“Design is not just what it looks like and feels like. Design is how it works.” –Steve Jobs
If you are a startup then you must know the importance of user interface design in your mobile or web application. Building websites and mobile applications, nowadays, are essential for businesses because people only tend to trust companies with a reasonable online presence.
Besides, if customers can’t reach you, they can’t rely on you and in this digital age, customers want immediate connection. So even if you have a website, understanding the user is crucial and important in interactive designing. Your website should entice customers to engage.
Keep in mind that UX – user experience for mobile applications is as important as it is for a website. You should have a mobile application that can convert visitors into full-time customers, increasing your revenue in the process. Therefore, you need to focus on the importance of app design and take into account the important features of user interface design.
No doubt we can find many pre-made mobile app UI design templates but how do you mold those ready-made designs to better communicate with your customers is the real deal. A word of advice? Nothing can beat a design developed from the ground up.
The importance of user interface design and user experience (UX) go hand in hand, meaning, they are not exclusive of one another. Even though both UI/UX are not exclusive, doesn’t mean they are the same thing. They do have their differences. But what is the purpose of the mobile user experience? UX is more focused on how things work whereas the purpose of user interface design is to make the entire design look simpler, intuitive, and engaging through visual elements.
So whether it is a website or a mobile application, the interface should have a user-centric design.
According to studies, people form 75% of their judgment on a website’s credibility purely on its aesthetics. But also know that a good UI with poor UX will not give you what you desire. Similarly, a good user experience with a bad interface can not result in an optimal application. Get both on-point and you will have exactly what you want since both UI/UX branding plays an important role.
List of Various Types of User Interfaces for Mobile Apps
Splash Screen
Very first screen appears when you launch an application for not more than 3 seconds. Splash screens form the very first impression and attract the user’s interest. Try using exciting illustrations, punchlines, and visual elements to achieve optimal user experience.
They are minimal tutorial screens that are only shown to the first-time users which tell them about their next steps, and about the basic features and functionality of the entire application to make the journey less complicated.
It’s the main screen of the entire mobile application. All the other screens are linked to the home page as it highlights the functional menu and the features. UI designers must understand the importance of designing the user interface of the home screen to make it more understandable and user-friendly.
There are lesser mobile applications that don’t need a login page, but many do. Therefore, make sure to steer clear of all the unnecessary distractions on the log-in screen. Consider UX and limit the information fields for customer convenience and be sure to integrate error messages in case of right/wrong information input.
There are different types of UI screens used in different mobile applications, according to requirements such as eCommerce has its UI screens: checkout and product catalog similarly social platforms have varying screens but the basics (see above) stay the same.
What is Meant by Usability and Why is it Important for User Interface Design?
Usability is one of the most important components of user interface design and UX. According to the Interaction Design Foundation: “Usability” refers to the ease of access and/or use of a product or website. A usable interface has three main outcomes:
It should be easy for the user to become familiar with and competent in using the user interface on the first contact with the website. If we take a travel agent’s website that a designer has made well, the user should be able to move through the sequence of actions to book a ticket quickly.
It should be easy for users to achieve their objectives through using the website. If a user has the goal of booking a flight, a good design will guide him/her through the easiest process to purchase that ticket.
It should be easy to recall the user interface and how to use it on subsequent visits. So, a good design on the travel agent’s site means the user should learn from the first time and book a second ticket just as easily.
Usability in user interface design is important because it allows the user to complete tasks easily and efficiently on the website without ambiguities and frustration. It is measurable since it lets you determine the success rate of the application such as if people are downloading and using your application, meaning the usability is good.
