5. Mobile devices have
smaller screens
(Duh!)
You can’t start designing
your application with the
same premise as you did
before. Start from a
blank slate.
And I mean physical
screen size, not number
of pixels. Number of
pixels nowadays means
nada.
Friday, 17 May 13
8. There’s a theory, that
airplanes cockpits are
made this complex
intentionally, so that
stupid people can’t fly a
plane. But you want
everyone to use your app,
right?
Friday, 17 May 13
9. Fingers are not
mouse cursors
( - still not a finger)
Fingers are fat, and it’s
difficult to target small
buttons.
Bigger buttons, bigger
menus.
But it’s not ok to just
resize controls.
Fingers also come
attached to a hand.
Friday, 17 May 13
10. When user taps on
something, he covers
pretty much everything
underneath.
Friday, 17 May 13
11. Touch screens
give no feedback
(at least for now)
User has to always look
at the screen when
interacting with it when
tapping.
You can’t feel button
edges, you also don’t feel
if it’s pressed or not.
Vibration and sounds
can’t be a reliable method
of feedback.
Friday, 17 May 13
12. Forget about clicking
Clicking is for mice. On
mobiles users tap. And
swipe, and pinch, and
slide.
Buttons suck on touch
interfaces. As long as
you think in buttons you
are not going to provide a
better user experience to
your users.
Friday, 17 May 13
35. Develop for offline
(mobile != always online)
Cache data, preload UI if
it’s loading from
backend, allow to
continue work
Friday, 17 May 13
36. Responsive
(your new favorite word)
(if it’s not already)
People are used to wait
when opening a website
or clicking on a link. But
the same people will hate
your app if they have to
wait when they open
something.
Friday, 17 May 13
37. Fool a user and he will
be happier for it
(Apple do that, why shouldn’t you?)
Friday, 17 May 13
51. Quick Recap
• Simple things are not
necessarily obvious
• Keep in mind platform
differences
• Don’t create things that
don’t add value
• Forget about ‘mouse UI’
paradigms
• Remember context
• Design UX, not a UI
• Think about users, not
features
• Always look at how
others do it
• Be prepared to change
everything
vasiliy.popov@gmail.com
Friday, 17 May 13
