Read Also: How Mobile App UI Will Be Influenced By Design Trends In 2017?

This is the reason why investing into user experience (UX) design? A pleasant UX has been confirmed  to gain the users’ attention, business, and most of all – their trustworthiness. If you would like to improve your website/mobile app user experience, contact us today.

The post Why User Experience (UX) Design Matter More for Your Site Ranking? appeared first on Radikal Labs: Latest News on Web, Mobile App & Game Development Services.

The main attraction of a mobile app is design and functionality. App design play a vital role to keep user attract and engaged in app download. And app functionality comes thereafter if user finds the design is enough to keep the app on his/her phone. While we design an app, our main focus is to give an excellent UI & UX; it should be in altering with the most recent trends too.

Read Blog: Why UI/UX is a Mobile App Development Imperative: The WhatsApp Case Study

Let’s Have a Look at the Latest Design Trends That Will Impact Mobile App UI In 2017 – 

• Material Design
• Creative Scrolling
• Card Layouts
• Designs for Wearable’s
• Interactive Storytelling
• Color Diversity
• Adaptive Typography
• Simplified User Interface
• Attractive Presentation of Social Media Buttons

In 2017 the design trends of mobile apps are going to be focused on more user-friendly, more interesting and entertaining features. For this, make sure you have a great mobile app development and designing team. If you have not any team please feel free to contact us with your requirement.

Read Also: Latest UX Design Trends That Provide Websites with High Performance Value

Visit our Portfolio.

The post How Mobile App UI Will Be Influenced By Design Trends In 2017? appeared first on Radikal Labs: Latest News on Web, Mobile App & Game Development Services.

A Case Study:

We’ll cite a common example – everyone’s favourite: WhatsApp. Its user-centricity has impressed so many that it is now a verb. And brands becoming verbs is something.

Its user-friendliness can be felt from its on boarding screens that include the welcome experience, privacy settings, and phone number verification. These screens are minimal, clutter-free and easy to understand. That’s its UI advantage.

The welcome screen has a single ‘Continue’ button, explaining to its users what it to be done next.The phone number verification process is automatic. Besides, WhatsApp seeks permission to sneak into your contacts and files. With such precise Call-To-Action, ease of use, and clear intent, the app is trustful.

Moving on to messaging, it’s a wonderful experience – simple, personal, and real time – like it promises. The contacts are in easy view with chat functionalities that allow you to customise the settings for each contact. That’s its UX edge.

All this makes WhatsApp the people’s app. Here’s some brand loyalty statistics you don’t want to miss.

That Should The Importance Of UI/UX For Mobile App Development.

With apps dominating everywhere on modern-day mobile devices, it won’t be an exaggeration to say UI/UX largely defines their success. Before we jump onto why it’s important, let’s find out how it affects application ecosystem. From the above case study, it’s clear that when an app has fantastic UI/UX, it…

• Reduces load time.
• Allows intuitive and logical user control.
• Accounts for amazing look and navigation.
• Decreases bounce rates.
• Leads to better conversions and customer satisfaction.
• Helps in customer retention
• Gives meaning to your brand.
• Places it ahead of its competitors.
• Generates revenues and improves business.

The idea of an app is to provide comprehensive solutions in response to user requirements. Too many permission-requests, form filling, and cumbersome functions might lower the usability. Easy accessibility forms the crux of any app’s positive impact.

Remember, if your app is frustrating, chance are your users will uninstall it sooner or later. Keeping it simple and intuitive is the key to fostering lasting relationships with users. People who use your app should be able to flow from one screen to another intuitively, without hassles.

So, make UI/UX a part of your mobile& web app development strategy. Give your users a reason to stay.

The post Why UI/UX is a Mobile App Development Imperative: The WhatsApp Case Study appeared first on Radikal Labs: Latest News on Web, Mobile App & Game Development Services.

Read also: Latest UX Design Trends That Provide Websites with High Performance Value

Conclusion:

In short, good UI is to please the eyes and good UX is to please the mind. Both of them are incomplete without each other.

Now that you have a better understanding of the terms (UI/UX), if you are interested in getting a website OR mobile app done for your business,…. discuss your ideas with us at http://www.radikal-labs.com/contact

The post What is The Difference Between UI and UX Design? appeared first on Radikal Labs: Latest News on Web, Mobile App & Game Development Services.

