How to Design Your App for 2020 Users

People often fondly refer to certain time periods as a “golden age” to reflect that a certain aspect was at its peak.

To say we’re in the “golden era” of mobile technology doesn’t properly reflect just how good things are. Perhaps it is more applicable to call this the “platinum era.”

The number of mobile device users is projected to climb to 4.68 billion this year.

With everyone so adept at using mobile technology, app developers need to stay at the top of their game by designing and building apps that cater to the expectations of tech-savvy 2020 users.

These expectations include:

● An intuitive, engaging interface
● Minimal disruptions to user experience
● Relevant content

This article will discuss how to approach mobile app development with these considerations in mind and the benefits your company can earn as a result.

Keep Users Engaged With Visuals

Today’s technology has shortened our attention spans, so it is imperative to keep users engaged.

There are several strategies that you can employ to create an engaging experience for the user:

● Navigation Gestures: Adding simple animations that demonstrate the gesture required to perform a task can streamline user’s experiences on your app and allow for better use of the screen. Many mobile apps are adopting this method; for example, Gmail allows users to control actions through swiping.

● Motion: The days of staring at static screens are definitely over. If you want to keep users engaged, incorporate moving visuals such as video or animation. Instagram is a perfect example of how video content can replace written content effectively. If a picture is worth 1,000 words, a video or animation is worth 1,000 pictures.

Source: Lifehacker

In-app gestures and visual design can significantly change mobile user interface design and make it sleeker, more modern, and far more effective

Avoid Disruptions to User Experience

Even the most engaging app experience can be ruined by a disrupting pop-up or ad. People engage with content that interests them, and any disruption is a disincentive for them to interact with your company.

A few examples of mobile app disruptions that you should avoid include

● Logins: Forcing users to stop and sign up for an account can cause frustration and compel some users to abandon their purchase. After all, shopping online or through an app is supposed to be more convenient than visiting a brick and mortar location, which doesn’t require an account or login. Give the user the opportunity to sign up for an account after the purchase is completed.

● Unfamiliar language: We live in a world filled with too many confusing acronyms and proprietary terms. For example, if you tell people that you’re leaving to join the WWF, are you saving wildlife or becoming a professional wrestler? If users have to search for a term you use online, you’ve lost them as a customer. Make sure all of your language is easily understood by all audiences, or explain terms as soon as you introduce them (and possibly visually).

● Confusing architecture: A user’s path through your app should make sense. Make sure users can get from one page or interface to another quickly and easily without having to backtrack or jump through any hoops.

Your mobile app design should cause users no trouble. If operating your app is complicated, it can ruin their experience, which reflects negatively on your company and creates serious harm to your conversion rate.

Optimize Your App For User Relevance

When developing an app, focus on how to provide value for your users instead of overtly selling them on your product.

Think about the information, services, or entertainment they value and base your app design around those subjects.

Making your app content relevant can involve several different strategies:

• Location-based: provide geofenced content relevant to the user’s location
• Immediate – deliver push notifications and alerts with useful and timely information (but don’t go overboard)
• Adaptive – make sure the content is specific to each user, such as items they have searched for in the past.
• Unique – give them items they can’t find anywhere else

The best strategy involves identifying the core needs of your users and develop app content that immediately, directly, and completely meets those needs.

Focus on Value and Relevance for Your App in 2020

Developing a successful app for 2020 users means providing added value to your target audience through the app’s look, feel, function, and content. This will require some research and design skill, but the benefits will far outweigh the cost and effort.

Sunflower Lab is featured as a top mobile app development company on Clutch and as a leading app development firm on Visual Objects.