There was once a time when having a website was only for the most cutting-edge companies, but it soon became commonplace. In the same way, recent developments in mobile technology have encouraged more and more businesses to offer their customers an online experience designed to be accessed on the go from cellphones and tablets.
With apps becoming commonplace, users expect their favorite sites to offer them a streamlined experience when browsing on their cellphones. The type and functionality of an app depends on the business, but there are some steps that can help any business to develop an app that their customers will love.
Step One – Solve a Problem
Having an app is supposed to make life easier for users when they are out and about, so it’s important to think about how an app could add to their experience. This could take the form of a stripped-down menu, easier navigation, or fewer options, so it’s important to learn what most of your customers come to your site for in order to identify an objective for your app.
Your website analytics could give you some useful insights into the way that users interact with your site and help you ascertain what they would want from an app. Going direct to the source can also help if you have a customer base that is prepared to complete a survey or answer a few questions about what they would want from an app.
Users will need to see the value in an app in order to download it, so it’s important to ensure that your offering has clear benefits over your existing site. Focus on the functions that will make your users’ lives easier so that they get an immediate advantage from installing and using your app.
Research is key at this stage as it allows you to explore apps with similar goals and demographics, customer journeys, reviews, and anything else that will help inform your team. The more you learn, the better your app can be, so consult with every department and seek input from as many stakeholders as possible.
Step Two – Design Your App
The design phase will usually begin with wireframes – simple graphics that show how each element of the app will interact with all the others. These demonstrate the journey that users will need to take from one screen to the next to allow the developers to visualize the core functionality of the app.
People interact with their phones very differently from the way they use a regular computer, from the time they spend on each page to the way they physically navigate around the site. This should be reflected in the design of the app, whether that’s making it easy to zoom by pinching the screen, or acknowledging that time pressures are more likely for app users.
This kind of design is exemplified in apps such as the DraftKings online casino which offers everything from live dealer games to online slots via a truly user-friendly interface. From signing up and logging in, to playing a variety of games and keeping track of deposits and withdrawals, the app makes everything easy, offering a clean and simple interface that includes everything you need for a thrilling gaming experience.
Step Three – Build Your App
Any app development team will be prepared to put together a user-friendly interface for your app with everything from the size of the buttons to the color of the navigation menu reviewed to ensure that it works on a cellphone screen. Some of the best apps also use the phone’s in-built features by linking to a calendar, making and receiving phone calls, and using the audio and visual software.
Be My Eyes is an award-winning app that allows those with visual impairments to use their cellphone’s camera to ‘see’ and interact with the world around them. By connecting users with volunteers via live video chat, the app allows those who cannot see to ask those who can for help.
This innovative use of the existing cellphone technology turns a simple concept into a tool that has helped millions of people to enjoy independent living. Its award-winning interface has earned the app fans all over the world who use the phone’s camera to help one another with a wide range of tasks.
Step Four – Test Your App
Internal and external testing is a big part of the building process, but as well as providing information about the functionality, it can also offer some ideas about how long users spend on the app and what path they take through the navigation. An ongoing testing regime will ensure that you have plenty of data about the app and offer some insight into your user base.
Collecting and reviewing information about app use can be an effective tool for identifying areas where changes and improvements can be made. Small refinements, such as changing the side the menu appears on or updating the images, can be tested to ascertain the most effective layout and design of your app.
With so many businesses offering their services through dedicated apps, it is possible to find an app for almost anything. To compete in the vibrant and diverse app market, it is important to stand out from the competition by offering users something more than just a simplified version of a website and instead focussing on the additional mobile-specific features you can offer.