We live in a world where it is hard to imagine a life that is not surrounded by mobile phones. This has given rise to the frenzy of app design & development. Every organization that is determined to achieve its goals needs a dope app. Consumers fancy apps with fantastic UI, and apps that are not up to the mark lose their interest too quickly. The fact that apps can boost business growth is undeniable.
Apart from being able to create an app, there is one more pressing issue; app stores are loaded, and there are a plethora of apps demanding the attention of the consumers. It creates fierce competition. We possibly cannot deny the need for robust marketing strategies, but the app should be able to get the attention in a first go. It has to stand out to be noticed. If you want users to come swarming, then the app you are counting on must offer something unique.
There are a few questions every designer needs to ask to ensure their app can reflect creativity uniquely.
The Questions to Ensure Creativity
- Are the colors user friendly?
- Is it providing a smooth transition?
- Is it aesthetically pleasing?
- Are design elements consistent?
- Is the feel of UI intuitive?
- Does it cater to a broader audience group?
- Is it fast to load and open?
- Is there a compelling difference from the rival apps?
- Are users offered fluid navigation?
- Is it functioning alright on all devices?
- Is the user experience impressive?
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1. Catering to All Screen Sizes
Not every phone in the world has the same screen size and similar resolution. It is essential to understand and recognize the differences.
We are not only talking about mobile phones from different manufacturers, but even phones from the same manufacture can also differ significantly.
The same brand can have phones in different shapes and sizes. The resolution is also not the same. Then, it is also vital to account for other devices as well. Not everyone is going to access the app with a smartphone; there will be people using tablets to access the app.
It also depends on the availability of the app; you may have to consider other options like smart TVs. App design should be optimized for as many screens as possible; this is one of the many keys to open the door of success.
2. Don’t Try to Go Fancy
Not many people are going to tell you this, and this is precisely why it is a secret. You should not go overboard with anything. It is easy to steer away from the path of simplicity when you are trying to be unique.
You need to understand; it is not necessary to do something crazily fancy to stand out. Simplicity has its charm. You only need to know how to make it work for you.
This goes for everything, from design to colors to font. Sometimes apps are a design marvel, but they fail to attract the audience because they are too complicated.
Same goes for colors, if the colors used are causing sensory overload for viewers they may not even try to reach to the exciting part, they will most probably be too confused by all the colors that they will not use the app for more than few minutes (that also is a long shot).
Now, coming to fonts, you should not use too many styles, just two fonts and a maximum of three are enough for the entire app. One font for the headings and second for the body content is usually enough.
The font needs to be consistent throughout the app. using too many fonts, or fancy ones only confuses the users and can become a hindrance in the popularity of an app. If you use crazy fonts, the message will be lost, and it will make the whole app look tacky. It poses a severe threat to the credibility and authority of the app.
People don’t trust anything that appears cheap and tacky. There is no point in using fonts that are not legible, and that makes things complex instead of making it simple.
3. Accessibility Should Not Be Compromised
App accessibility is one of the crucial factors when designing an app. Certain elements need to be factored in when working on app design. Take an example of the size of the buttons, they should be sized appropriately and places accurately. This is the only way to ensure that users would be able to press them when they hit the screen.
As we all know, every individual is different, so is their style of holding and using a phone. Some people use their cellphone single-handedly while others prefer to use it with both hands. It should have the same feel for both right-handed people and left-handed people.
It is incredibly essential to keep hand and finger placement in mind while working on the design. This doesn’t end here; it would be wise to make your app accessible to people with disabilities. For example, there should be an option to enlarge the font for people with vision impairment.
Make sure if you are incorporating these features, the rest of the elements are in alignment too. If other items are not adjusted, then problems similar overlapping of text and images may occur, making it even more challenging to use the app.
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4. Offline Functioning
You may have not only heard about it, but we are pretty sure you might have used some apps that work offline too. Many educational apps adopt this strategy. The app works even when the device is not connected to the internet, the catch, however, is exclusive data is offered when the user is online.
The trend of offline apps is gaining popularity, and a significant chunk of consumers now prefer the apps which they can access without the internet. We don’t have to tell you that users love such apps whose usability is not disturbed in offline mode.
Consistently fantastic user experience in both online and offline mode will surely make your app attractive and unique in the app store. It doesn’t matter what services or products you are offering if your app is catering to the users rightly you are bound to get more business in today’s modern world.
5. Grid Is Definitely Not Overrated
Many people might have advised you to go for grid logic, and to tell you the truth, they are not wrong. If there is one thing that guarantees outstanding user experience that is the grid. All top app design services make sure to follow the grid logic for their designs.
When an app is built on a grid, it makes sure the consistency is never lost even when users are switching from one page to another. The constant visual connection makes it easier for the audience to be connected with the app.
Grid for graphic design works like magic when it comes to offering a unified and organized experience to users across all the pages of an app. Many experienced developers and designers prefer to prepare grid sketches before they set to work on apps.
Pro-Tip
These are the five secrets that can make any app looks fantastic. If you can work on these five, there is no way your app can fail. However, there are other factors as well that are important to make sure these secrets work for your favor.
You can never be sure without testing what you have created and how it will work. So, consider testing as the final exam that you need to clear before you can go public with your creation.
Test for Responsiveness
Users will access the app from different devices, and naturally, they will be expecting it to work correctly. You must check the app before launching for its responsiveness.
The app should offer optimal viewing and responsiveness on various screens and resolutions. It is like testing the first-ever secret we have outlined. Responsive apps ensure the undisrupted user experience, and that is the only thing to ensure the success of any app.
Test for High Resolution
Visuals are too important to be compromised. You need to make sure that it is not pixelated when used. Pixels may be hardly visible, but the importance they hold cannot be undermined because they can make or break the final look of an app.
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An Important Thing to Remember
Many times, when the designer is focusing on making the app accessible and attractive, they go for the wrong design approach. They try to introduce too many features and options to get more and more users.
Instead of making the app perfect, these features clash and create confusion for consumers. It becomes especially problematic and highly complicated on small screens. Since we have already established that most users are going to access the app from their smartphones, this might not be the best course of action.
Do you need to focus on the core purpose as in why are you creating this app? The desirable user experience can be compromised if too many options are provided.
The most straight forward way to ensure success is to provide users what they seek. There must be a specialty of your brand, and that is the reason people will download your app. Don’t disappoint them, give them what they want in the most convenient way possible.
This article is written by Shaeel Ahmed from Logo Knox. Shaeel is a digital marketing expert, and he has honed his craft of writing a well-versed, creative content. Besides writing, he is interested in reading and is up-to-date with the latest global trends. He is familiar with the art of writing engaging content and is ready to start a conversation with readers.
