HOW TO DESIGN A MOBILE SCREEN
What is Ui/UX design process?
How to design a mobile screen? Have you ever found yourself frustrated with a confusing website or app? That’s where UI/UX design comes in.
One of the most used apps in these days is Whatsapp. Imagine your Whatsapp looking like this.
The best feature of Whatsapp is its simplicity and simple design. This design above is very complex. Isn’t it?
There were many apps in the market which exactly does what Whatsapp is doing. The highlight feature of Whatsapp is its simple to use UI UX design. Even great apps can fail because of its insensible designs.
What is UI and What is UX?
UI means User interface; it deals with look and feel of a product. elements like buttons, icons, spacing, and color schemes.
UX means User experience, it deals with overall experience of the user with the product, including ease of use, efficiency, and satisfaction.
UI/UX design process
Lets discuss the process with help of Whatsapp as an example.
RESEARCh:
1. User research
User research focuses on understanding the needs, behaviors, and pain points of the target audience.
a) Identifying the Target Audience
Who are the Users?
Individuals of all ages who want an easy and reliable way to communicate with friends, family, and colleagues.
User Goals?
Instant messaging, media sharing, voice and video calls, and group communication.
b) Methods of research
Surveys
Asking users about their messaging habits, preferred features, and common frustrations.
User Personas
Creating detailed profiles of typical users, such as "College Student," "Business Professional," and "Family Communicator," to represent different user needs and scenarios.
c) Key Findings of the research
Ex: Simple interface, Secure messaging channel, minimal downtime and quick delivery of messages
2. Market Research
Market research involves analyzing the competitive landscape and identifying trends and opportunities.
a) Analysing competitors
Who are the main competitors currently?
Telgram, Snapchat, Facebook....
Feature Comparison with competitors
Evaluating competitors' features such as group chats, media sharing, and encryption to understand market standards and gaps.
Unique Selling Points
Identifying USP which we offer compared to competitors
b) Market Trends
Rising Demand for Privacy
Preference for Multi-platform Support
Integration with Other Services
When WhatsApp was designing its user experience, it conducted extensive user research to understand its diverse audience, from teenagers to professionals. They found that users prioritized ease of use, security, and reliability. WhatsApp's simple, clean interface, combined with end-to-end encryption, directly addresses these needs.
On the market research front, WhatsApp analyzed competitors like Telegram and Signal, noting features like enhanced security and group chat capabilities. By understanding these market trends and the growing demand for privacy, WhatsApp continuously evolves its features, ensuring it meets user expectations while staying ahead in a competitive landscape.
PLANNING:
User Flows and Information Architecture:
Planning for WhatsApp's design starts by mapping out how users will navigate the app. For example, to start a new chat, a user opens the app, taps the chat icon, selects a contact, and sends a message. This clear pathway ensures users can easily perform tasks without confusion.
Wireframing:
Next, designers create wireframes—basic outlines of the app's screens. For WhatsApp, this includes the main chat list, individual chat screens, and the status section. Wireframes focus on the layout, such as where to place the message input box and send button, without detailing colors or styles.
Designing:
Designing focuses on bringing the wireframes (explained above) to life by just applying visual designs elements. They choose colors, icon and typography that will reflect WhatsApp branding and they will also ensure consistency throughout the app.
a) Visual Design: creates familiar designs that is easy to navigate for users oof all ages.
b) Prototyping: Tests how the visual elements work together in the real-world scenarios.
c) UI Elements: UI elements like buttons, icons, chat bubbles are designed in a way that is easily recognizable and simple.
Testing:
Once the design is complete, they test the apps usability and, in this phase, they also find the areas of improvement.
a) Usability Testing: Real users are invited to test the app. They test by sending messages, making calls and changing settings. This helps them to identify usability issues.
b) A/B testing: Compare different versions of the interface. So that the result helps in determining which design provides the best user experience.
c) Feedback Loop: The team will collect feedback from testing the design to rectify any issues.
d) Final Adjustments: This is the final phase that are designed to polish the app before its release. This ensures the app maintain its reputation.
Conclusion
To conclude, a thoughtful and user-centric UI/UX design process is really important in designing a mobile screen. In the case of Whatsapp they gave priority in simplicity, ease of use and reliability so that they have managed to stand out in a crowded market. The focus on creating a seamless user experience is a powerful reminder that great design is not just about aesthetics, it's about solving real problems for real people in an effortless way.
If you want to know more on What does a UI/UX Designer do? and What is the UI/UX Design Process Here is the article.
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