The art of visual design application imparts usability to the mobile apps as well as the websites. In the early days of design, the mobile based websites were compromised with limited features instead of art and creativity. However, today’s wide range of full-featured devices provide us the opportunity to create an even more visually appealing design that not only inspires and attracts users, but at the same time boosts the usability of the experience.
Visual Design Approaches
In mobile devices, the physical form and the touch screen interface allows us to have a few basic usability considerations. On one side, desktop users can scan a wider area of content, and on the other side, mobile users are focused on a smaller viewing area and must interpret interactions in an entirely different way. This consideration is the secret to all the UX and UI designing goals.
Usable Layouts
The barrier of limited space available on a mobile screen provides an interesting constraint in applying the best display content and interactions. The objective of layout design should be both streamlined as well as focused.
- The Layout Structure: In order to provide a strong foundation for the design, we need to ensure the maximum usability of the available mobile space. A virtual grid system enables a designer to achieve this. The grid helps identify event spaces, thus, making it more convenient for graphic designers to determine the appropriate placement for buttons, text, or images.
- Layout Structure Across Devices- The prime concern is the management of space to scroll and swipe. It is crucial that users must be able to explore the content without needing to act on what that they don’t want. In simple words, it means that the spacing between elements must be sufficient to allow the user easily navigate through various elements.
Also Read, 5 Most Popular Trends In Mobile Apps Design- 2016
Designing User-Friendly Interactions
The mobile devices that are enabled with touch interface device also means the visual aesthetics must reinforce the interactions. To be precise, the sizing and placement of the visual elements must ensure ease of use, and portray the importance and correlation among different visual components.
There are two major considerations in this regard.
- Button Hit Areas: Interaction Design, the enough size, and spacing of buttons ensures that they can easily be activated. In general, button size must be anywhere between 44px and 57px on a standard screen and somewhat around 88px to 114px in the case of a high pixel density displays. This provides enough room for the average fingertip area to activate a button.
- Accessible And Noticeable Controls: If you make related interactive items within easy reach of one another, it will help the user to quickly switch between them and make their own choice. It will reduce any hassle that users have in their mind.
The Bottom Line
Designing for web or mobile has really some exciting challenges and opportunities beyond it. The rapid advancement in technology and the constant change in mobile UX design is a clear indication how present visual design constraints are not likely to go a long way. Innovation and creativity will help users and the design service providers to explore new techniques in app design.