AI Based UX Design

There are too many perspectives found relevant for study by UX designers. Testing on computer engineering to designing boundaries and everything that link themselves with user interaction are integral parts of UX designers’ interests. A UX expert works intently to introduce intelligent and open-minded dimension for user interactions. AI inclusions in iOS keyboard make it easier for users as their interactions are guessed by the AI and changed.

AI-based UX design trends indicate developing user-interpretative models. Users’ goals are assessed and artificial intelligence works in interpreting actions related to these goals. More designers are likely to take to test AI on web apps and websites in the coming years.

Responsive Design

Mobile users are our top priority. Websites are widely navigated on mobile devices. Keeping this in mind it is advisable to have responsive websites. A responsive website has stunning design elements that fit quite easily into most common screen sizes. If you do not optimize a website for your mobile using crowd you will greatly miss out on a major chunk of your profit and business potential.

There have been numerous times when industry experts have clearly stated the importance of mobility in business. In the coming years the world will see the phenomenal rise and growth of mobility in workplaces and majority of business sectors. This indicates the need of mobile oriented designs (comprehensive mobile-centric user interfaces, navigation and overall layouts) for websites.

War between Vertical and Horizontal Scrolling

As the time changes so does perceptions and perspectives. UX designers are putting across efforts to implement designs that act in collaboration with content and overall display of websites. You do not need to continuously include vertical scrolling. Smartphone and handheld mobile devices often ask for horizontal scrolling. Recently numerous companies have started taking the horizontal approach in navigation. Content showcased on the website has been kept in horizontal position. Having several images for viewing, horizontal viewing is a better option than vertical scrolling.

Read Also: A Must Have Checklist for UX Designers

Vertical scrolling is suitable where too much textual content is included. However everything depends on the level of intelligence (in terms of digital content marketing and promotion), branding and audience building efforts.

Intuitive Navigation (A desirable option for an enriched user experience)

A user visits a website to have easy access and intelligent navigation. Overall user experience must be smooth in order to engage them and attract them for a possible return. Intuitive UX is important for ROI. As a website business owner your prime motive is to make profit from your investment – return on investment. Your users are your profit modules which makes you responsible to make your website intuitive (that can guess user actions and provide results accordingly), interactive and easy to navigate.

You can prefer having the “hamburger” menu. This will make users interact on your website at their own pace. Menu design is the art to achieve success. Smart menus offer wide scope for success.

Mobile First Design

If you own a website you must take care in not having a completely different looking mobile website. Both of your website should match each other in perspectives and similarities. Users must be able to recognize the similarities and does not necessarily feel the difference in look, feel and navigation when they hop from one device to another to access your website. It is crucial to have a seamless user experience in both forms of websites.

It is better to have a “mobile first” approach as it handles website design issues. It is better to handle one website that fits well into all devices than having two website platforms and check for issues all the time. Your “mobile first” approach will let you have a minimized version of your desktop website.

Exploration Design

New age experiments on attractive UI (user interface) have become essential for businesses because of the growing need (from users) for fresh and new ways of information presentation. New experiences and certain sense of discovery lead to user retention.

Why would a user get promptly associated with your website? Why would he/she find time out to engage himself/herself with your website? The only important thing in the present times is to offer the user with something to explore. Implement a UX design strategy that brings out new information or engagement. Instigate users to easily get associated to your website. There are numerous websites that have huge social media presence. They seem to follow these steps of user engagement. Social media websites present their user actions and content in a manner that enable users to enjoy and experience sense of discovery. Let us take a look at Shopify’s footer to get a hint of the UX design:

You can see that there are menu options that will most definitely ignite a user’s engagement. There are so many options like affiliate opportunity, blog, community forum and point-of-sale resources which are placed to increase user actions. These form an integral part of exploration design. Igniting exploring attitudes in users will provide retention and potential future business.

Death of Old Practices

Latest trends in UX design will completely put an end to some previous practices like automatic image sliders and use of carousels. Earlier they were used to attract users but with the rise f new-age mobile users carousels cause confusion as they are often considered banners, which they are not.

