9 Basic UX Errors To Avoid When Developing an App

6 min readDec 14, 2020

Smartphones have become an essential part of our lives.

According to Statista, the number of smartphone users will reach approximately 3.5 billion by the end of 2020. In fact, as per the 2020 Digital Statshot report, there are more connected devices in the world than human beings!

So what makes smartphones such a staple in the lives of the masses? The answer is the apps.

Now, individuals rely on applications for all the different activities of the day, whether it be waking up in the morning, connecting with friends, or sending work emails.

Statista further reports that by the end of 2020, the industry is expected to generate revenue of approximately 581.9 billion USD. While many might think that developing an app in today’s age is a clear-cut road to success, such is not always the case.

Common UX Design Mistakes to Avoid

Instead, owing to increasing competition, it is imperative to deliver an optimum experience to users. Anything less than perfect will surely be discarded in favor of other competing apps.

The first thing you must perfect is the UX design of your app. Here are the common UX design mistakes you must avoid during mobile app development.

1. Overlooking compatibility with other apps

Your app does not function in isolation. Instead, a smartphone is full of different applications and features. You must make sure that the designed app works seamlessly with other apps as well as the device.

For instance, take the example of the COVID-19 contact tracing app. It is said that such apps will make use of geolocation applications within a phone and link the data with a network of apps. In case the application fails to work properly with other features, it will fail.

Just like this, all apps must be able to work in the presence of other applications. Also, they should ideally be responsive in nature to ensure the same experience in different screen sizes.

2. Complex interface

All the popular apps of today have one thing in common — they have a highly simplistic interface. Remember, the consumers of today live a highly fast-paced life. They need solutions that work seamlessly and quickly.

Anything that is too complicated for users to navigate is automatically abandoned by them. When developing an app, rethink its features. Gauge whether the navigation and the features provided have a purpose. Can it be done in a simpler way? If yes, then redesign.

Airbnb is one app that excels due to its navigation and interface. The app categorizes a user journey into five screens rather than adding it all in one go. This helps in maintaining simplicity while not compromising on intuitiveness and functionality.

3. Poor app architecture

The foundation of the app is more important than its outward experience. Creating an app architecture before entering into the development stage will allow you to link each step to the bigger picture you wish to create.

Map out the user flow as well as the structure of the map before worrying about the aesthetics. Keep the industry requirement as well as your consumer’s desire in mind when making the process flow.

There are three layers you will have to build, namely presentation, business, and data access layer. While the presentation layer deals with the UI of the app, the business layer focuses on functionality and features. Data access layers help in securing data transaction and storage.

4. Disappointing first impression

A lot of people compare the experience of using an app for the first time with a handshake you make when meeting a stranger. You form impressions in both scenarios in split seconds.

If the app fails to impress users from the get-go, there is a slim chance it will be adopted. In fact, as per Andrew Chen, approximately 77 percent of users end up abandoning an app after three days of downloading it. So, unless you have the right onboarding experience, your app won’t stick long.

Include a detailed onboarding if the app is complicated to create the right impression. However, make sure not to make the onboarding too long.

Whatever you do, don’t overwhelm them with information. Divide it into multiple steps or gamify your app for better retention.

5. Mimic competition

Just like any other sector, your app must also differentiate itself from the competition to gain an edge. Merely copying your rivals will not be enough.

Let’s have a quick exercise to prove the point. When you think of messaging apps, what solutions come to your mind? The chances are WhatsApp. After all, as per Oberlo, 65 billion messages are sent on the platform every day.

But, did you know that there are various other similar apps that failed to gain the same recognition and market share? This includes Viber and Line.

If you fail to differentiate from those within your sector, you will surely be lost in the crowd. Highlight your uniqueness, even in UX.

6. Spammy push notifications

As per Invespcro, an average smartphone user in the US receives at least 46 push notifications a day. And 31 percent of users don’t find them useful at all.

Let’s face it. No one likes getting too many notifications from its apps. While the promotion of your application is the key to increase the adoption of the app, you must avoid spamming.

7. No white space

Negative space is essential to prevent the UX from seeming overwhelming. A successful app balances between content and white space.

Understand that your app requires breathing room to best highlight the features and elements you want to showcase to your users. Trying to offer everything via using up all the space on the screen will only increase the rate with which you lose users!

A great example to learn from is the failure of Google Wave. While initially hyped up, the app eventually failed because its interface was overwhelmed with features. The overly-complicated design, along with its underperformance, led to its downfall.

8. Not incorporating feedback

A UX should not be set in stone. Instead, change it as per the user feedback you receive. Remember, your users are much better judges of the functionality of your app than your developers. At the end of the day, only they can tell you what works and what doesn’t.

Make sure to make your app adaptable enough to incorporate changes and feedback. There is a reason why all the great apps look quite different today compared to when they started. Each of them listened to the concerns of the users and adapted.

9. Inconsistency in design

Seldom do businesses realize that branding is not just in physical products or websites. It is everywhere. As per Forbes, consistent branding helps boost revenue by 23 percent. And this holds true for apps as well.

Whether it be a color scheme, font, or template, make sure that each page of your app is consistent. Consistency boosts familiarity and recognition. It is one of the fundamentals of a smooth and seamless user experience.

Conclusion

Avoid these basic UX design mistakes when developing an app. Always hire professionals to do the job for you. Claritus is one of the options you can choose during this phase. Our app developers are well versed in the best practices of the sector.

Regardless of who you choose to give the important task to, make sure that they do it faultlessly. After all, in a world of perfection, there is no room for errors!