Everyone knows where digitalization is going. It is going in the right direction and taking over more businesses worldwide as we speak. Numerous leading publications indicate that the global digital transformation market will grow to around USD 1,009.8 billion by 2025. Though the market does seem to be oversaturated, users still desire to see innovative products. Companies must develop their platform if they also think of starting businesses online. They should make it as functional and user-friendly as possible. Hence, they should also check the tips to make a user-friendly mobile application from ground zero.
What is a User-friendly Mobile Application?
Those who want to create a successful business must first have a good look at both recognition and reputation. They should achieve and take care of the former, and improve the latter among a wider audience.
Marketing helps advertise a business. If the business has an app/software, it will help them sell and interact with buyers at any time of the day.
It is true that people pick up and check their phones on average around 2600 times a day. This is why a mobile application comes in quite handy. They are a viable solution for not just existing companies but for startups too. Creating an app is a complicated task. It requires a lot of preparation, perseverance, and development.
1. What does the creation of user-friendly mobile apps entail?
The creation of user-friendly applications and software is a unique combination of market analysis, market research, observing current trends, determining users’ issues, and other factors. Any digital product development company would do this with proper diligence and care.
Hence any detail present in the user interface can either prompt a user to take the needed action or push the user away. This is the very reason most entrepreneurs hire entire tech teams comprising the following roles:
- Business Analysts.
- User Interface (UI), User Experience (UX), and Software Designers.
- App and Software Developers.
- Quality Assurance (QA) professionals.
Moreover, the support of various specialists from various areas can help contribute to the completion of the analysis of various factors. That can help in the creation of a furthering strategy where the app’s release can become a reality on a promising footing.
2. Is in-house app development gaining momentum?
Helpful app development platforms and software programs are present. They are able to do a lot of work. This is why a lot of small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) are now developing mobile apps through in-house teams. This trend has made it easy for both startups and entrepreneurs to make their apps without the need to learn extensive coding.
As a consequence, more companies are hence embracing mobile application development for either customer use, internal purposes, or both. Though app development can initially be a daunting and challenging task, it can still be quite a rewarding experience.
Factors to Identify Before Developing a Mobile App
Developing a mobile application can sound quite straightforward but planning a tactical digital solution is complex. There are various factors associated with the process and they should be considered before any company endeavors to embark on developing such an app:
1. Defining and Understanding the target audience
A good understanding of the target audience and persona is a must. Understanding the target users’ objectives, behaviors, preferences, and platforms and devices they use is helpful.
This is where the app’s marketing can begin. The App should be customized as per the audience’s needs to help the audience enjoy the app. This is where the app development company also considers the kind of app that can serve users in the best possible way. Regardless of whether it is a native app, a hybrid one, or a web app; product discovery and market research helps a lot.
This is where developing detailed user personas and carrying out market research work quite well. This helps identify the kind of app the audience needs. This tactic also helps companies create products that resonate well with their intended audiences and users. The app will certainly provide them with a top-notch user experience (UX) on numerous devices and screen sizes.
2. Researching competitors and competition
Conducting research helps ensure the idea’s readiness in the market. No company wants to end up making the same app as the competition or an app with almost 60% of the features same as that of others. App cloning can at times result in lawsuits and hefty penalties. No company wants to make their efforts redundant.
They should also analyze Apple’s App Store, and Google’s Play Store to understand the landscape and the competition.
App development companies must also ensure that their app’s strategy is unique to them, their company, and their employees too. It should not be copied from others.
Companies developing apps specific to them should check out the competition. This can help them understand how their app will perform against others. They should examine the following factors to find areas needing improvement:
- App’s functionality.
- User Interface (UI) Design.
- Users’ Reviews.
This is where the usage of App Store Optimization (ASO) research tools comes in handy. They help in analyzing the following to help identify gaps in the market for the app to be made:
- Competitor Rankings.
- Functionality.
- User Reviews.
Not only would this help with the app and inform the app’s idea but also would help how competitors use app descriptions, keywords, and screenshots to attract users.
3. Choosing the operating system
Two primary operating systems exist in the market namely: Android and iOS. For either of the two, companies should ask themselves if they want to make an app for either of those two operating systems. Or do they want to develop a native app? Decisions regarding software compatibility can directly affect an app’s functionality and the overall performance of an app.
Professionals providing mobile application development services in the Dallas metro area explain that a cross-platform framework is an easy-to-set-up app for sustained success. Why? Because more users can access it. A cross-platform app is a hybrid app that works on both Android and iOS. Those who are unable to decide should review their app’s development objective and audience’s preferences.