Icon Placement

Thumbs are here to rule. Mobile navigation depends on human thumbs and icons must be placed accordingly. Touch screens must be kept in mind before chalking out the UX design. Placing icons with considerable spaces will allow users (mobile) to easily select items and navigate the website comfortably. Conversions, engagement and user retention will fall into place once user experience get sorted.

Strategic Display of Content

Somebody rightly said, what you say these days, is not as important as how you say it. Content writers, digital marketers and web designers must join in collaborative efforts to display content in fascinating ways.

Using various display elements will enhance blog reading experience. Including info graphic support, buttons, taglines, graphs and tables will make content easy to read and not make it boring for users (who are turning out into an impatient crowd).

Besides presenting crisp content one must also keep in mind to attract users. This can be done by using various elements like images, gifs, photographs and collages to impact user interaction. Call-to-actions and attractive messages can also increase popularity of your website. You must innovate in presenting your content.

Multimedia

Including multimedia will enable users to have a rich and immersive experience. Take care of heavier tools and multimedia elements as they tend to have great impact on website loading time. Perform extensive testing before launching similar items.

Include videos and audio clips to enhance user experience but take good care in avoiding ‘auto play’ for any of these options as they will get your users all irritated. Hurting your usability is never an option. Introduce stunning features and good user-experience options but never at the cost of hurting your website statistics (such as poor load time, low traffic, high bounce rate, low search engine rank, etc).

We have referred to some of the most recent UX design trends. Our UX team ensures best user anticipation, and user interactive elements for our clients’ websites. It is all important for our designers to implement elements that have relevance in the real-world. Trends discussed here have an important role to play in UX development. Ideation depends greatly on implementing and we rightly deliver it.

The post Latest UX Design Trends That Provide Websites with High Performance Value appeared first on Radikal Labs: Latest News on Web, Mobile App & Game Development Services.

Users Run Away Due to Permissions

Once a user experiences a permission like ‘app would like to access your camera’, it is most likely that he/she runs away as fast as he/she launches an app. There are high chances of him/her never returning to use the app. This can be really scary for app owners as users must never run away to a point of no return. There must be features, technicalities and functions built in an app that not only engages a user but also lets him stay.

It is quite natural for an app to be location-based, contact based or can send push notifications. However, if we see things from a user’s point of view we may understand the common dislike for such settings and preferences.

Permission settings must be controlled at all cost. It must be thought over by the mobile app makers to not include too early permissions or to develop a positive user experience of some kind. Users must not be asked to submit too many information about their personal devices. There is a common tendency to be scared!

Making minor changes to UI permissions can make huge differences in creating optimal user experiences. Some of the most common permissions include (largely considered annoying) include:

1. App would like to access your contacts
2. App would like to access your camera
3. App would like to access your locations
4. App would like to send you push notifications

There are several ways that these permissions can be placed strategically by using them in accordance with time and relevance. We can take a very good example in the way Cluster asks its users for photo access.

The point is not to irritate or scare off a user but at the same time include meaningful change to the permissions UI of an application. These little steps go on to make bigger differences in UI which further improve client retention. User acceptance rate increases effectively with the inclusion of intelligent UI concepts and checklists.

Dialogue Boxes Without Hints

Robotic commands tend to scare off mobile users. With a dialogue box asking for a permission to access a user’s location/contact/camera features must have a personal guide. A visual prompt similar to the one used by Lyft application can do wonders in generating a sense of permitting access for users:

No Checklist No Retention

To have an optimal user experience an intelligently designed checklist system must be incorporated in your mobile application. We can take a hint from the stunningly designed checklist-based user permissions UI by Periscope notification app. Only when a user chooses to broadcast their video a checklist appears on screen:

Zero Daily Dependency Factor in Your App

You create a mobile application solely to engage your users is such a manner so that they start depending on your app. The attraction (usage metrics) towards your app should be 100%. This should be your only aim in achieving a feat in the mobile app marketplace.

Rolling numbers (statistics) of present day user retention are really astonishing. Recent surveys (carried out by multiple mobile statistical survey agencies around the world) suggest that most apps lose 90 percent of their early users. In a span of 3 months these numbers tend to decrease rapidly and land a massive low of 95 percent. In order to retain users, an ultra positive and super consistent user experience comprising of relevant notifications and rewards must be included in an app.

