Revolutionising User Experience In App Development

Having a seamless and enjoyable user experience is essential in today's digital world. With so many apps competing for attention, users tend to have high expectations. For example, if you develop an app that is difficult or frustrating to use, users will quickly switch to another one. So prioritising user experience will not only contribute to the success of your app, but will also drive it’s popularity among users. In this article we will share insights on the benefits of prioritising user experience in mobile apps and explore the strategies in which user experience can be improved. Let’s first unpack what we mean by “UX”. 

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Understanding the concept of UX

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User experience also known as “UX” in app development is the overall experience that a user has while interacting with an app encompassing factors such as app user-friendliness, efficiency, and satisfaction. Understanding user experience serves as the bridge between technology and human behaviour while ensuring that the digital landscape feels natural and seamless for users. Having a well-designed user experience enhances app performance by improving navigation and reducing loading times while ensuring responsive and intuitive design. This translates into better user satisfaction, lower bounce rates, and increased retention. UX specialists are essential during the early stages of app development to identify the core thinking and frameworks that will be used to create user experience. 

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Benefits of Good User Experience For Mobile Apps

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• Increased user satisfaction: when users have a positive experience with an app, they tend to be happy with it and continue using it for longer. This will lead to an increased retention and customer loyalty.
• Improved engagement: with a good user experience, people will be more inclined to use the app because the overall experience will make it engaging and enjoyable to use. This can result in longer app session durations and higher levels of user involvement.
• Gives your app a competitive advantage: in today’s digital landscape, there is more competition as most businesses use apps as part of their operations. So having a well-designed and user-friendly app can give you an advantage over your competitors. 
• Higher conversion rates: a well-designed and user-friendly app can improve conversion rates by guiding users through their desired actions or transactions more effectively. This can lead to higher sales, subscriptions or other desired outcomes.

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Discover the principles of user experience:

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• In any app development process it’s essential to always conduct thorough user research and design a user-centred interface while prioritising the app’s usability and constantly gathering user feedback to make the necessary improvements. 
• The needs of users should always be prioritised throughout the design process while exploring the different ways to understand their preferences, goals and aim to meet all their expectations. 
• Consistency in maintaining uniformity in design elements is key. Elements such as colours, fonts and interactions provide a cohesive and predictable experience. Staying consistent in this will help users navigate the app with ease and reduce confusion. 
• Developing a certain aesthetic is also important and will contribute to user satisfaction. Having a design and interface that is visually appealing will create a positive emotional response and attract more users. 
• Provide timely and informative feedback to users about the outcome of their actions. This will help them understand the system’s response and guide their next steps. Feedback is always necessary regardless of whether a user’s action is successful or if there’s an error. 

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Key strategies to improve user experience:

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1. Optimise the app’s performance: according to research conducted by Google, over 50% of mobile users abandon an app or a website if it takes more than 3 seconds to load. It’s important to always optimise your app’s performance to ensure a faster loading time. Some practices to incorporate include minimising HTTP requests, implementing caching mechanisms and consider compressing images and assets where necessary.
2. Implement personalised strategies: personalisation includes an emotional aspect that can significantly impact user engagement and retention. By leveraging user data and preferences, you can tailor the content, provide recommendations and interactions that will create a more meaningful experience for users.
3. Prioritise the app’s accessibility: app developers should consider that people with different capabilities are likely to use the app in future. While this may often be overlooked, it is a critical apsect for users. So it’s important that your app is inclusive and accommodates everyone including people with disabilities. 
4. Provide user feedback and testing: continuously collecting user feedback and conducting thorough testing are essential steps in refining your app’s user experience. This can be done by engaging with users through surveys, advising them to give reviews and complete feedback forms that offer valuable insights into areas that need to be improved. 

User experience is an essential part of any app development strategy and with everything moving to digital, it is an critical factor for success. Having an app is not just about making it look good, but also about making every interaction with it meaningful, enjoyable and likely to be recommended by users. With UX specialists in the picture, they can help you bridge the gap between your vision and reality by helping you design and implement an engaging user experience for your app. Contact Liorra today to find out more on how you can create apps that aren’t just functional, but also intuitive and engaging for users.

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