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A lot of apps are rolled out daily, yet only a few of them succeed. While some have poor design, others don’t focus on improving the user experience enough for it to be worthy of use.
As a creator, you should be wary of the most common and avoidable mistakes in an app that can keep you from proper user engagement.
Bad First Impression
Many users will take a look at your app for the first time and decide if they want to keep it or uninstall it. The features and workings of your application will determine the kind of experience users will get from it.
If your design element is dull or confusing, users might uninstall your app within 20-30 seconds of installing. Therefore as a developer, your first emphasis should be on creating a UI that is user friendly and captivating. It is highly recommended to make use of an app builder to design flawlessly.
Inconsistent Design
The one thing that degrades the user experience of an app is inconsistent design that varies from one page to another. The signup page follows a different color theme, and the inner pages look entirely different. This lack of coordination and consistency hurts user-experience, and makes your app look clumsy,
The bottom line here is to be consistent in terms of design – from icons, to buttons and visuals – make sure everything is well-planned and themed.
Ambiguous Call To Action
Your app will have many call-to-action buttons, and where you place these buttons will depend on how your users interact with them. These buttons will determine precisely how your lead capture will work. When you put them on the right places on the screen, with adequately defined aspects, they can be extraordinarily effective in enticing users.
Remember The Actual Design Elements
The design elements of the app, photos, banners, or videos are what makes your app realistic and look consistent. It varies from Android to iOS, and will even change from one app screen to another. The images and icons that you have added on the app, the icons, how your content flows between screens – should all be flawless. Test vigorously, with alpha and with multiple beta testers to ensure your design elements are working correctly.
Add App Walkthroughs
Your users may have difficulty understanding the functions of the app or simply prefer to have a little help in the beginning. If you want to create a truly interactive app, consider adding a walkthrough when the app is opened the first few times. Some apps can be extremely complex, and it might not be possible to explain every feature, all at once. In such cases, make sure that your users can get help through walkthroughs when they try a particular functionality. While you are at it, make your walkthroughs interactive, easy to understand, and engaging. And be sure to add a button that gives your users a chance to close/skip the walkthrough if they don’t want help.
Cognitive Overload
Apps can get too cluttered to use. When your user has opened the app, their brain can take some time to get used to the layout and understand what action to take. There is a little bit of a learning curve in the beginning. This is when you have to convince your user that your app is easy to use.
The layout, navigation, and functionality should be instinctive. Punching in too much information on the same screen will confuse your users. You can avoid this by removing the design elements that are not necessary for a page or using micro-copies. That way, you get a great UI that does not overwhelm the users.
Don’t Be Boring
Inspiration can be hard to come by. This is why we see so many apps that look and operate the same way. Don’t do the same thing and commit plagiarism. Research your user base, understand your competitors and see what they are doing to entice the users. Then implement the same ideas with your own design element. Don’t copy-paste the same old outlay and expect magic to happen overnight. Experimenting with advanced, unique coding and design ideas will also allow you to troubleshoot. This way, you get to have an in-depth knowledge in building apps while sharpening your skills.
Conclusion
This brings us to the end of this article. Although these were a few common app design mistakes that most of us are guilty of making, do not let this shake your confidence. Play your cards right, and focus on user-experience. Learn from your mistakes, and keep a close eye on your competitors. With these things in mind, you will surely be able to master the art of application development.
