USER-CENTRIC MOBILE APP DEVELOPMENT
March 22, 2023
Samantha Jones
Importance of User-Centric Approach
The number of apps in the app store is growing daily, and many apps will not survive for long. 99.5% are prone to fail after the first use (Zippia). The situation calls for an approach compliant with the user’s behaviors and interests. You don’t want your app to end in tragedy after putting in so much effort and funds.
User-centric mobile app development is the process of aligning each step involved in app development with the audience’s needs and expectations. Great user experience will benefit you in the long run and provide multiple monetization options for your brand. It is important to interact continuously with users. Hiring Mobile App Developers to embed each user expectation is unavoidable.
REASONS FOR APP FAILURE
There are several reasons for app failure. We will list some relative to users for reference:
1. USER ACQUISITION
Many apps fail to acquire an adequate number of users due to subtle launches and lack of promotion. Failing the first step stimulates the domino effect of failure, and later stages of the app cycle don’t even occur.
2. USER FRUSTRATION
This happens mainly due to lags, freezes, and crashes. Users also get annoyed when the navigations in an app are complex and require repetitive movements in the app pages. Using too many ad prompts also makes users lose interest in the app.
3. TASK SUCCESS
Some apps are designed so that tasks performed on the app are highly challenging, making it difficult for users to succeed. It induces an unsatisfactory user experience and the chances of app failure increase. Avoid designing complicated tasks for users or provide difficulty-level options for gaining better engagement.
METHODS OF USER-CENTRIC MOBILE APP DEVELOPMENT
1. UNDERSTAND THE USERS
Conduct thorough research on consumer behavior and new trends that are getting a response. While researching, don’t just rely on asking the audience because sometimes the audience is unable to tell what they need. Study their behavior on different apps and look for suggestive reviews in competitive apps. Picture a deeper understanding of your users’ psychological and emotional needs.
Segmenting the audience into groups according to their needs and interests is also important. Choose to serve groups with interests most relevant to your brand and app concept. Marketing your app everywhere may drain resources and reduce the chances of getting noted.
2. SIMPLE DESIGN AND LAYOUT
Design your app as simply as you can. Complex application designs are more prone to lag and freeze on older device models. It will lead users to switch to other apps and result in revenue loss. Choose the design and layout that best fits the audience and avoid using too sharp or dull visuals.
Application designs matter most to users who want to spend a long time on an app. We recommend Hiring Mobile App Developers for the best design and layout.
3. CLARITY AND VISIBILITY
Using text hidden behind pictures or vice versa, avoid losing visibility. It is highly unprofessional, and users may find you uninterested in conveying messages. Clarity also requires using simple and conversational language in your text and app menu. Using words too complex can lead to confusion, and the audience may find it difficult to understand. Avoid the use of highly technical terms and jargon.
4. PROVIDE NAVIGATION MAPPING
There are two components involved in navigation mapping. The first is the desired navigation path you want users to follow throughout the app journey. The second highlights the users’ position in an app relative to other app areas. Many apps use different strategies according to their app type.
Navigations that involve frequent switching of app pages are annoying to users. Another mistake is using deep structured navigations with multiple categories of features hidden in a long list of menus. Hiring Mobile App Developers will help you avoid your audience feeling trapped in a virtual maze.
5. OPTIMIZE FEATURES
It is better to optimize the most needed features in the app. It requires developing an app that has a limited feature set. Smartly reducing and merging the features let your users enjoy the swift processing and loading of the app. Additional features might be good, but offering too many make users lose interest.
Apps with in-depth functionality can use checks on app pages for selection, such as basic and advanced feature sets. You can also ask the audience to select the feature set they want to enter in an app if your app requires such complexity. It will reduce the strain on the app and enhance app performance.
6. ENHANCE EXPERIENCE
App performance for developers is app experience for the user. Optimize your app’s performance using minimal coding complexity, speedy programming language, and the best platforms or cross-platform combinations to design the app. Hiring Mobile App Developers will help boost your app performance.
Another factor in user experience is the need to stay connected to friends and family. Provide engaging options like sharing progress and achievements. Also, encourage them to get their friends to sign up for small in-app rewards. It will help you gain users while engaging users through social interaction.
7. ASK USERS FOR FEEDBACK
Feedbacks are the primary user experience measurement tool. Users can provide beneficial insights into how you can improve the app. Don’t just wait for users to contact you through the option provided in the app. Users sometimes find it difficult to initiate interaction. Frequently ask for ratings and review the app through interactive prompts on the screen. Keep them simple and avoid repetition.
SUMMARY
The key takeaways from this reading are here for quick revision:
- Understand the users’ needs and expectations
- Choose a simple design and layout for better user engagement
- Clarity and Visibility are both important in an app’s content and menu
- Provide an adequate navigation menu with position mapping
- Optimize the features of the app for simplicity and ease
- Enhance the user experience by enhancing app performance
- Ask users for feedback rather than waiting for them to contact you
