different functions, aside from communication, has become a natural habit for the average adult. In this age, millions of people shop, make payments, study, book flights, watch videos, and even perform daily work right on their phones. As a mobile app developer, a great user experience goes hand in hand with your app’s mobile-friendliness.
It is thus important to consider the aspects that will make your mobile app user-friendly. We have compiled 5 tips below for creating a great user-friendly mobile application.
Understand Your Users
Before you launch your mobile app, it is imperative to put yourself in the user’s place and understand the context in which they access their mobile phones. Most people use mobile phones and applications while conducting daily routines. For example, it could be in a supermarket line, in a coffee shop, at a filling station, waiting for a flight, etc. Therefore, they expect fast access to the information they seek.
It would be best if you got people to test your app before you launch it; call it a pilot phase. The group of people interacting with your app should provide feedback on their experience with your app. The feedback you collect from these tests will guide the changes you make before you launch the app.
There are several top android app development software like Buildfire, Eclipse, Corona Labs, among others that you can invest in to build a pilot program before you settle on a launch date. This software is excellent for developing mobile apps for different purposes, from entertainment to educational content.
Ensure Device Compatibility
Some apps are great in all aspects, except compatibility with user devices. Your intention for developing a mobile app is to run on all mobile devices, Android or iOS.
One of the common incompatibility problems that mobile applications have occurred when users update their device software.
An app may have run effectively on a device, but it becomes obsolete whenever users update their operating system if it was not built to adapt to future updates. The best way to ensure your app keeps up with updates is by networking with other software developers. By doing so, you can monitor any changes that customers communicate and respond to effectively.
Clean Presentation
Theirs is only so much space on a mobile device screen. And as we said before, most people use their phones alongside other activities. Thus, it would help if you accounted for these brief and rapid glances by providing as much data as possible on the screen.
Your app needs to use most of the space on the mobile screen but not too much; the secret is finding a balance.
Your designs and layouts should be equally applicable in every condition. For example, if the user is outside or in a terrible connection, the presentation should still be functional. Are the fonts big enough, or is the contrast sufficient to see the interface in sunlight? If you perfect these presentation conditions, then you have a user-friendly app.
Consider making your apps look pretty and colorful. Sleek-looking applications tend to get more downloads than plain apps. Invest in a stellar design, and you will see positive results.
Intuitive User Experience
Develop an application that does not need a user manual to set up and run. It should be simple to use and with extended capabilities. You only have a few seconds to engage potential new users and capture their interest. Therefore, the best way to get more turnarounds is to ensure users can download, open and figure out the app in a few minutes during a commercial break or a short wait in line.
Navigating your mobile app should be easy, through lists, images, links, and any other content. Users should not have to go through too much scrolling, zooming, or be forced to side scroll sideways to view content; otherwise, you will lose them.
Fast Loading Speeds
Apart from having an intuitive user interface, your mobile app’s loading speed determines its user-friendliness. If your application’s design is too complicated, it will affect your mobile app’s loading speeds. Longer loading speeds increase bounce rates and this will only hurt you as users abandon your app.
Simplifying your design and optimizing loading speeds helps improve user experience and increase the time they spend on the app. A great first-time user experience means continued usage of your mobile apps and more revenue.
Conclusion
It is important to remember that app success depends on strategy and usefulness. If it is simple, easy to use, fast, and sleek, the mobile app takes the price of user-friendliness home. Let your creativity shine through your app development by keeping these tips in mind.
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