“It's very easy to be different, but very difficult to be better.”
- Sir Jonathan Ive
“Nothing kills adoption quicker than having a mobile app look and behave like it was built by an IT department. “
- Michael Lee
UX Matters
To paraphrase Mark Twain, the difference between a world class UX and an average UX is the difference between lightning and a lightning bug. A truly high-quality mobile app is not only functionally correct, it is also easy and pleasant to use and provides a user experience that is aligned with the needs and objectives of the user.
But it’s not just about looking good. There’s a hard-dollar imperative tied to a compelling UX: adoption rates, usage, and user productivity/efficiency are directly linked to the overall UX of an app. Good design makes users happier. And happy users grow the bottom line.
But how do we make things better, not just different?
Step 1 – The App Logline
Few movies in Hollywood ever get made without first distilling its essence into a short sentence or two (the shorter the better).
Alien – “Jaws in Space“
No app should ever be developed without doing the same thing. If we can’t easily understand what the app is, we’ll never be able to understand what the experience needs to be.
In UX design, the app logline defines the fundamental nature of the app. It’s the spine everything else hangs from. All the elements of the UX must align with this understanding.
“A mobile box office.” - Fandango
Step 2 – Purpose
Why does an app exist? What are we trying to achieve? What do we want the users to be able to do? The answer to these questions defines the purpose of the app.
It is impossible to design a stellar UX without first understanding the purpose behind the app. Purpose brings clarity and clarity drives success.
Step 3 – Audience
Who will be using the app? What are their goals, needs, and biases? Are there conflicting needs and if so, which take precedent.
User Centered Design helps us understand the audience by identifying representative personas linked to real-world concerns. Are my users domain experts who’ve never used a tablet in their life or 20-something cord-cutting freelancers?
Your audience drives your UX design. Don’t expect your audience to adapt to yours.
Step 4 – Context
Context defines how your audience will use the app to achieve a purpose. In User Centered Design, context is defined by scenarios and the UX is the flow between and across these scenarios.
Scenarios link your audience with a purpose and are the building blocks of UX.
Step 5 – Emotions
Every user will experience an emotion when using your app. The question is, which one? Will it be a random emotion driven by circumstance or an emotion driven by a carefully crafted choice?
If we understand what emotions we would like to elicit, we can design the UX towards this goal. Advertisers have know this since the real Mad Men took roots on Madison Avenue.
Step 6 – Iterative UX Design
Iterative UX design ties all the elements together. It includes the design of the layout we see on the screen (UI design); how the user interacts with the application (user interaction design); the flow within, between, and across scenarios (UX Flow); and (potentially) how the UX fits into the design of a device or platform (industrial design).
UX design centers around a common design language that is consistent across multiple platforms and context. It is an iterative creative process defined by four design workflows:
UI Design. This is the graphic design and layout of individual screen/page elements. UI design is communicated through wireframes and graphic simulations.
UX Flow. This activity defines the flow within and across scenarios and defines the interactions within the UI Design that drive this flow. UX flow is communicated through flow diagrams and simulations.
Form Factor Design. Form factor design overlays UI Design and UX Flows onto specific platforms. It blends industrial design processes with graphic design.
Usability Verification. UX design is an iterative process that constantly validates the UX against user expectations and needs.
UX design never stands-alone. Design workflows identify a sequence for the creation of UX assets (graphics, fonts, images, layouts, etc.) in source tools (e.g. vector graphics, bit-mapped graphics, layout design, etc) and the incorporation of these assets into application views implemented as part of a broader application development project.
Never Settle
Most IT departments focus on the functional quality of a mobile app (how well it meets the business requirements). Although this measurement is necessary, it is insufficient. A truly high quality mobile app is not only functionally correct, it provides a compelling user experience.
And that makes all the difference in the world.
-Stix
@mleetwo