Want a great mobile app? Based on your app development strategy, the app might work fine, but that’s only half the battle. If you really want your app to shine, it needs a killer design.

Whether you’re designing the app yourself or hiring a designer, I’ll give you some tips to make the app look like a prize winner.

This guide is also a great reference for designers working on multiple applications for different clients.

Applications that are not well designed will simply not be successful. You may be able to skate for a while, but eventually, users will be frustrated and stop using it.

1. Stay with what works

There is no reason to try to reinvent the wheel when it comes to designing an application.

Do not get me wrong. I’m not saying you can’t be creative. However, you need to stay on top of what has worked historically and what users are familiar with.

Most successful applications all have similar designs. Do not design an application that will have a difficult learning curve for users.

Take a look at some of the best mobile apps and see how their design is arranged.

For example, most mobile phone users are familiar with common touch gestures.

If they click on a button, they are expected to be brought to another page. If he moves two fingers apart on the screen, he expects to be able to zoom in. If I swipe, the page is expected to move.

In addition, people associate certain images and icons with what they saw in other applications. One of the most common is an envelope icon, which is associated with email.

2. Keep your design on a grid

Use a grid to help you design your application. Although it can be invisible, it is a great guide.

That’s because grids can be a great resource for defining your spacing.

This will keep your application looking tidy and organized. Grids help you see what your application will look like when the design components are complete.

You can make sure that the text and images do not overlap. Set and define your margins on the grid.

No one wants to use an application that has crooked images or misaligned text.

3. Do not make random color choices

All design elements of your application must have a clear purpose, including color aspects.

Don’t make colors too bright, contrasting, or difficult to read. You don’t want to hurt anyone’s eyes if the colors are too bright.

Similar to what we discussed earlier in terms of how it works, use common color combinations for your buttons.

For example, whatever is yes or continuous should be green, while the no or exit buttons should be red.

4. Keep it simple

I’m not saying your design needs to be super basic. Just don’t go over the top in terms of user interface complexity.

Remember that real users will view and use your application on a small device. Don’t try to lock everything in a small space and expect it to work. UI elements must be considered for use.

Here’s something else to consider. If your design is complicated, it may take longer for your application to load. I will discuss this concept in more detail soon.

5. Understand the differences in screen size

Mobile app designers need to recognize different screen sizes and resolutions.

Smartphones, even from the same brand and manufacturer, come in different shapes, sizes and resolutions. Take a look at some of the latest iPhone models as an example of what I’m talking about.

You need to consider other devices as well. Think about how many people will use your tablet app.

Depending on where your app is available, you should also consider other screens, such as smart TVs.

6. Repeat the items after they have been defined

Suppose you are working on the home screen of the mobile application. If the subscription button has a certain style and color, the same button should have the same style and color on each other page.

This creates reinforcement and gives users an association with that button. It’s all about being consistent with iterations.

If certain button sizes, colors, and patterns continue to change from page to page, it will confuse the user.

As a result, they may even click the wrong button and end up on a different page than they originally intended. This can cause frustration and cause people to abandon your application.

7. clearly separated text

You do not want the different texts to meet with each other.

In an effort to be effective in designing your application, it is not always reasonable to have huge spaces between each line of text. So you’ll need to find other ways to separate the content.

Sure, you can use images or page breaks, but you can’t go that route for every line of text. So you can use other light tricks to distinguish one line from another.

For example, the header of a certain section might be capitalized. Then, just below it, go back to the usual capitalization rules.

8. Don’t forget the loading speed

As I briefly stated earlier, if the design of your app idea is too complex, it will affect the time it takes to load the app.

Take a look at how the bounce rate increases with each passing second when a page loads.

This will hurt you and cause users to abandon your application. Obviously, this is going to be a big deal. Don’t make a design so exaggerated and crazy as to cause abandonment.

Simplifying the design helps you eliminate this problem.

Fast page load speeds will improve the user experience and increase their engagement. When they enjoy their experience using your app, they will continue to use it, which gives you a better chance of making more money.

9. Don’t choose an elegant font

Your font must be readable.

Don’t get too fancy.

For the most part, your font should be fairly consistent throughout the application. You can use different fonts for different titles or sections, but be careful.

Implementing many different fonts will confuse users. Crazy fonts also look just plain sticky. There is no reason to use those that are not clearly legible.

10. Use resources to help you look good

You don’t have to create your look from scratch. There are plenty of online resources that can help you set up your mobile app design.

Try using a platform like Mobile Patterns to help.

There are a lot of different-looking resources on this platform.

You can also check out similar websites such as:

Nice interface
Patterns
Cocoa controls
Inspired user interface

11. Navigation should be easy

Part of having a simple design means that your navigation should also be easy.

Most apps are just different ways to navigate lists. Lists can be in clickable image blocks or in-text marker formats.

You can add different types of full-screen menus or even expandable accordion menus to help save space.

Whatever you do, you need to make it as easy as possible for users to navigate. An easy-to-use design means that people won’t have to scroll too far, zoom in, or be forced to scroll sideways to see the content on each page. The best application makers are optimized for UX design.

12. Don’t forget about accessibility

The accessibility of the application is absolutely necessary for your team to consider it when designing your application.

Think of certain items, such as the size of your buttons. They need to be sized and positioned properly so that users can accurately touch the right side of the screen.

Not everyone keeps their phone the same. Some people use two hands, while others use one. The design must be friendly to both left-handed and right-handed.

13. Test your mobile app design

To make sure your app and design run smoothly, you need to constantly test your app.

You might think it’s great, but acknowledge that as a person who designed it, you have a biased opinion.

You need to get feedback from other people. In my experience, it is best to outsource testing to anyone associated with the design, development, or branding of the application. In this way, the feedback is from a completely neutral perspective.

14. The design must be responsive

As I said earlier, there are so many different devices available in the market. You need to consider both Apple and Android users.

You should always design for both platforms unless your company specifically designs for one of the two and only launches on one app store.

Android dominates the global market share.

But even so, you should design your app to be responsive to both iOS and Android devices. For this purpose, claim that it is a 50/50 split.

Think about any issues that may arise with certain devices.

15. Test the iterative design of the mobile app

An iterative design uses the user interface to help you create applications that are responsive and engaging.

You can track behavioral analysis for how users react when they use the app.

Then you can make any changes depending on how you use it.

Consider using software such as Inapptics to help you learn more about how people use your app and how design influences their actions.

16. Update your mobile app design?

You don’t want your app to become outdated or boring. Developers will come up with ways to improve the performance of an application for updates.

Well, UX designers should do the same. Development and design updates can often go hand in hand. This ensures that the basic functionalities remain intact.

Keep in mind that users may not be receptive to huge changes, especially if there is a learning curve.

For example, Snapchat has just completely redesigned its app. These changes were not received with open arms by their users.

Conclusion

Designing a great app is not easy?

Whether you’re designing your own app, hiring a designer, or hiring a designer, it’s important to consider all of your best design practices.

Let your creativity shine, but don’t let it compromise your app.

Stick to the basics. If you want to design a prize winner, use the tools and tips we’ve outlined to help you get the job done right.

Does your mobile app design meet the criteria for an award-winning app?