In the world of websites, be an app. People are more inclined towards using a brand’s app these days than they are towards websites. However, websites continue to exist. Because individuals will only download the apps of companies or brands that they use frequently. For example, I cannot imagine my life without the Spectrum app. It makes it easy to make a choice between various packages like comcast specials and others. Apart from that, I have other apps installed that include the widely used social media platforms like Facebook, Snapchat and Instagram. One thing that is common in all these apps is the ease of navigation. Many times the mobile app developers make some common UX mistakes while developing the app.
Here are some from the pool of many mistakes that app developers tend to make:
Interface as Confusing as a Maze
What many developers fail to realize is that individuals do not fancy a complex interface. Everything that the users can then misunderstand, they will end up the misunderstanding. Eventually, the annoyed visitor will find his way out of your app and delete it (for good or for bad). You do not want to annoy your viewer to that point. Because chances that he will return to your app after an irritating experience are rare. Therefore, when designing your app, keep in mind that the average person going through your app is not a designer. Because practically the things that seem complex to an average human being but not be that technical for the designer. So, think from the perspective of the people. Here are a couple of things you should keep in mind while working on the app’s interface.
- Use familiar symbols
- Make sure that all the tabs are visible and the users do not have to spend time searching for any command
If you keep these things in mind, you can come up with a ‘not-so-complex’ app.
Lack of Consistency
Another common mistake that app developers make is that they use an array of fonts and color schemes for one style. This puts the viewer in a state of confusion. Stick to one style and follow the same theme throughout.
Too Different to Fit in
In your quest to be different from others, do not fly too far away from certain conventions that most apps follow. For example, a shopping cart icon is supposed to look the same in every app. If you think that you trying to be creative with this icon, would act to your advantage, give it a second (and third) thought. The main goal is to make the user experience as convenient as possible. Moving away from conventions does not help in achieving this goal. Therefore, use your creativity elsewhere. A place where it might be of actual use.
No Action Confirmations
It is crucial for you to include action confirmations as a part of your design. If you fail to do so and the user does not receive a confirmation after he has performed an action, he will think that something went wrong. There are many ways to confirm an action. However, the most common ones remain a pop-up on the screen or the change of color. The idea is to communicate it to the user that the app has received his input. This puts the user in a relaxed state of mind.
Light Fonts and Low Contrast
Although light fonts look oh-so-fresh and elegant, pairing them with dim color contrasts makes the content on your app almost unreadable. Nothing more unappealing than this. In addition to this, light fonts with small font size are a big NO as well. Because no matter how easy an interface your app as if the viewer is not able to read the content properly, what do you think will make him stay on your app?
Unlabeled Icons
One of the biggest mistakes that you can make is the absence of labels on the icons. Although there is limited space available on the mobile screen, you have to make the best use of it. Take YouTube as a perfect example. Hats off to the app’s design team that has worked creatively enough to place the labeled icons in the right place.
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Apart from this, you should always include a ‘Contact us’ or ‘Customer service’ number on your app. This makes it easy for visitors to contact you regarding any queries that they might have. However, including a mere number is not enough. The staff should be courteous and helpful enough. I have had one of the best experiences with Spectrum customer service reps. The company not only has an easy to use the app, but the offline services that the company offers are commendable as well. Apart from that, I was pretty impressed by ZARA’s app and its interface as well.