Common UX Mistakes to Avoid in your Mobile App

A mobile app is one of the most, if not the most important digital touchpoints for brands. The opportunity is huge in the mobile app market; so is the competition. There are over a million apps each in Google’s Play Store and Apple’s App Store.

The key to the long-term success of any app is to give users the best experience possible. To do this, there are some User Experience(UX) mistakes that businesses should steer clear of. The rest of this article will focus on them in detail.

1. Not knowing what users want to see

You simply cannot pick whatever designs you like; slap them onto your app and expect users to love them. Deep user research should precede everything when it comes to mobile app development. Do not make any assumptions when it comes to your user’s likes and dislikes. Whatever user research you do must provide insights into user personas, demographics, motivations, and behavioral patterns.

To create an app that users will love, you should find answers to questions like the following:

• Is the app designed as per the latest trends?
• Will the designs overwhelm users?
• Are the experiences provided by the app sustainable?  

2. Trying to make an app out of your website

Most businesses start off their digital presence with a website, and the chances of business owners wanting to replicate features of the website on their app are very high. However, this move is far from a good idea. Why? For the simple reason that mobile apps work very differently from a website and so, both design and functionality should be ideally different in both channels. The only similarity between your app and the website can be your brand colors. Everything else must mirror what your users expect from the respective channel.

3. Too much clutter

One of the main reasons why Google overtook Yahoo as the world's most popular search engine is because Yahoo tried to infuse too many elements on their website rather than focusing on being a search engine. Yahoo’s home page was cluttered with buttons and features, while Google had a simple homepage with a search bar. The same will be the case if you cram up your app with way too many elements. Not only will it be a hotbed for bad user experience, but it will also make it hard to sell the app. Limit elements to only those that will allow you to achieve the goals for which the app was ideated in the first place if you don't want to suffer the same fate as Yahoo.

4. Not adding visual clues

Your app’s users should not feel like they are walking into a mall with no signages whatsoever. There should be sufficient visual cues for users to get to do what they came to do on your app. Visual clues have a tendency to look mediocre and not conform to individual perceptions. In such a situation, the designer should adopt a more generic design approach that appeals to a wider audience. Inducing cultural and regional metaphors, at least in the copy, can do wonders.

The text and the design of your app should complement each other. For example, the copy on a CTA Button should be in active voice.  

5. A poor first impression

We have all waited a few seconds for a website to load, only to leave with no intention of coming back to the website after it failed to load. First impressions matter! The same is the case with a mobile app. The tiniest of details during the first few seconds when someone starts using your app will make them want to continue using it. It is thus imperative to create an engaging first impression with a user-friendly UI. Displaying relevant information (login, logout, help, etc.) on the very first screen is very important. If your app is made to serve a purpose, all relevant information and buttons should be reachable without complexity.  

6. Not testing it enough

It is not uncommon for app developers to forget to thoroughly test the apps they have developed. It is an absolute necessity to test an app before they are made available to the public. The last thing you want is a button not working after it is launched. Make sure to test all the elements of your app at regular intervals on every operating system, device, and version. You will never know how an operating system update could impact the design of your app until you test each and every page of the app on that OS.  

7. Not taking feedback

At the end of the day, apps are built for users, and it is important to update the app as per their preferences. As the real users of the app, they will be able to see mistakes and the scope for improvement that you may not. Take note of what users are saying about your app on social media (you can use social listening apps for this) and in the review section of the app stores. These are placed where your users will genuinely get vocal about your app and the business in general. It is also important to take feedback from people within your team.

Summing up

Whether you are a business owner or an app developer, make sure that you do not make the mistakes highlighted in this article. They could very well make the difference between your users loving the app and not even liking it. If you haven’t begun your app-building journey yet, Vajro can help you. We help build top-notch apps in just a few hours without you writing a single line of code. Wondering how? Book a demo today with us to know more.