Here are some options to consider:
- Those who want to work on developing Android apps can use either Java or Kotlin with Android App Studio.
- Working on developing iOS apps requires the use of either Objective-C or Swift programming languages with an Xcode development environment on Mac PCs or Macbooks.
- Working on cross-platform app development is also lucrative. It requires the usage of frameworks like Flutter or React Native for creating apps on both platforms.
4. Incubating the app’s idea
Taking the actionable steps of app development can be put on hold. Companies must consider whether or not their app can solve an existing problem. If it can, they should think about how it can help them.
But if their app is specific to their company, they must consider how the digital solution tactic can help the company achieve its objectives. Pausing to reflect at this stage enables companies to think about their app futures through a road map. They can also prioritize priorities for it too ensuring they and their team agree on the topmost objectives.
5. Planning the app’s design and security
The app’s design is the key to its success. It must have a user-friendly interface. Users will be inclined to download it provided that it is really a user-friendly app.
A wireframing mockup tool (Figma or Sketch) can help visualize the app’s interface and flow. Best practices for mobile application design should be followed. Various screen sizes and devices should be considered when developing the app. Moreover, push notifications and social media integrations are features that should also be thought of early in the process.
Tips For Creating a User-friendly Mobile Application
Now that you have understood what should be considered before making an app and what is considered as necessary prerequisites, it is now time to explore the steps required to create a user-friendly mobile application in the best possible steps:
1. Making the app a useful one
The mobile application in development should be helpful to users, first and foremost. It should be helpful to them in realistic ways, especially in terms of saving their time and money, and hence making their lives easy.
One of the best places to start is incorporating the value proposition in the elevator pitch. If the business has addressed an important feature people face then the app can be tested in a focus group having friends and family first then the public and the target audience eventually.
2. Understanding the target users
Understanding users is a must. Developers usually skip due to impatience and lack of time. The result becomes a problem and that is why they take time to understand them. They need to have people involved in testing the app before they go live. The people who will test them should not be involved in the product development process in any way possible.
3. Ensuring onboarding is easy
Users no longer need to register in an app. It is now a thing of the past. This created very high bounce rates. Now companies have decided to remove all barriers and allow users to onboard themselves easily. If the app wants their personal or debit/credit card details, it can do so later on.
4. Using best practices of mobile app development
There are many apps present. Only a handful of them are successful. Hence it is wise to follow the footsteps of the apps that are successful. It doesn’t imply that apps need to copy one another, they should avoid repeating the mistakes of apps that flopped. This is true in terms of app design as the app has to be functional. Then the mobile app development cost can be considered.
5. Avoiding unnecessary redirects
A very good and user-friendly app should have everything a user needs. Meaning they should not have to excessively navigate through the app to solve their issue. Thus linking and directing users to external pages from the app is a very bad habit that should be avoided.
6. Designing Users’ touch points in the app
App developers must consider certain situations when users want to use the app and be ready accordingly. Push notifications are a worthwhile tool from a technical viewpoint. App developers should experiment with them.
When these notifications are applied correctly, push notifications can attract people back into the app at the right when they need it the most.
7. Add integrations whenever possible
Integrating payment systems, chatbots, file-sharing options, social media options, and the like requires tools people are familiar with (PayPal, ChatGPT, etc.). App developers can integrate them into the app at a fraction of the cost.
This makes it easier for both users and developers alike, especially when the latter works together with top-notch systems people love using.
8. Ensuring both aesthetics and functionality go hand in hand
Both the app’s design and function contribute to a top-notch user experience (UX). Making the product look good counts a lot. It is tested when the app is launched via either the Apple App Store, Google Play Store, or both. Good-looking apps are downloaded more than average-looking ones.
9. Making a safe environment for users
No user wants their data to be compromised. Data privacy is important and is tested when the apps are launched via app stores.
10. Don’t stop listening to users in making the app grow
The advancement of technology is exponential. New operating systems make new possibilities for mobile apps to avert past errors. Screen sizes of smartphones change constantly and they require adjusting the product’s layout. User behavior changes too. What worked well yesterday may annoy users tomorrow.
Over to You
Making a user-friendly mobile application is indeed fun. It however still requires diligent and accurate research to be conducted to ensure the app is user-friendly and also, unique and free of features competing apps have. Apps need to be original, authentic, pleasant, and functional at the same time. This is how they can also be user-friendly whilst maintaining their uniqueness.
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