User-Centered Design Approach
Great mobile UX starts with understanding your users. Conduct user research to identify pain points, goals, and behaviors before designing.
Key user-centered design principles:
- Create detailed user personas
- Map user journeys for key tasks
- Test designs with real users early and often
- Iterate based on feedback
Mobile Navigation Patterns
Navigation is the backbone of mobile UX. Choose patterns that match your app's complexity:
- Tab Bar: Best for 3-5 main sections
- Hamburger Menu: For secondary navigation
- Bottom Navigation: Easy thumb access
- Gesture Navigation: For immersive experiences
Keep primary actions within thumb reach. Studies show 49% of users hold phones with one hand.
Touch-Friendly Interfaces
Design for fingers, not cursors:
- Minimum touch target size: 44x44 points (iOS) / 48x48 dp (Android)
- Adequate spacing between interactive elements
- Clear visual feedback on touch
- Support common gestures (swipe, pinch, long press)
Visual Hierarchy and Layout
Guide users' attention effectively:
- Use size, color, and contrast to show importance
- Group related elements together
- Maintain consistent spacing and alignment
- Embrace white space for clarity
Performance and Responsiveness
Speed is a UX feature:
- Aim for 100ms response time for user actions
- Use skeleton screens during loading
- Optimize images and assets
- Provide progress indicators for long operations
Accessibility Considerations
Design for everyone:
- Support screen readers (VoiceOver, TalkBack)
- Ensure sufficient color contrast
- Don't rely on color alone to convey information
- Support dynamic text sizing
- Provide alternative input methods
Onboarding Best Practices
First impressions matter:
- Keep onboarding short and focused
- Show value immediately
- Allow users to skip if possible
- Use progressive disclosure
- Request permissions in context