There are lots of challenges when it comes to designing a mobile app. There are nuances to each operating system and each smartphone differs in size, shape and set-up making a one-size-fits all app almost impossible.

But also there’s heaps of other stuff to think about too that will make make your mobile app an instant success…

Start with the end user and design backward
As with most things, when it comes to designing an app starting with the needs of the end user is key. It’s always tempting to start with what your marketing goals are as a company, but at the end of the day it’s got to appeal to that end user in order to even have the chance of achieving those marketing goals, and that’s no mean feat!

Keep it simple
Whilst all singing, all dancing websites may have the viral effect, mobile apps are still a relatively new medium with many people only just making the switch to app enabled phones. Keeping it simple is key both for those less used to the technology and for others, as the small touch screen can quickly become difficult and unclear to navigate if an app is too complicated.

Plan for offline experience
This can be a tricky one for some businesses (e-commerce being a good example), but if possible allow for some offline experience. Whether it’s the ability to browse a catalogue or play a one-player version of your game, it’s a worthwhile move. Capturing the audience who doesn’t have access to the internet, and is therefore likely to be bored and struggling to fill their time, could prove a vital future revenue stream.

Nail one thing
Lots of apps try to be everything to everyone, if it was possible to do this there’d be a lot of very rich mobile app developers, but there’d also be little point in apps! Focus on doing one thing, and doing it very well. It’s unlikely that yours will be the only app doing that one thing, so it needs to stand out, whilst the aesthetic design may give you a helping hand, ensuring that the app is slick, simple, easy to use and user friendly will lead to great reviews and leave your competitors miles behind.

Prepare for change
Though you’ll be proud as punch, your final app won’t be final. Minor bugs that have gone by unnoticed through user testing and other issues only brought to light by mass, constant use mean that it’s likely changes will need to be made fairly quickly and you’ll want to update it regularly too. Designing your app in a way which allows you to quickly and easily update and tweak without a whole heap of disruption is therefore imperative.

Tailor it for different platforms
One thing seen so often, that really is just lazy design is not tailoring your app to different platforms. If you only have the budget or capacity to build an app for one platform, stick with it and make a success of it, rather than not tailoring your design. It’s a bugbear for users particularly when it’s an iPhone app being used on an iPad! But it’s also bad for your app in the long term, as those who don’t understand why the app is not working as slickly as it should be will simply leave a bad review and then delete it!

Image source: Wikimedia