Creating better smartphone apps

with user experience

eGuide

Smartphone App

User Experience

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Contents

Introduction: Creating better smartphone apps with user experience 4

Section 1: App user experience and this eGuide 5

Section 2: Smartphone apps and user experience 9

Section 3: The importance of UX in mobile app development 12

Section 4: Mobile app UX—what makes a good app 14

Section 5: Mobile app UX—Best Practice 17

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Creating better smartphone apps with user experience

Mobile applications (Apps), are now a common feature of everyday life. Thanks to the popularity of

smartphones, and more recently tablets, we live in a world where if you want something doing on

the fly, such as booking cinema tickets while riding the world's tallest rollercoaster, there's most likely

an app for it.

With smartphone ownership in the UK alone at 72%, there's a tremendous market out there for apps

of all shapes, persuasions and sizes. Globally, it has been predicted that annual app downloads will

hit 268.7bn by 2017, with iOS and Android taking 90% of this share.

So if you want to get your digital foot in the door, now's as good a time as any. But it's not simply a

case of developing an app and releasing into the wild, hoping that it takes off. There's a mountain

of competition out there, some good, some bad, and some just plain ugly. You need to stand out

from the crowd to ensure that your app isn't deleted as quickly as it's downloaded.

So how do you engage your potential customers, and:

A) make sure they download the app

B) make sure they use it

That's where the user experience comes in.

App user experience: This eGuide

The aim of this eGuide is to give you and your organisation a better understanding of why user ex-

perience is such an important factor in the success of an app, as well as some of the best practices

you should follow when designing your own.

Section 1

A brief history of mobile

apps

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A brief history of mobile apps

The modern mobile app age began in 2007, when Apple released the 1st generation of its now

ubiquitous iPhone. The launch saw the smartphone, previously something of a niche market among

the Blackberry-sporting business community, delivered into the hands of the everyday user.

The App Store (home for all iPhone apps) followed in 2008, along with the iPhone 3GS, and the rest,

as they say, is history.

The Android operating system also made its debut in 2008, offering a refreshing alternative to Ap-

ple's proprietary system, being not only open source, but also allowing third-party developers to re-

lease native apps (something Apple initially prohibited).

Native app – An app written for a specific OS and stored locally on the device

Web app – An app which is stored on a server and accessed via a device's web browser

Global iPhone sales (in million units)

11.42

24.89

46.6

89.26

126.22

150.26

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013

units (million)

5

14

30

48

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

2010 Q2 2011 Q2 2012 Q2 2013 Q2

units (billion)

iPhone app downloads

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Section 2

Global Android device sales (in million units)

Android app downloads

As is evident from these figures, the amount of apps downloaded in a relatively short space of time

is quite phenomenal. And what's more, Microsoft have also started to make inroads into the domes-

tic handheld market, following the release of Windows Phone, which, according to Gartner, sold

8.91 million units in 2013 Q3, and has had 3bn app downloads since the 2010 inception of its Win-

dows Phone Store.

The purpose of apps

The way in which apps have entered the public consciousness, and been adopted with such gusto,

obviously means they're doing something right. So what makes them so popular?

The purpose of an app – a good one, anyway – is to provide a solution, within the context of which

it's being used. These self-contained, often single purpose programs also add simplicity and immedi-

0 6.8

67.22

219.52

453.07

539.11

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 (up toQ3)

units (million)

0.2893

15

50

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

2010 Q2 2011 Q2 2012 Q2 2013 Q2

units (billion)

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-acy into the equation, negating the need to engage the smartphone's – albeit more than capable

– browser, adding at least some level of functionality without the need for an internet connection.

Research has shown that mobile apps are the preferred method of connecting, with 85% of users

preferring them to mobile websites.

With an app tailored towards almost anything you can think of, chances are it falls into one of the

following categories:

Shopping – buying online, product reviews, store finders etc

Productivity – performing tasks, banking, accounts, content creation etc

Time killing – games, books, watching films, TV, music, diverting attention etc

News – information channels, newspapers, magazines etc

Utilities – notepads, calculators, communications, calendars, maps etc

Social – social networks, file sharing, photos etc

This gives an idea of the possibilities open to you when designing your app.

Size of the market

Number of available apps:

Section 2

Smartphone apps and

user experience

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Smartphone apps and user experience

User experience (UX) is all about providing the best experience for the user. Whether it's a website,

app, systems, or a physical product, they can all benefit from extensive UX research and rigorous

usability testing.

Currently, user experience design is undergoing a bit of a purple patch, with awareness increasing,

along with adoption, but the situation is far from perfect.

Why isn't user experience universally implemented?

User experience is still not seen as a make or break factor in many of the smartphone apps that

make it to market. This is despite 89% of enterprises in a 2012 survey saying that user experience was

their most critical mobile app concern. The same survey revealed that customer engagement (87%)

and competitive advantage (79%) were the key business drivers for developing a mobile app, while

50% reported only an average ROI from their

venture. More than 21% said they were disap-

pointed by the ROI, with 6% branding their foray

into the mobile application market a "huge fail-

ure".

