Design mistakes to avoid when creating a Mobile App

The mobile and web app market is already saturated with plenty of apps, with the demand and supply growing on a daily basis. With so many options, people want the best and will uninstall an app that is difficult to use or navigate.

Do you know there are about 2.8 million apps on Google Play Store and close to 1.96 million apps on Apple Store? We are sure your app wouldn’t want to be just one among them but the best-performing app. Therefore your businesses need to go out of their way to keep users engaged and avoid any mistake in app design and development that can lead to the users uninstalling your app.

The right mobile design can be tricky, especially when creating an iOS or Android mobile app. Bad UI design examples are everywhere, and businesses in the past have learned it the hard way and improved from experience.

Research shows that, on average, users delete an app within 90 days of its download due to non-use or reasons like poor experience or glitches. Most apps are not opened more than twice or thrice a day within 30 days of download and can be deleted without serving a purpose. When an app does not meet the user’s expectations, they switch to another because all that matters to them are ease and comfort.

An app must be user-friendly, with a good interface and UI, providing a streamlined experience that sustains user engagement. In this blog, we will share some common mistakes in app design that you can avoid while designing an Android or iOS app. So, let’s get started.

Top App Design Mistakes to Avoid

Creating an app with relevant and essential features is a sure-shot way to gain success. Also, the deciding factor that can break or make an app is the design of the app, which is why utmost attention must be paid to it.

Now, look at some of the biggest app design mistakes you must avoid before developing a mobile app.

1. Poor User Experience

The look and feel of the app at first glance is the critical factor in attracting potential users as they make a perception of your app through the first few screens themselves. If anything goes wrong at this stage or appears tedious or confusing, potential users get disinterested, leading to uninstalling your app and leaving negative reviews on the app store.

For example, a lengthy onboarding process to discover the necessary features can turn off potential users. While not having proper onboarding may be confusing and off-putting for users. Therefore, striking the right balance and introducing the users to exciting and engaging features must be used to retain them in the long run.

2. Lack of Design Consistency

A consistent design is a crucial aspect of the app’s UI. Typically, when we design an app, we take care of the following things – the font type must look the same within the app, the layout must look subtle with icons at their designated places, and visuals must change once the screen changes. Additionally, the text should appear the same and be readable in a suitable font in the app.

Maintaining consistency is tricky in an app; a minor inconsistency is also rarely tolerated by the users. For example, if you place an excellent animated ad over the home screen, highlight a text or image on any screen, etc., these changes must align with the app’s context. Ultimately, when you think of consistency in the design system, know that it can help users navigate well, enhance their user experience, and lead to prolonged use of your app.

3. Designing Without Understanding User Needs

A common mistake in app design that businesses make is understanding the user’s needs. A mobile app is not just for pursuing business goals, branding, or increasing revenue. It must also provide value to the user. If the user feels that there is nothing to expect from the app, they will not come back to your app.

Thus, design an app after a thorough consideration of user needs. Think of the value you will provide users and how different your app’s user experience will be from the competition. Once you do that, you will see the app’s UX design playing a role in your app’s success.

4. Not Optimizing User Flow

The app’s UX architecture must be planned well before the app’s design begins. Apps typically fail due to lack of flow or poor organization rather than imperfection; thus, always consider the bigger picture before the design process takes off. Where does this leave the visual side of the application? Having delicate detailing and aesthetics is necessary, but not at the expense of the flow of the app. In-depth detailing and aesthetics must be given priority after optimizing user flow that is appealing to users. 

5. Too Many Design Features

Wireframing and Prototyping help distinguish between the necessary and unwanted features. Cramming the app with too many features can lead to a poor user experience, making it difficult to be concise and affecting its overall performance. In addition, it leads to a crowded app and a slow-loading UI, which can lead to uninstallations by potential users.

It is best to have fewer features initially and gain the users’ trust. Later on, you can include new features in future updates if it is a requirement of your business.

6. Annoying Updates and Notifications

Push Notifications can be a tricky part that every business must pay attention to. Too many notifications can turn off users, leading them to uninstall the app. Also, too few notifications make the users forget about the app. Thus, a balance must be struck between the two.

Avoid sending the same notification repeatedly or too many ads and other undesirable emails, as they can annoy users. Instead, pay attention to the feedback users leave at respective App Stores and update the app accordingly by focusing on the fixes and bugs.

7. Non-Display of Key Information

The app’s first experience and appeal are what entice the right audience. The user must be able to navigate and use the app’s functionality and interface on first use, or they will not give the app a second chance if it appears complicated or has bad app UX or UI design.

A key part of this is that all applicable and relevant information must be displayed on the initial screen, such as appropriate icons, login, logout, search bar, contact information, the home page, and any other app features on the initial screen. Loading speed also comes into the picture here, and you need to design lightweight experiences, or users may lose interest if it takes too long to load critical features.

Bottom Line

Recognizing design’s importance in mobile app development is essential. Businesses must do what it takes to differentiate their offerings from the thousands of apps operating in the same niche in the mobile app market. Following the best mobile app design guidelines and an iterative design process by incorporating user feedback is the best way for your app to stand out and do well.

Now, if you are looking for a mobile app design company to transform your idea into a mobile app, look no more. Whether your vision is to scale up an existing business or build a new brand, we have the right experience, skills, and team to work closely and bring your brand to life. We provide business-centric app designs that are user-centric, intuitive, creative, and systematic to meet all your mobile app design goals.

Here at Ailoitte, we can design anything customized per your requirements, irrespective of the app platform, that compliments the user mindset and strengthens their connection with your brand. As a result, we have helped many businesses grow and improve their revenue with our mobile app UI/UX design services, such as StarGaze, a celebrity fan engagement app, and SupDup, a kid’s community app with an intuitive kid-friendly user interface and design.

Contact us today for more information and to receive a quote.

FAQ