Content deleted Content added
m There are some changes; several grammatical enhancements were made to improve clarity and coherence. Notably, articles were inserted for accuracy. |
Adding information on successful design principles |
||
Line 698:
* [[Ranorex]]: Test automation tools for mobile, web and desktop apps.
* [[Testdroid]]: Real mobile devices and test automation tools for testing mobile and web apps.
== Design Principles for Creating Successful Mobile Apps ==
According to a 2020 Industry Report on Applications, 46% of [[mobile app]] users have stated that they have stopped using or uninstalled an app due to poor performance.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=2020-01-06 |title=Apps Statistics, Usage & Downloads (2020 report) |url=https://saasscout.com/statistics/apps-statistics/ |access-date=2024-02-20 |website=SaaS Scout (formerly SoftwareFindr) |language=en-US}}</ref> Design experts advocate for the following design principles to create successful and effective mobile apps:
'''Clutter-free screens:''' Keeps interactions quick and simple, allowing users to focus on one specific task rather than being overwhelmed with multiple features and tasks. Design experts strongly advocate for one task per screen and recommend breaking down long forms into pages and progressively revealing new tasks or fields to minimize clutter.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=15 Mobile App Design Best Practices |url=https://www.thoughtspot.com/data-trends/best-practices/mobile-app-design-best-practices |access-date=2024-02-20 |website=ThoughtSpot |language=en}}</ref>
'''Reduce cognitive load:''' Makes user journey through the app seamless and preserves natural flow through the app. Design experts suggest incorporating [[autocomplete]], [[Spell checker|spell-check]], [[Predictive text|prediction text assistance]], and [[Dropdown menu|dropdown menus]] to reduce cognitive load. Design experts also recommend the state of the app be preserved when users temporarily leave the app and re-enter so that users can continue their journey from where they have left off.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2">{{Cite web |last=Cordini |first=Marcelo |date=2021-01-06 |title=The best mobile app design: Examples |url=https://qubika.com/blog/mobile-app-design/ |access-date=2024-02-20 |website=Qubika |language=en-US}}</ref>
'''Simple navigation:''' Around 11% of people have uninstalled apps due to their complicated [[Interface (computing)|interface]].<ref name=":0" /> Design experts state it is paramount to present the navigation bar visibly in your app to help users navigate to frequently used and high-priority screens instantly. They suggest the use of recognizable icons specific to the device operating system to help users easily take actions such as opening a menu, changing settings, going back a screen, and searching within a page. According to them, a user should not be confused while navigating the app, so an orderly, clear, and logical navigation flow drives engagement and discovery in the app.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2" />
'''Notifications:''' It’s reported that around 19% of users uninstall an app due to frequent push notifications.<ref name=":0" /> Notifications should be sent with careful planning according to design experts. Experts state notifications should be sent at a time most convenient to users in their time zone and the messages should be personalized to bring great value to them. <ref name=":1" />
'''Speed Appearance:''' About 19% of people uninstall apps due to hang up issues.<ref name=":0" /> Design experts state it’s important to make sure the app is fast and responsive so that users don’t have to wait for content. They state developers should deliver content faster or give the perception of progress. Some approaches suggested by the experts are the use of skeleton screens which show the layout of the app with content grayed out, [[Progress bar|progress bars]] or loading spinners, tasks being carried out in the background and delivering the content quickly when the user requests for it, or giving users some tasks or content while they are waiting for a page to load.<ref name=":1" />
'''Usability:''' Approximately 85% of mobile users use their phone with one hand,<ref name=":0" /> thus design experts state it is important that the top-level menu, frequently used controls, and common action items are within the reach of the user’s thumb. They also stress the importance of readability and it’s recommended that the text size is at least 11 point font so that users can read it at the typical reading distance without zooming in.<ref name=":1" /> It is recommended that headers and titles on the app screens be [[San Francisco font|San Francisco]] 17pt and [[Roboto]] 16sp for [[iOS]] and [[Android OS]] respectively.<ref name=":2" /> The experts also state there should be 4.5:1 minimum [[contrast ratio]] between text and the background color.<ref name=":1" /> Design experts strongly encourage developers to make apps accessible for all users including people with [[Disability|disabilities]], so they suggest features such as [[Virtual assistant|voice navigation]], [[screen reader]] compatibility, and user interface adaptability in mobile apps.<ref name=":2" />
==Patents==
| |||