Developing a mobile app is becoming essential for so many businesses. In many cases, the mobile app is at the core of what the business does.
This is why businesses put so much time and money into getting the mobile app experience right. Many will even hire a startup branding agency to make sure they have even the smallest of details covered.
Even with so much attention to detail, many businesses ruin their apps by making simple mistakes in the UI. If the UI is bad, it won’t matter if the app is aesthetically pleasing or if it has perfect messaging for your target audience. People won’t want to use the app if the UI fails to meet their expectations or deliver the results they want.
Messy Navigation
Once people open an app, they need to know how to get to different pages and how to achieve different goals. If the navigation is sloppy or hard to follow, people will not want to use the app. In most cases, people will get frustrated and just close the app instead of spending a lot of time trying to figure out the navigation.
One key to easy navigation is to use common screen designs that will be familiar to the user. If it is like pages they have used in other apps, they will know how to navigate from the first time they use the app. Along with that, you could consider onboarding screens and features that teach the user how to navigate the app without feeling too intrusive.
A Lack Of Consistency
An app should feel consistent throughout the experience. Users should not feel like they are switching to a new app as they move from one screen to the next or as they try to achieve different goals. An inconsistent experience can feel confusing and unsatisfying and many users will leave an app if it lacks consistency.
This is especially important as it concerns navigation and control elements. If you use a specific type of menu or button to achieve a result on one page, it should be the same on every page. You should also try to keep controls and other interactive elements consistent in look and size across all pages.
Picking The Wrong Images
Images can have a major impact on the design of an app. When you have the right ones, they will convey the message you want and enhance the experience. When you pick the wrong ones, they can make your app look cheap and users will think twice about using your app.
As it concerns the user interface, the main concern with images is that they can distract from other elements that might be more important. Pick your images carefully and be thoughtful when you select placement. Also, don’t overload app screens with images. If you have too many, they can crowd out the elements that you need your users to find.
Selecting The Wrong Typeface
With all the attention to images and interactive elements, you might not put enough thought into typeface. However, things like choosing the right font and the right size for text can make or break the user interface of an app.
Legibility is probably the top concern when it comes to picking a typeface. You want a font that is easy to read and it needs to be sized well to look good on a mobile screen. Different fonts can also give users an impression of your company’s personality and changes to typeface can help to organize information or draw attention to different elements.
Avoiding these four mistakes can take you a long way toward creating a better UI. With that said, you can’t always predict what will happen once the app is in the hands of real users. A little usability testing can go a long way if you want to be certain you have a UI that will serve your users well.
