User experience (UX) design relies on knowing and understanding the audience, but companies need more data to create a positive UX for a new app. It’s much easier to tweak things after the launch.
As Web 3.0 looms, UX design will become even more crucial. Since over 90% of users access the internet via mobile devices, focusing on excellent app design is a significant first step to creating highly usable designs. However, the time leading up to the launch of new software is vulnerable for many businesses.
We found numerous areas UX designers should pay attention to and understand. How does UX get compromised beforehand?
Most app designers need more time than they get to complete a project. UX designers want things to be perfect and may get bogged down in the little details of creating software. Unfortunately, when a launch deadline looms, the design may get rushed and wind up not being as stellar as it otherwise would have been.
When in a time crunch, the designer might even skip user testing. With intense study and comparisons, it’s easier to know what’s resonating with users and whether glitches are ruining the entire experience.
Approximately a quarter of users abandon an app after using it one time. One of the top reasons people walk away from a program is it isn’t personalized to them or their needs. The team might compromise user experience before the app launches because they do not understand how crucial UX is to the project.
Personalized recommendations drive e-commerce today. Amazon is an excellent example of tapping into personalization. When you land on your homepage on the site, they offer suggestions based on past buying and browsing behavior. They also greet you by name and provide additional listings throughout the process.
One study showed personalizing customer experiences increased revenue by as much as 10% to 30%. One company saw a 23% rise in average revenue per user by utilizing personalization. Businesses experience multiple benefits when personalizing apps and websites, such as improved user retention, higher engagement and increased loyalty. You want raving fans who tell others about you.
Personalize your apps to user needs to increase engagement. Around 33% of consumers will leave a business relationship because they want more personalization. Even personal offers and quick notes can help a brand stand out from the competition.
Another issue that often happens just before the product launch is running out of money. Resources become limited and designers push to finish the app or design faster. When time and money gets reduced, the usability of the product suffers.
Because UX is often the last thing people think about when creating something new, it can get pushed to the back burner. Rather than looking at user experience at the end of the project, move it into the initial planning phase. From the first steps of “what does this app do,” think about how it meets the user’s needs and how they will interact with the finished project. After each element you add to the design, ask how it impacts UX. Make the entire project a user-centered design.
If your team runs out of funds, time or both, features you wanted to include may get left out of the initial launch. It’s better to plan for everything possible for the best user engagement.
Lack of time and enthusiasm to get the app launched quickly can lead to poor user flow due to not enough testing. With around 73% of consumers stating experience defines whether or not they make a purchase, paying attention to the user’s journey while using the product matters.
You have to work on user flow consistently throughout the creative process. You might know how people will navigate through the design, but until it’s in use, you won’t know what needs tweaking. Start by looking at the user journey. How do they move through the app or various features? Use tools such as heat maps to see which areas people click on most often. Create surveys and split tests to see what functions best for your audience.
Allot time to fix any workflow bugs or bottlenecks after completing the design process. At a minimum, the product development team should use the app or website themselves. Click on links, go through the process, and look for bugs or issues that aggravate you as a user.
In the planning phase of coming up with a new idea, it’s easy to be all over the place. However, as the project moves forward, it’s crucial to narrow the focus and pay attention to the product’s usability.
For example, the team might focus more on the project’s features or technical specifications and forget to improve the UX. Fortunately, there are some things you can do to ensure user experience gets considered.
As people interact with your app, they'll let you know where you can improve and refine the design to create a stronger UX.
Although you need a team for the best finished product, having multiple people work on a project also makes for inconsistent design and methods. You can get around this issue by creating a style guide for each project.
Whenever someone new works on a graphic, design, and even the app or website interface, they should refer to the style guide to ensure they’re sticking to the standards you’ve laid out. At a minimum, your style guide should contain a list of fonts, variations of the logo, call to action style and wording, tone of voice for the brand, and color palettes. Add to these details as you find what works best for your users.
Spend time double-checking for inconsistencies before you launch. Look at small things, such as if every CTA button is the same shade. Is every page utilizing a similar name and metadata appropriate for that page? Does anything stand out as different from the rest of the design? The user will never see some things that make a project inconsistent, but it can still impact their overall experience.
If you have enough time before the launch, conduct any testing and trial possible. Research shows 67.8% of mobile apps get fewer than 1,000 downloads. You can beat those odds by meeting user needs. Customer experience design considers what works for the end user and fixes issues along the way. Keep testing, keep changing things and repeat until your app is one of the best on the market.
Because the launch might creep up quickly, you might have insufficient time to test the program thoroughly. Ensure you consistently use A/B testing to see how well users respond to the app or website.
Even if you must launch, go ahead and run split tests afterwards. When real users interact, you’ll get valuable feedback on how well the design works for them.
Paying careful attention to UX before launch avoids the issues some app designers run into. A positive user experience leads to more use and adoption of the app, positive reviews and increased consumer satisfaction. Development teams must focus on UX and ensure everything meets their standards to create the best possible user experience.
Eleanor Hecks is the managing editor at Designerly. She’s also a mobile app designer with a focus on UI. Connect with her about digital marketing, UX and/or tea on LinkedIn.
