Best Practices for Designing Mobile Applications

How to design for non-touch screen devices

CHICAGO, Aug. 27 /PRNewswire/ -- Mobile application interfaces offer unique
challenges when designing for the user experience. Limited screen size,
navigation restrictions and broad audience experience levels pose hurdles
that, if not carefully considered, can derail even the most valuable
applications. With developers and carriers racing to offer customers the
ability to do just about everything on their mobile phones, observing some
basic usability guidelines smooth the path for both application designers and
end users.

Chicago-based user experience firm User Centric, Inc. has been a frontrunner
in the evaluation and design of mobile applications. Based on insights from
over 125 mobile projects and 4,000 participants, they offer some best
practices for mobile application design. These guidelines include:

-- Make scrollbars and selection highlighting more salient
-- Increase discoverability of advanced functionality
-- Use clear and consistent labels
-- Icons should not save space at the expense of user understanding
-- Support user expectations for personalization

-- Long scrolling forms trump multiple screens on mobile devices

Full article with expanded guideline definitions can be found at
www.UserCentric.com/mobile-applications.

Although designing for both novice and expert mobile users can be a tricky
process, mobile application interfaces can be easily validated through
usability testing. Conducting usability testing throughout the development
life cycle helps ensure that the final application design not only satisfies
customers, but saves the company from costly redevelopment efforts.

User Centric, Inc. is a global user experience research and design firm with a
long history of designing highly efficient and usable technologies. Our
services include user research, user interface design consulting, information
architecture, usability testing, user interface evaluations, eye tracking, and
online surveys. Learn more about us at www.UserCentric.com.

Contact:
Pamela Stoffregen-Gay
User Centric, Inc.
630-320-3922

SOURCE User Centric, Inc.

Pamela Stoffregen-Gay of User Centric, Inc., +1-630-320-3922