These last three statistics paint something of a

grim picture, and might well be a major contrib-

utory factor to the lack of interest in implement-

ing thorough user experience research.

The cost, in both time and money, of adding UX

processes and usability testing to the develop-

ment cycle might well be putting many organisations off, particularly if they suspect it won't be

worth the initial investment. This, of course, is a false economy, with apps that haven't undergone at

least some form of UX, destined for the scrapheap, or joining the 80 to 90 percent that are used

once then deleted

Further reasons why UX is ignored

In our experience working with organisations from around the world the reasons many shy away

from mobile user experience research for their apps include:

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Previous bad experience – Stakeholders and decision makers might've had their fingers

burnt on a previous occasion by poorly conducted user research

Misplaced belief – An unswerving notion that they know what their customers and users

want, and research won't teach them anything

Do-it-Yourself – The attitude that building and testing prototypes etc can't be that difficult,

so why spend money when the development team can do it

As previously stated, attitudes are changing – which is a good thing for stakeholders, the UX industry,

and, most importantly, the end user, who'll benefit from better applications designed to enhance

their experience – but user experience still remains something of a poor relation within the whole

digital design and development sphere.

Section 3

The importance of user

experience in mobile

app development

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The importance of user experience in mobile app development

Creating mobile applications that your customers want to use isn't simply a case of throwing every-

thing at the wall and seeing what sticks.

Even if you think you know your customers inside out, does this knowledge include:

Behavioural patterns when interacting with your app?

What drives them to use your app?

The context in which they use it?

What's required to offer the path of least resistance to conversion?

Mobile user experience research and usability testing will provide the answers to these questions,

along with eliminating break points, bugs, and any other frustration factors that cause the user to

desert your app. For instance, one particular company increased their sales by 45% with one simple

design change, a problem that was picked up after they conducted usability testing.

And it isn't only an increase in sales that user experience research can enable, but also customer

retention. A survey into why customers desert one company in favour of another revealed the chief

reason (68%) to be the belief that the company doesn't care about them.

A good user experience creates a good customer experience, which is the key to customer loyalty.

Section 4

Mobile app user experience:

What makes a good app?

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Mobile app user experience: What makes a good app?

The key element in a successful user experience is performance. How does your mobile app per-

form under real conditions, in the hands of a real user.

This is why usability testing is such an important part of the whole UX design process, as what the

customer expects, and what the customer gets, are never guaranteed to be one and the same.

Usefulness

A mobile app should have a clearly defined purpose, and one that serves the user. It can be a

means to making their life easier, providing relevant info, or purchasing goods. Whatever the pur-

pose, the app must enable the consumer to achieve their goals.

The mobile medium is one through which you can deliver features and functions to customers, em-

ployees and partners almost anywhere, based upon your business capabilities, design, quality, and

a splash of innovation. Your mobile app should reflect this.

Easy to use

A mobile app should be easy to use – a sentiment echoed by 74% of consumers. Ask yourself

whether your app is simple to get to grips with, or does it alienate the user by being too complicat-

ed.

Does it offer:

Out of the box functionality – Can it be downloaded and used immediately, without the

need for detailed instruction or lengthy setup?

A clear path to achieving goals – Is the user able to accomplish what they set out to do,

with the minimum of error or confusion?

A user-centric UI – Is the User Interface designed with both the consumer's needs and ex-

pectations at its core?

Seamless functionality – Are smartphone features relevant to your app (GPS, camera etc)

smoothly integrated, without seeming forced, tacked on, or secondary to the user experi-

ence?

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Remember, the mobile user is frequently on the move, and tends to have their device on them at

all times. Does your app cater for this degree of mobility?

Is it:

Responsive – Is the user able to navigate your app with ease, regardless of location and screen-

size?

Fast – Does your app offer fast and smooth transition between pages, allowing those that are on

the move speedy access to the content they require?

Contextually aware – Does your app cater to the context in which the majority of users will be

engaging with it?

Desirability

The user should be able to connect with the app. Usefulness and ease of use are one thing, but if

the consumer fails to be engaged by their experience, they 're not going to be returning any time

soon.

The enjoyment factor can often be forgotten, while the other UX fundamentals are set in place.

While the importance of creating a useful and usable app is central to the user experience, so too is

making it desirable. If an emotional connection is established, then it's going to get more use. Desir-

ability covers the aesthetic and emotional factors that raise your app above the mediocrity of the

herd. A design that achieves this should be part of your key requirements.

75% of users think an app should do EXACTLY what

they want it to do

Section 5

Mobile app user experience:

Best practices

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Mobile app user experience: Best practices

Great user experiences don't happen by accident. They take planning, research, testing and then

some ...

Adhering to UX best practices will set your mobile app on the road to success.

General advice

Getting the user experience right matters more than your choice of development platform.

