The Guide to 2018 App Development: Best Practices and Tips

(via: https://pixabay.com/en/ux-prototyping-design-webdesign-788002/)

With there being millions and millions of apps out there today on the App Stores of the world, app development is a booming market. More and more people are looking to create apps of all different shapes and sizes for mobile devices, computers and tablets.

While this is great for consumers as we have more choice of apps than ever before, it means most app developers have a lot of competition from their peers. In fact, research shows that there are currently well over 20 million software developers worldwide, likely with many of them focusing on the development of applications

As a result, it is more important than ever for developers to step their game up and use the best practices possible. With that in mind, this article is going to provide some tips and best practices when it comes to app development.

Navigating the App Should be Easy

One of the best ways to lose potential users is to have a complicated navigation system within your app. Some developers and designers try to get really creative with navigation and this can sometimes work, but is also a big risk. Instead, you should just make navigation simple and incredibly obvious.

In addition to navigation being easy, it should also be consistent. If one page has a certain style of navigation, all of the others should as well. If not, people will quickly get confused and this could lead them to stop using your app. If you are unsure what type of navigation to use, be sure to check out some of your favorite apps and see how they do it.

The Importance of User Flow

In app development, there are few things more important than optimizing user flow. Each app has a “flow” and it is essentially the path a person will take within your app. When someone opens up an app, there is a path that they will take in order to get the information they want. It is up to you to find out their ultimate goal within the app, and optimize user flow to be in line with that goal.

For example, on an application for making purchases, users are likely to go from the home page > product page > checkout. As a result, you need to make taking that path as quick and easy as possible, without overloading the user with information. So instead of having a giant page for their personal information, potentially break it up into a few. Without some sort of user flow present, some people might be confused going through your app and the user experience might be subpar.

The “Thumb Zone” Should be Kept in Mind

While not all apps are used on mobile devices, most are. As a result, each mobile app developer should take into account the “thumb zone”. The “thumb zone” is the area on the screen that is easily reachable with our thumbs. Most people hold their devices in a similar way and most use their thumbs to navigate the screen. If important buttons or targets are hard to hit with thumbs, it can be annoying for users.

Normally, the upper corners of the screen are the most difficult for thumbs to reach, so it is best to keep important targets in the middle or at the bottom of the screen. You want your app to be easy to use, and a big part of that is not requiring people to stretch their thumbs to navigate through the app. Also, the bigger the display, the more space that is difficult to reach, so keep that in mind as well.

Design Your App Based on User’s Tastes

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The design of your app can potentially make or break your success. However, not everyone needs an abstract and creatively designed app. For example, while artists or photographers might want a design that is very creative, a business professional or accountant will likely want one that is simple, clean and functional. As a result, you need to design based on the wants and needs of your users.

Different crowds will respond differently to various designs. So before you even create and market your app, you should know what your users want out of a design. If it matches their personality and tastes, there is a better chance that your app will be successful in that market.

Testing, Testing and more Testing

Of course, before ever releasing the full version of your app (and throughout the development phase), it will be incredibly important for you to test your app. You need to test it’s stability, test how it works on different devices and if everything does what it is supposed to do.

In addition to testing the app itself, you need to do some testing to see if the marketplace needs it. You should identify your target market and ask or poll them about your app idea and see if it’s something they might be interested in. Without testing, you might not be armed with all the information you need to ensure your app is successful and is recepted well.

Ensure the App Security is Up to Par

If there is one thing people are worried about now more than ever, it is their online security. Everyone wants to ensure themselves (along with their data) are protected. Because of this, while developing your app, you want to ensure you are using good safety measures. If your app will feature user accounts, make sure they cannot easily be compromised.

Of course, this also requires the users themselves to protect their passwords, but there are things you can do. Make sure the private information you keep is protected, ensure your app is stable and make sure you are keeping logs (read more on this blogpost).

In conclusion, we hope that this blog post has been helpful in your journey to create a useful and high quality app. A lot goes into creating great apps, so hopefully this article has been able to help you on your app creation journey.

Ashley is an award-winning writer who discovered her passion in providing creative solutions for building brands online. Since her first high school award in Creative Writing, she continues to deliver awesome content through various niches.

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