Mobile App Design: Usable Interfaces for

Tiny Places

Nima Vadiee@NimaVadiee

Jeremy Anticouni @JeremyAnticouni

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Overview

Agenda • Wires Are Worth it• Less is More• You’re All Thumbs• Perception of Performance

The importance of prototyping and wire-framing

Jumping straight into design is the fastest way to slow down the project in the long run.

Skipping UX design always results in delays down the road as questions arise and must be discussed and then

Don't trade one for the other! UI distilled from the UX design.

UI and UX are not the same thing.

Iterate!!

Complicated interfaces are easy.

Crafting visually appealing user interfaces that remain intuitive and simple is far more challenging.

Great design is about taking away and simplifying; not layering on more complexity.

White space is good... when properly implemented, it will reinforce the important interface elements.

To simplify an interface, review every visual element and ask how it benefits the user.

Avoid ornamental or trendy elements -- “everyone else is doing it” is not enough of a reason to include in your design;

Examples.

‘Less is More’ Cont..

The fewer elements that are crammed together will make the interface easier

Guideline References

iOS Human Interface Guidelineshttp://bit.ly/apigee-iOS_HIG

Android Design Guidelineshttp://bit.ly/apigee-Android_Design

Actionable elements should be a minimum of 44 x 44 points.

If visually this minimum takes away from the design, make the surrounding area tappable while keeping the element size smaller.

Readability is highly important and using minimum font sizes will help achieve this. For example, Apple uses the following font sizes for their interface elements

•Titles & Button labels: 20pt •List Labels: 17pt •Standard text: 16pt

Clearly the performance of an app directly affects the user experience.

However, its not always within your control.

Network conditions, device type & processing power, amongst other things all contribute to the perceived performance of an app.

Provide the user immediate feedback that their action has been received.

Use spinners and loading indicators when you know a task will not be completed instantly

Takeaways

Don't rush the UI/UX, it’s one of the most important aspects of great app development.

Simplify. Declutter.

Follow HIG best practices, your users (and Apple reviewers) will appreciate it.

Give your users the perception of performance, even when it’s outside your control.

Nima Vadiee@NimaVadiee

Jeremy Anticouni @JeremyAnticouni

Questions?

Thanks!

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