The mobile app industry has grown into a huge market. This industry has indeed managed to even some of the biggest traditional industries. With such good figures characterizing this market, it is not a surprise that everyone wants to get a piece of it and needs a mobile app development company. Regardless of how enticing the market is though; you need to be smart about the kind of moves you make. One of the smartest things you can do is learning about mobile app design. Doing this will help you launch an app that is not mediocre. Here are the basics of mobile app design you should know about.

Start with research

This particular point cannot be emphasized enough. Research is the key to successful app design in the modern day. Apps that feature poor designs no longer last even five minutes in the average person’s smartphone. The obvious question you could be asking yourself is – but what exactly marks a good research process? Contrary to what you might think, good research is as good as analyzing the apps that you like most. In case you don’t have any favorites, consider focusing on apps that have clear goals, specific objectives and a good means of achieving these goals. Indeed, modern apps are all about the specificity.

Explore the competition

Secondly, you should try to see what your competition is doing. Chances are that you might learn what they are doing wrong in the process. Analyzing how competing apps are managing to stay relevant in the market is also great because it will allow you to focus your design strategy on things that work. Knowing what works and what doesn’t work is the key to having the perfect design.

Get mobile app design inspiration

In addition to carrying out research, you should choose specific apps that are doing well in the market – and which also have great designs. The goal of getting inspiration from other designers’ work is not just to help you borrow ideas. It is also to spark your sense of creativity. You do not necessarily need to get inspiration from your competitors either. A great app is liked by the users regardless of the market. You can check out Admiral Markets app as a sample of a good design.

Design with a purpose

After all the initial research steps are done, it is now time to design your application. As a general rule, never rush the process of designing the app. In fact, this part is the most important in your app’s life cycle and it should take the right amount of time. You need to assemble all the facts, figures, components and features that you have gathered. The purpose of the design process should not be just creating an application that looks good. Instead, the most important part is designing an app that is usable.

Focus on the details

In the app market, the little things beneath the hood make the whole difference. The colors you choose, the accents, the backgrounds, the navigation systems, the search procedure; all these details are crucial for a great app. You should remember that the experience of the end user is all that matters. You, therefore, shouldn’t hesitate to give the personal touch to every aspect of the application.

Ensure that the testing process is thorough

Like any other type of system, an application is only good when all the components are working as they should. This is why app testing is invaluable. The testing process should not just include checking if the app responds to input, instead; it should comprise of navigation testing, aesthetics testing, cross-platform testing and many other kinds of testing processes. Testing is the only means of confirming that your app is ready for the market. The process should thus be rigorous.

Final thoughts

To summarize, there is indeed a strategy involved in the app design process. All applications that are successful have considered going for this strategy. The strategy involves defining the objectives of the app, researching on the design, getting inspiration from other apps in the market and having a rigorous development process. The end product should be exactly as you had envisioned it. In order to ensure that the design process is smooth, you should work closely with the developer. Doing this ensures that the final product is exemplary.

About the Author

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Mirko Humbert

Mirko Humbert is the editor-in-chief and main author of Designer Daily and Typography Daily. He is also a graphic designer and the founder of WP Expert.