Read Also: Why is Usability Testing Important For Mobile And Web Applications?

There are numerous apps that are placing themselves high in the user retention race. User actions on daily basis need to be tracked and rewards/notifications must be generated accordingly. Uber is a good example that makes great use of daily user actions (people going from one place to another).

Creating dependency factors is important. This not only makes way for enjoyable UXs but also talks care of exceptional app models. Having daily user dependency will enrich your overall user acquisition strategies.

Designing a market viable app model and stunning user-centric features will never fail you in your user retention goals. Ultimately the only aim we all have is to reach the top spot in app development. Once an app fits smoothly into a user’s life, the successful journey to the No. 1 spot in app marketplace begins.

The post Mobile App Faults That Damage User Retention appeared first on Radikal Labs: Latest News on Web, Mobile App & Game Development Services.

Points We Define as Checklist for UX Designers

1. Overall analysis of the Project.
2. Review and research of user insights from all sources.
3. Identify research needs.
4. Review high level requirements.
5. Formulate a brief design structure representing initial design elements to be implemented in the UX.
6. Review personas.

Why Do You Need a Checklist?

1. It becomes easier to manage and maintain design concepts. Peer reviews are easier to post and assess. Whether you share a word document or a poster or project management tools team work becomes smooth.
2. Expectations and Engagement must be included in the checklist for UX designers. A design project does not include just design tasks. It is important to know how you set expectations i.e. how you interact with customers. An engagement section will include important touch points with your clients.
3. Having a simple checklist does not mean you have a simple task in hand. It simplifies the process of checking and doing the right things by staying focused.
4. Creative people find a proper structure to continue focusing on right design processes. The checklist forms a solid foundation for work. Teamwork and efforts become glorified.
5. Visibility is incorporated. By checking off items from the checklist an increased visibility is ensured in the team.
6. Flexibility is brought up. A design checklist becomes a solid guide. With activities being included right approaches and activities are selected according to the project needs. Redundant and unnecessary items can be put off the list. Everything is put on the right track for a project.

Necessary Areas to be Included in the Checklist for UX Designers

Homepage –

• First Impression or First Impact must project positivity which is followed by conversion.

• Contact information or company details must be available on the homepage. It should also be easily to find by the user.

• Clear call to action lets a user to know what tasks to perform next and what are its benefits. Purpose of a website must be clear to them.

• A privacy policy must be included in case a website in interested to gather user information.

User Experience –

• Web pages must not refresh automatically. Users get irritated with fresh content getting uploaded suddenly.

• Pricing must be clearly displayed. Hidden costs or surprise are undesirable.

• User registration adds value to users. However care must be taken to avoid unnecessary registration.

• Real information like images of company owners, employees or location, references and contact details must be showcased.

• A website must be professionally designed and up-to-date.

• Users must be able to perform detailed viewing of services and products. Scan-worthy information and easy zooming images must be included.

• Personalized features such as location, language, taxes, country-specific deals, currency and delivery options must be available in a website. IP-based geo-location must not be included without getting a user’s permission.

Search –

• Large sized websites must include search bars.
• Search fields must be wide for users to see what is being typed.
• Search should be a form not a link.
• Search option must be available for all pages.

Navigation –

• Sitemap must be included for large websites.
• Significant links must not have moving features. Auto-rotating accordions or carousels arte not good.
• A website must have an easy remembering URL.
• Consistent navigation in every page is important.
• Every site description and links must be easy to understand and descriptive.

Links –

• Uniform colour must be presented in a website. It must also be noted that visited links must be different from unvisited links.
• Commands must be presented in buttons and not as links.
• Broken must not be present.
• Clickable links must look like clickable items. They must be easily recognised by a user.

Read Also: Design Your Website to Engage Users

Accessibility –

• A website can be navigated with a keyboard. User must be able to find things in the website without a mouse. Browser’s shortcuts must not be overridden.
• Images and maps must have alt attributes. Videos and audios must also have descriptions or captions.
• Checkbox, links and buttons must be easily clickable. Texts in checkbox fields when clicked must be selected. Checkboxes only must not be select-worthy.
• Content and colour must blend well so that it is easier for users to read content.

