The user experience of your application can scare people, amuse them or convert them into loyal users over time. However, it seems that many applications have a “scary” UX based on the following statistics: one in four applications is abandoned after a single use. Here are 6 frequently encountered UX errors that hinder its success from application creation.
1) “Fuzzy” permission requests
The in-app license applications are essential but immediately raised questions among your users, especially among young technophiles of the generation Z. They are more aware of the farms that companies make to their personal information and are therefore more sensitive to cold to accept that an application has access to their contacts, photos or social profiles. To enter this “private sphere” without frustrating, you must clearly tell your users what this information will be used for. Explanations will encourage them to trust you and then accept the request.
However, be sure you really need the permissions you are requesting and explain your reasoning without using technical terms. It’s better to provide a button directing the user to the phone settings in case one of the necessary features is not activated.
Shazam approaches the request for permission as an inventory, clearly announcing to the user that without access to the microphone, the application will not be able to satisfy him. Nike+ directly asks user to activate his geographic location but still tells him how this activation would be interesting for him. Finally, WhatsApp uses a mixture of these two methods and expresses its need to access the contact directory.
2) Too many features
It is common to hear that users like having access to a large number of functionalities within the same application. From a logical point of view, one could believe that the more there are, the more the user feels free and happy. The reality is quite different. Too many different features can cause the user to get lost in navigation, to feel frustrated at not accessing what they are looking for and therefore associate your application with negative emotions.
For example, according to the Pareto principle, 20% of the actions you take each day count for 80% of your overall results. When you apply this principle to UX when creating a mobile application, you realize that only a small part of your application is responsible for almost all of its success. So, focus on improving the existing features that your users appreciate the most, and leave out the addition of unnecessary features that will pollute the clarity of the application.
3) Forget about micro-interactions
The micro-interactions are crucial to the UX application but are often neglected by most mobile branding. A simple tap on a button, an icon that changes color, personalized text like hundreds of other examples, are all “micro” possibilities for interaction between the application and the user. Be attentive to the emotions felt by your users, try to humanize your interfaces and establish an original connection compared to the applications on the market.
Here are 3 examples of simple micro-interactions:
•Greet users by name as soon as the application is opened.
•Add animations to basic interface elements such as buttons, progress bars or input fields.
•Disable sending push messages after a certain period of inactivity.
4) Ineffective registration screens
One of the first experiences of the user when launching your application is undoubtedly the registration stage. Even if it has come this far, you cannot take its membership for granted. If your prospects feel that they will have to spend time to register from the start, expect their intuition to push them to give up.
One way to scare off your prospects is to design an extended form incorporating many optional fields. Indeed, each non-mandatory field added increases the risk of losing the user. You must ensure that this step is carried out as quickly as possible so that he can access the content of the application.
Also, keep in mind that some of your users are browsing on devices with smaller screens. Despite this, they must be able to easily complete the forms without scrolling indefinitely. You can then imagine a simple registration process (username / password) and then ask the user to complete their information in an intra-application area or via email. AirBnB offers a simplified registration form divided into 5 steps. Style and micro-interactions streamline the journey and make the process less tedious.
5) Unsuitable onboarding
Onboarding is one of the most impacting elements in terms of UX and easy to set up. However, you must know the different styles and use the one that will best suit your target.
Depending on your onboarding process, users may not hang and immediately have a bad impression of the rest of the application. It is not only a question of placing inserts on the right and left on each screen but of pushing the user to information when he may need it. Try to anticipate their expectations. For example, if you detect that for a short time the user has not acted with the interface, send him help or offer him to do a specific action.
After choosing from the three existing techniques, you can test and adjust your onboarding until it optimizes the retention of your users and reduces the abandonment rate. You can also decide not to use onboarding, but it would be better if your application was designed to be universally understood.
6) Copy the UX of your competitors
Each application is unique and has its own marketing message, its own target and its value proposition.
What seems to work with your competition will not necessarily work for you.
Rather prefer to be inspired by what they do, understand their approach and tell you that they do not necessarily have the right answers. Try A / B testing to find out what works and what doesn’t. Only your users will be able to direct you because they are the ones who will use the application. Bring concrete answers to their needs and do more than just adapt applications from the same market as yours.
Conclusion
These UX errors are too often encountered in many mobile applications. The goal is to learn to anticipate these concepts and include them directly in the process of creating a mobile application. Use them to stand out and offer your users an attractive, relevant and well-crafted application.
