Good, Better, And The Best – App Design That Converts

Written by: Ilia Kiselevich, Executive Contributor

Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.

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In a world where apps are constantly competing for user attention, making an outstanding first impression has become increasingly challenging. A fresh, well-balanced UI/UX design is exactly what you need to not only attract users but also boost conversion rates.

UI/UX design is a dynamic field that never stands still. While minimalism and personalization will always be relevant, trends in animation, typography, and color schemes are something that designers should constantly monitor. In this article, we won’t explore current UI/UX design trends that come and go. I’d like to share five evergreen principles that you should take into account when creating your mobile app.

Principle No.1 User-centric design

The user is at the core of every successful app design. As such, you should ensure that your UI/UX design speaks directly to the specific needs of your target audience and delivers the most efficient customer journey possible. In other words, grasp what matters to real users, not just to you or your stakeholders. When designers and developers prioritize the user experience, they can create interfaces that are not only eye-pleasing but also intuitive. Plus, such an approach reduces the likelihood of adding unnecessary features and ensures that the app's performance is optimized. When users encounter an app that doesn't meet their expectations or is hard to navigate, they are more likely to abandon it. If your purpose is high engagement and growing user loyalty, user-centric design will help you achieve a superior user experience.

How to meet this principle?

Good: Identify your target audience.

Better: Identify your target audience and their customer journey.

The best: Identify your target audience, divide them into detailed groups (or so-called Ideal Customer Profiles, or ICP), and define the customer journey of each ICP.

Principle No.2 Intuitive navigation

Navigation is something that is worth spending time and resources on. Otherwise, your app is on a direct path to reduced engagement, conversion rates, and revenue. One of our recent clients faced exactly that situation. Having a functioning food delivery app, they noticed that the app's interface was inconvenient, which caused troubles with navigation. Because of this, the client was losing potential customers and revenue. Through in-depth discovery, our team managed to uncover user needs that had been previously overlooked. As a result, we were able to revamp the app, taking into account its audience and individual characteristics. This case proves that template solutions are not always a great path. Spotless UI/UX design starts with conducting comprehensive research and anticipating how users are likely to interact with your app. They should be able to navigate your app without having to think too hard about where to find specific features or information. This can be achieved by creating a logical menu structure, employing easily recognizable icons, and using consistent design elements. Additionally, personalizing the navigation experience based on user preferences can significantly improve conversions. Statistically, 58% of users show a preference for apps that remember their past interactions and behavior. How to meet this principle? Good: Conduct thorough discovery to map the user journey.

Better: Conduct thorough discovery to map the user journey and implement clear, recognizable design elements (icons, labels, colors, etc.).

The best: Conduct thorough discovery to map the user journey, implement clear, recognizable design elements, and collect feedback to develop personalized navigation.

Principle No.3 Visual hierarchy and consistency

To empower your app with a seamless visual hierarchy, you first need to think of the attention ratio. This concept refers to the relationship between the number of interactive elements on an app screen and an action you’re waiting for from the user. A well-thought-out visual hierarchy directs and focuses users' attention on the most important elements and calls to action (CTA). By minimizing distractions, you swiftly guide the user to tap the button or link you need. Ideally, the attention ratio should be 1:1—one CTA per screen. If you’re looking to increase the likelihood of the intended conversion, start by defining the most critical elements and making them visually distinct. Use size, color, typography, and positioning to guide the user's eye to these key areas. Keep in mind that users tend to focus on larger, more contrasting, or centrally positioned elements. In the best visual hierarchy, the design not only emphasizes essential elements but also maintains a consistent style throughout the app. This uniformity ensures that users can easily navigate through different sections of your app without hesitation. How to meet this principle?

Good: Put no more than one call to action per screen. Better: Put no more than one call to action per screen and emphasize vital elements through size, color, and placement.

The best: Put no more than one call to action per screen, emphasize vital elements through size, color, and placement, and maintain design consistency throughout your app.

Principle No.4 Responsive and adaptive design

When you create a mobile app, make sure it looks good across various screen sizes. A staggering 83% of users anticipate a seamless experience across all devices. It seems like a fairly obvious thing, but we often see how many companies overlook this matter and lose potential leads. To achieve such responsiveness, begin by designing flexible layouts that can adapt to different screen sizes. This entails using fluid grids, responsive images, and scalable typography. By ensuring that your app can adjust its design elements as needed, users on both small mobile screens and large desktop monitors will have an equally enjoyable experience. Adaptive design encompasses not only device versatility but also cross-platform compatibility. Consider adopting development frameworks like Flutter to create a single code base that can run on both iOS and Android platforms, streamlining the development process and broadening your app's reach. How to meet this principle?

Good: Design flexible layouts that adapt to different screen sizes.

Better: Enhance your responsive and adaptive design by considering cross-platform development tools like Flutter to reach both iOS and Android users.

The best: Implement a highly personalized and device-aware design that optimizes the user experience on various devices, taking full advantage of each device's capabilities.

Principle No.5 Performance and loading speed optimization

Do you have enough patience for slow-loading apps? Your users either. Stats claim that 90% of users abandon an app due to poor performance.

To achieve good loading speed optimization, start by identifying factors that can affect an app's speed, such as inefficient code, excessive data usage(images, motion elements, videos, etc.), or server-related issues. Addressing these areas is a fundamental step to ensuring your app loads swiftly and operates smoothly.

For better performance optimization, regularly monitor and fine-tune your app, utilizing data and analytics to identify bottlenecks and areas for improvement. Strive to maintain a balance between functionality and speed, ensuring that users can access features and content without delay.

How to meet this principle?

Good: Identify and address factors that affect app speed.

Better: Continuously monitor and fine-tune your app's performance, utilizing data and analytics.

The best: Make performance and loading speed optimization an ongoing effort, ensuring your app maintains optimal speed, even under complex scenarios, to provide users with a seamless and highly responsive experience.

Bottom line

Remember that what may appear convenient and comprehensible to you may not necessarily be so to your users. Avoid relying solely on your personal preferences, as this is a common pitfall.

Bear in mind that simplicity is key. Emphasize simplicity in every aspect, ensuring that any animations serve a specific purpose rather than simply consuming your users' valuable time.

Do not forget that design, along with other technologies, primarily serves the purpose of solving business challenges, with convenience, trends, and aesthetics following suit. So, when it comes to creating an app that sells, consider seeking some top-notch expertise to make your app shine bright.

Follow me on LinkedIn, or visit my website for more info! Read more from Ilia!

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Ilia Kiselevich, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine

CEO & Founder of SolveIt – a mobile development company, entrepreneur and product owner of HBT. Ilia Kiselevich is an entrepreneur with a keen eye for emerging technologies and a deep understanding of market dynamics committed to transforming ideas into reality. Under Ilia's guidance, SolveIt has garnered recognition for its remarkable quality of delivered solutions, award-winning UX/UI design, and 100% customer satisfaction score.