Content –

• Content must be lucidly written keeping in mind the common man’s understanding.
• Background colour and text must be in contrast.
• Content must be relevant and up-to-date. Users must be able to pose common questions and receive easy answers to their queries.
• Content must be easily scanned. There must be short paragraphs, points with proper visuals and headings.
• Prose text must avoid Uppercase letters.
• Company information or contact details must be clear. Users clicking on contact must not find an automatic mail application opening.

Layout –

• Well categorized information must be presented.
• Clear display of relevant information.
• Important content must be prioritized in display.
• Clutter in any form must be avoided.
• Responsive websites works in different sizes.
• Pop-ups must be avoided or minimum use of pop-ups providing only important info must be presented.
• Layout for all pages must be consistent.

Forms –

• Confirmation page for form submission must be there.
• Necessary questions only must be asked in the forms.
• Field labels must have common terms like address, location, name, etc.
• Field labels must also have auto fill options.
• Long drop down menus must be avoided. Long scrolls irritate users.

Errors –

• A website must be compatible with various browsers.
• SSL certification must be present in a website.
• A site must have custom error pages like 404 and 500.
• Testing with target users must be performed in real-time.

By following these instructions you are ensured of having an improved website UX design. However, testing, user reviews, peer reviews and feedbacks are important in gathering speed and solidarity in website building. A must have checklist for UX designers is as important as having the website as a whole.

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Floatifications

Tools in this classic Android app are quite similar to the way chat heads on Facebook work. Floatification combines all the apps in your Smartphone with its chat heads feature. Besides this there are various other features and added customization options. You can have a peek into your notification pop-ups. There is a stack notification option that displays all the notifications from an app or lets you see only the recent notifications. The pop-ups can also display extra text which is possible if you set apps like SMS and Gmail in your notification feature.

You can manually set up app display options for your mobile screen. You can choose app icons, action buttons, pin apps for priority, heads up notifications and blacklist mode. Blacklist feature will let you hide your notifications in a blacklisted app (a separate entity) if you do not want any popup to appear.

Chat heads feature is quite handy. Features in this app are complex but they become extremely useful once you get to know them thoroughly. There is uniqueness in the way it works as you have complete control over your notifications.

You can try it for a free 14 days’ trial. To get the full version of this app you need to shell out $1.88. Devices with Android 3.0 and up will be compatible for this app.

Floatify

Whenever you are unable to check new notifications Floatify will provide you with a mini heads-up notifications. You need to put your phone on a full-screen mode to avail this feature. You can opt for Direct Reply which allows you to select predefined replies. You can simply tap on any of them and send your desired reply. You do not need to open any app to mark them read or perform instant replies. Floatify is compatible with the major messenger apps like WeChat, Telegram, WhatsApp and Skype.

There are several other features that make Floatify come out as a easy access app. Smart Blacklist will help you in auto-hiding notifications while you busy yourself watching videos, surfing the net or playing games.

Smart Wake is another smart feature that activates your phone’s display the moment you pick up your phone. There are new upgrades provided by Floatify which are available in the advanced versions. Swipe Action Menu (SAM) allows direct actions and Quick reply which simply requires you to swipe left on heads-up notification. There are speed modes available that lets heads-up mode act faster.

It requires Android 4.1 and up and is Free. However it requires a cost for getting upgraded to its Pro version.

Snowball

Snowball can be adjudged as the most popular and an extremely well-developed mobile notification application. This app quite nicely replaces your default stock notification center. It is an intelligent app that easily organizes significant notifications from your notes, emails and calendar and brings them in one place. You can check and send replies to your texts, Facebook, Line, Telegram and WhatsApp notifications from the notification panel if Snowball. Time is short in today’s fast paced lives and we hardly have time to run all our apps to check or clear notifications. Snowball does wonders in relieving us from our tasks with a single swipe.

Added features like specific sound selection will spice up your experience with Snowball. Hidden notifications will show in the “Hidden” tab. You can categorize your notifications, find other apps and contacts along with toggle and settings menu which are accessible simply with a downward swipe.

You can also change fonts and reply to your WhatsApp messages from the notification section. It can handle several actions simultaneously and with ease. There are updates slated for future release.

You can avail it for Free. Snowball is compatible with devices running on Android 4.4 and up.

