The Importance of UX/UI in Mobile App Development

Whenever we talk about mobile apps, we always bring up UX and UI. But, do you know what these terms mean and why UX/UI is important in mobile app development?

What are UX and UI?

UX and UI are often used interchangeably, even though they are two separate aspects of mobile app development. That is because most people don’t know the difference between the two.

UX

UX stands for User Experience and is a subjective quality that defines why a user would interact with your app and how they feel while interacting with it. The term encompasses the usability, accessibility and the simplicity.

UI

UI, on the other hand, stands for User Interface and is a part of your mobile app’s visual design. Since a computing device can only understand machine language, a user interface can act as an interpreter that translates what we want to the machine to do, and then translates the result in a format we can understand. UI design includes creating the way the app will look and mapping the user journey.

Together, UX and UI define how your customer will use, interact, and engage with your mobile app.

Why Are UX/UI Planning and Design Important?

Both UX and UI are an integral part of your app’s look and feel, but what is their importance in mobile app development?

Understands the needs of your audience

The difference between art and design is that design needs to have an end-user in mind. Before you apply mobile UX design principles to your new mobile app, you first need to understand your customer’s needs.

By planning out the UX/UI of your mobile app before starting development, you compel yourself to understand your customer in detail. This stage helps you realise what the users of your app need, how they behave, what they like, dislike, and much more.

As a result, your mobile app idea gets refined, leading to a product that is more likely to succeed.

Enhances customer satisfaction

UX/UI helps ensure customer satisfaction, as the interface and design are more in tune with what they need and expect.

For example, users have very different expectations from a mobile game app and a banking app.

Depending on the type of game, if the interface and experience is similar to a banking app, users will find it difficult to engage with the way you’d like them to. Conversely, a banking app designed like an online gaming interface might not inspire much trust, making them reluctant to use it.

Keeps users engaged

Usability and accessibility are important parts of UX/UI design, and these are quite essential to keep customers engaged. For the user experience to be at least satisfactory, the interface needs to be intuitive and interactive. By keeping mobile UX/UI design principles in mind, you can ensure that your app design holds the attention of users and keeps them engaged.

Improves ROI

When you build an app that keeps users satisfied and engaged, you deliver a product that your users will love. If the UX/UI is suitably tailored for them, they will not only enjoy using it, but will also be happy to spend money on it and recommend it to others. In short, not only will you be able to ensure a great product but also one that makes a profit.

Affects popularity

As we mentioned, the importance of UX/UI in mobile app development lies in the fact that it can affect how users perceive your product. If they are happy with it, they are more likely to use it as well as recommend it. While word of mouth can be invaluable to the success of your app, good ratings also mean that your app shows up higher in the app store.

The higher its rating, the more people see it and download it. In essence, you can create a virtuous circle of popularity simply by ensuring that your mobile app is easy and intuitive to use for its intended audience.

Increases brand awareness

Mobile apps are generally a way for a business to enhance their services for their clients. However, these applications can also serve as brand ambassadors to an audience that wasn’t aware of your brand at all.

By presenting a mobile app that has well-designed UX/UI, you are creating a product that will send a positive message about your brand.

Conclusion

While the appearance of your mobile application may seem like a superficial quality, it can have a lasting impact on the success of your product. By understanding the UX/UI design principles, you can create a pleasant user-journey for your customers.