If you want your users to embrace your mobile app, concentrate on the UX

There's also more to smartphone app design than tailoring for the smaller screen. Recognis-

ing that your users are seldom without their devices, and can interact with them regardless

of location, or activity, is all part of designing a great mobile app

Functionality is great when it allows the user to accomplish a task, but if it's difficult to use in

a mobile context, then it will do more damage than good

Remain consistent – Ensure your brand remains consistent from app to website etc, to instil

confidence in the user via a sense of familiarity

Create personas

A good starting point when building a user-centric smartphone app, is to create a variety of per-

sonas from which you can get a clear idea of the needs, goals and behavioural characteristics of

your prospective users. The following tips can help you to achieve this:

Segment the target audience – Ascertain who the target audience of your mobile app will

be, then divide into specific user types, narrowing your scope before moving onto the next

step

Conduct user research – Whether observational, verbal, or via written surveys, get to know

your user types better: what makes them tick, and how they go about achieving their goals

Breathe life into your creations – Draw upon your research to create realistic and insightful

personas which stakeholders, design, and developers can unite behind, ensuring the pro-

ject remains focussed

Rinse and repeat – Ensure you are 100% happy with your personas by repeating any of the

previous processes until you have a fully evolved, fleshed out user type that you can work

with

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Usability

Usability lies at the heart of a good user experience. With mobile apps this means test, test, and test

again – while following some of the best practices below:

Think performance – Performance drives both the app, and the user perception of the

app. Remain focussed on building a usable app that's at the top of its game

Consider the context – Tailor your app to suit the context in which it will be used. Mobile

context =

Location – Mobile devices are designed to be used almost anywhere

Movement – Mobile devices are designed to be used regardless of what the user is

doing, whether on the move or immobile

Immediacy – Mobile devices offer immediate access for the user

Preference – Mobile devices fulfil different roles for different people, varying from oc-

casional use, to constant engagement, through to adoption for a specific task

Buttons

Fat finger syndrome can cause even the most patient of mobile users to scream blue murder and

hurl their device against the nearest brick wall. Ensure your mobile app isn't the cause of a smashed

handset by:

Designing buttons that are the optimum size for a smartphone screen, and suitable for big,

as well as regular sized fingers

Keeping buttons where the user expects to find them, avoiding confusion and frustration

Making sure there's a uniformity of colour between buttons that have the same function

Touch

The touch screen input is the user's primary method of interacting with your app. Keep in mind these

usability pointers when designing for a smartphone:

Avoid drop down menus – On-screen real estate is of a premium so far as the smaller

screen is concerned, and drop down menus not only eat into that valuable space, but also

give the user a confusing array of options when it's better just to point them in the right di-

rection. What's more, drop downs and touch screen aren't an ideal fit, particularly for those

with larger fingers

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Avoid sidebars – As with drop down menus: takes up valuable space; presents too many

options for a mobile user; too fiddly for touch screens

Include 'breadcrumbs' – Maybe not breadcrumbs specifically, but ensure there is a visible

way for the user to either go back, undo an action, or return to the home page, as the

combination of clumsy fingers and touch screen equals a recipe for mistakes

Help cut down on user error – Make sure common operations are prominent upon the

screen, so that the user can locate and activate them with ease

And one final pointer:

Avoid dark backgrounds – Purely cosmetic, but not everybody treats their smartphone with

same degree of unbridled reverence. Greasy fingerprints, smudges, and assorted smears

show up more on darker backgrounds than on lighter ones. You don't want your app to be

the one that draws attention to the filth festering upon the user's screen

Text

Getting the text on your mobile app just right is as important as any other usability feature, as we

are living in a world where people read less, and scan more. With a smartphone, and the context in

which it is used (i.e. anywhere, during any activity), this receding tolerance for great swathes of text

is reduced even further.

Include headings to draw the user's eye to the

content they seek

Include bullet-points, as they are both easy to

read, and a quickly identifiable way of pre-

senting key points

Test font sizes as part of your usability testing, to

find which best suits the users of your app

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Common mistakes

To close both our 'Best Practices' section, and indeed this eGuide, here's some of the 'worst practic-

es' routinely committed against good user experience in the pursuit of smartphone app glory (as

defined by UX wizard, Jakob Nielsen, with additional explanations by us).

Trying to do too much – Remain focussed on what matters to your customers, and stop

throwing the kitchen sink at them. In the words of Nielsen himself, "When everything is prom-

inent, nothing is prominent."

Forcing registration before user experience – Nobody wants to register their details, or open

an account before they can start achieving their goals. If your app is eCommerce related,

you should be allowing guest checkout, then offering the opportunity to register, once the

transaction has gone through. "Early registration must die!"

Making it difficult to touch and manipulate – Fingers aren't, and never will be, as agile as

the human eye. As discussed earlier, touch screen, particularly on a smaller device, is the

bane of the larger, or less dexterous, finger. Touch targets on a smartphone need to big-

ger, so that they cater for all

Too much too soon – A cluttered first screen is an instant turn off; it should be home to few-

er commands and the basics for kicking off the user journey. Simplicity and focus is the key,

with progressive disclosure building the user experience

So there it is. Our guide to smartphone app UX. Hopefully it will have encouraged you to consider

the user experience so far as your own apps are concerned.

The pathway to a more successful app

If you would like to create a better smartphone app user experience for your customers contact

Usability24/7 today!

Usability247

Siena Court, The Broadway,

Maidenhead

SL6 1NJ

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Tel:+44(0)8000 246247

Email: info@usability247.com

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