Dynamic Notifications

Now you can check all your notifications without having to unlock your phone. All thanks to Dynamic Notifications which truly abides by its name! You can select your desired apps for access and take them forward to the Dynamic Notifications screen. Background and image changes can also be opted.

The Premium version offers a wide range of advances features such as custom brightness, night mode, widgets and auto wake. The swipe action can also be customized. Dynamic Notifications will act as your primary lock screen which will allow you to hide many of your actions.

If you want to get over the hassle of unlocking to view notifications, etc then this is one of the handiest apps available in the market.

Free version has limited features.  The Premium version is available for $1.99. It is compatible with Android 4.0 and up.

APUS Message Center

It has reportedly been downloaded and installed on more than 28 million devices across the globe. You can find an extremely smooth and easy UI to check all notifications at a go. A single panel holds together your emails, missed calls, WhatsApp texts and other apps used by you. All of these are served in a single panel on APUS Message Center. This app also lets you see the total number of unread messages on the app icons and folders is you are using launcher. There is no need to enter the app as you can send your replies from the notification panel itself.

APUS Message Center is highly compatible with most Android versions and devices. You can avail the app for free from Google play store.

Echo

This is a comprehensive lock screen application that provides complete notification instead of titles. You can view and manage notifications directly from your device’s lock screen. You phone’s predefined categories such as ‘social’, ‘priorities’ or ‘work’ acts behind displaying all your notifications on Echo. UI is extremely simple. Various features like ‘snooze notifications’ will allow you to check alerts at your convenient time.

You can also ensure privacy with Echo’s pattern lock.

In-app product purchases are available with this app. Double Labs, Inc. offers various interactive elements. The app is compatible with Android 4.3 and up. It is available for Free. With Echo’s current version in-app purchases can be made (charges are applicable).

Image, Media and files can be modified or deleted from your USB storage. It runs from the device startup and provides you with full network access.

Metro Notifications

You can play with your notification settings as this app adds variety. Metro Notifications displays banners that carry hover notifications from your apps and device tools. You can swipe left or right to dismiss notifications.

Custom colours are provided by this app which lets you have different colour displays for different apps. Now you can have notifications (complete text) displayed on your phone even when your phone is locked. You can choose and configure as to which apps will have display notifications and which will be hidden depending on your set priority.

Metro Notifications requires devices with Android 4.1 and up. The app is Free. It offers in-app purchases.

Flash Notification 2

If your phone does not have an LED flash light, then this app will use your device screen’s brightness to increase light to notify you anytime anywhere. Flash Notification 2 starts flashing whenever you get notifications. You can choose which notifications should have the flash. You can also choose from a variety of flash types.

It does not use notification LEDs of a device in case of customization. It uses the LED flash that comes with your device rear camera for your alerts. You can set flash interval times and colour.

It is available for free installation. The app is compatible with mobile devices powered by Android 2.3 and up.

Heads-up Notifications

This is an app that will surely be liked by individuals preferring text pop ups on mobile screens. Your mobile device will display floating pop-up notifications that include full texts. There are some pretty attractive features like ‘pocket detection’ which allows users to receive a notification and take the phone out of the pocket, when the feature gets activated automatically on the phone’s display.

Heads-up Notifications is compatible with Android 3.1 and upwards. Some smart wearable devices also support this app. Extended support for Heads-up Notifications is an unsure territory with the app makers being unavailable.

Flashlight Notification

This is regarded as one of the most elegant looking applications of the present times. A very friendly user interface along with flash alerts for your notifications will make it a handy utility. With blinking lights for incoming calls and other alerts you will never miss a thing, all thanks to Flashlight Notification.

You can select apps and set preferences for notifications. Flash light blinks will appear for important notifications. You can set aside apps to check at a later time. In case of low battery you can turn off flash alerts. Light alert speed can be customised. You can also stop the light alert with your phone’s power button or volume controller.

Flashlight Notification is freely available. The app requires mobile devices with Android 4.0 and up.

In the current fast paced times, we are driven by extreme access to technological support but at the same time we have our restraints. We do not want our very own notifications to disturb us. With the apps discussed above you can rest assured to remain positively affected and unaffected (as preferred by you) by your mobile devices.

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