First impressions matter. And that’s what The UI (User Interface) and UX (User Experience) of your app are for a new user. Getting the users hooked onto your app as soon as they begin to use it is half the battle, and conducting a comprehensive UI/UX review is your way to win that battle.
It is imperative to make sure that from the get-go, your app covers all bases as far as visual appeal and a smooth interactive experience are concerned. You need to ensure that all the little elements are just in the right place, all the important information is two clicks away, and the interface of those interactions is worth remembering.
So, what are a few things that you can do that create an unmissable recall in the minds of every new and existing user? Let’s find out.
Ensure that all Creative and Tech Mandates are Met
This goes without saying, but you need to ensure that all the design elements and in-app usability elements are in place before you launch your app. Go back to the original project dossier if need be, and do a complete check of all the things you wanted to incorporate in your app. Whether it’s gamification elements or a product sorting filter, make sure that it’s all there and it’s there in a way that is visible, accessible and useful.
Peruse Through Iterative Changes
Any app, before it’s launched, goes through a gazillion iterations. In some, you change the layout, in some, you add a design element, and in some, you just overhaul the entire look and feel of your app. The most trustworthy iteration is, however, the one you create when you have an MVP (Minimum Viable Product).
For the uninitiated, a Minimum Viable Product is one that you feel is almost good enough to be launched but needs a few kinks here and there. This is the product version that you launch to beta testers and your product community to gather feedback and incorporate whatever feedback warrants execution.
You can also engage your analytic tools to figure out exactly what element of what feature needs some tweaks and double down on making those changes before you release the stable build of your product. Of course, you’ll release incremental updates but having a little pre-flight check is always a good idea.
Persona and User Flow
No single product is for everyone. If you try to build an app that’s everything for everyone, you’ll end up with an app that’s nothing for anyone. This is why we have user personas.
When you’re conducting your review, make sure that everything you’ve designed is commensurate to the user persona that you zeroed in on at the beginning. All the design elements, the colour scheme, the fonts, the icon placement, down to the sign-up page, it all has to be in accordance with the user you want to sell your product to.
Post that, you have to ensure that your entire product flow is in perfect synergy with your user persona. Some personas are a bit more finicky and if you’re building for the people who take notice in even the tiniest of details, you really have little to no leg room to let up on any front.
So make sure that beginning from the sign-up page, all the way to a subcategory of a service offering, there’s no lag or missed elements. It may seem redundant during a design review, but these little modifications are the ones that can make or break impressions.
Beta Tests
Think of it as a stretch before a 100-meter dash. The last few days before a product launch are just like that. You need to keep beta testing your product on all the platforms that you’ve designed it for, take note of any inconsistencies, fix it and then beta test again.
Engage your entire design and development team, take individual feedback, find the common denominator, and work out a fix. Each member will find something that can be changed, added, removed, increased or decreased. If it feels necessary, do it. This is when as a Product Manager or Senior Designer/Developer you work for a living.
Test. Fix. Repeat.
Create a Review Template For The Future
Reviewing a product’s UI and UX once can help you set a template for all future reviews. If done well, it can serve for a long time as a trusted pre-launch protocol that has to be adhered to religiously. So do it once, and do it well, and you’ll see how easy it is the next time.
Conducting a UI/UX review can be a lot like racing in an F1 car. You reach unimaginable speeds, only to be hit by corners that you’ve to worm out of while maintaining good time. Change your tires when they’re worn out, speak to your crew throughout the race, remember the number of laps to go, and most importantly, keep one eye on the chequered flag at all times.