User Experience (UX) Principles For Designing Intuitive Apps

Today, over 70% of leaders view excellent user experience (UX) as a competitive advantage. According to studies, consumers are willing to pay a higher price for a better experience.

Yet, users often download an app only to uninstall it in a few days. Data shows that 23% of app uninstallations occur within the first 24 hours. The statistics further find that many people let go of an app simply because it doesn’t meet their expectations.

A gaming app filled with ads, a scheduling app overloaded with menus, and a networking app that is difficult to navigate are all unsuccessful UX.

The user experience should be intuitive, which means users should naturally be part of the purchase journey you set out for them. You make UX intuitive when your app’s functionality aligns with natural human tendencies or patterns.

At Growth Jockey, we understand the industry standards of a robust user experience but believe in going higher. A dedicated team supported by technological expertise and software helps you unlock 10X revenue by improving your product journey.

Ever since the inception of UX from Apple’s designs, there have been various principles that user experience leaders follow to build a holistic customer experience. In this post, let’s understand the overarching tenets of user experience and design that deliver results.

What is User Experience Design?

Simply put, user experience (UX) is how a person feels when using a product, system, or service. It encompasses all aspects of the user’s interaction with the product, including the interface, visuals, physical design, sound, and psychological elements.

UX is important because it can make the difference between an app that is successful and one that fails.

Good UX makes using a product a pleasure. It’s intuitive, efficient, and satisfying. Good UX designers put the user first.

Bad UX, on the other hand, is frustrating and confusing. It makes using a product a chore.

Creating excellent UX requires a deep understanding of users and their needs. It also involves understanding technology and how brands can use it to create the best possible user experience.

Regarding user experience, 89% of users expect a mobile site to be more functional than the desktop version. This, by default, extends to a mobile app. A robust user journey must be in place to reach customers’ right spot.

However, before exploring the principles of excellent user experience design, understand the process. Once design executives are familiar with the process involved in building UX, it becomes easier to incorporate the principles into each stage.

What Are the Stages of User Experience Design?

One can break down the user experience development process into three simple, interconnected, yet crucial stages:

• Plan: The first stage of UX design is about understanding the user, the problem, and the project’s goals. This is where you define the user flow and site map through customer and market research.

• Prototype: The second stage of UX design is creating a design prototype. This can be a low-fidelity paper prototype or a high-fidelity digital prototype. Release your prototype and let a focus group test it.

• Proving: The third stage of UX design is validating the design with users. This is typically done through usability testing.

All three stages are essential in the design process, but the third stage is particularly critical. It is where you get feedback from real users and learn whether or not your design works for them.

If it doesn’t, the team needs to return to the drawing board and make changes before moving forward. The principles of a great UX come into the picture to avoid multiple reiterations of your app.

What Are the Principles That Make UX Intuitive?

UX design blends information technology, marketing, psychology, and graphic design principles. As a result, advice is abundant out there.

Here are the fundamental principles to incorporate for a modern and intuitive user journey:

1. Functionality Over Style

WhatsApp is the most famously downloaded messenger app globally. Yet, WhatsApp is not famous for its style or aesthetic. What appeals to users is the functionality and ease it offers.

While the business world calls it ‘UX design,’ the meaning of design is not restricted to appeal or style. In user experience, design implies functionality. The aim is to make a user’s journey better and not cuter.

App developers can improve their functionality by understanding the following tips:

• Rule of Thumb: Over 70% of website slack a CTA button. Most are placed in sections the user’s thumb may never reach. A physical restriction derails natural navigation.

• Rule of Spartan: Clear the clutter and make your app’s interface devoid of unnecessary buttons or actions that you can introduce in specific submenus later. Overloading the screen overwhelms the user.

• Rule of Context: Knowledge is power. Users can navigate through features intuitively when they know exactly where they are in your app. Highlight headers, tabs, and menu bars to indicate the page or step.

2. Maintain Omnichannel Consistency

With the advent of COVID-19, business leaders realised the pressing need for an omnichannel presence of their brands. More and more companies are now investing in this strategy.

However, more than just moving to a user-first omnichannel is required. The user experience must stay consistent. About 60% of millennials expect a consistent customer experience across all brand channels.

Thus, consistency is a crucial driver of excellent user experience in the omnichannel. Here’s how app developers and marketers can ensure a well-rounded experience:

• Old Is Gold: While your app should focus on improving as per customer expectations, some patterns should respect convention. For example, users are habituated to the menu bar in the top-left corner or a logout button at the bottom of the menu. Do not meddle with it.

• The Medium Isn’t the Message: The brand’s tonality cannot change according to its displayed medium. The message must be consistent across all channels. Using different taglines or messages for social media and the app confuses the user.

Most UX designers today need to remember that they are designing for multiple channels rather than just the app. While the platform changes, the functions must remain constant.

The CEO of Growth Jockey, Ashutosh Kumar, held C-level positions in giants like Reliance Jio. However, with extensive experience in technology and digital commerce, the Founder also firmly grasps the fundamental conventions that businesses should follow.

When businesses like Femica India chose Growth Jockey as their growth consultants, they could unlock 10X revenue.

3. Add Some Human Touch

Remember, while 55% of businesses today use chatbots to help customers save time, half of these consumers in the U.S. need more helpful responses from bots. Thus, technology can only enhance human services, not replace them.

Every product user is a social being and must be considered as such while building your app. Using marketing psychology to make an emotional connection with users ensures that the app is part of their daily lives.

Consider the following techniques to avoid an app uninstall within the first week itself:

• Story-telling: Statistics help a learner or researcher, but stories help users. For example, you can include real user testimonies to explain how your fitness app helps with weight loss. Incorporating real-life scenarios to convey USPs help users connect faster and better.

• Rewards and Delights: The Urbanic app offers discounts on first-time purchases and only-app discounts. Google Pay provides rewards for payment milestones. Amazon displays a cute dog while the page takes time to load. Ensure your user journey entertains the user.

• Socialising: Including buttons that help users integrate your app with other social apps makes the interface more user-friendly. For example, buttons for Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp sharing. Additionally, integrating payment gateways with commonly used UPIs like PayTm go a long way.

At Growth Jockey, our growth leaders conduct thorough market research for your brand and identify the gaps in your user experience. With our omnichannel services and technological consultation, you will have a roadmap to higher YoY growth.

To Sum It Up

User experience design is a buzzword in the app development industry today. However, only a few leaders fully grasp the true purpose of UX design. User experience design must be intuitive for it to be customary for the user.

Incorporating the three fundamental UX principles, as explained in this blog, is imperative. If technology and product management are the areas of improving your business, Growth Jockey is the one you’re looking for.

At Growth Jockey, we are committed to delivering tailored solutions that effectively address the critical challenges faced by our clients across various industries, ultimately enhancing the user experience. Regardless of your company's size, whether it's a small-scale enterprise or a large corporation, you can now leverage advanced technologies to optimize your user experience. Take a proactive step towards unlocking the next level of growth for your brand by reaching out to us today!