Consumers have embraced mobile devices with a vengeance. Marketers, faced with new and constantly evolving attitudes and behaviors that accompany always-on everywhere access, are scrambling to play catch up.
Think about it. Almost half of all email is opened on a mobile device and a third of e-commerce takes place on either a smartphone or a tablet. Then think about the amount of social media and gaming that gets done on-the-go and you realize how fast things changed and how much faster they will change as mobile payments, more sophisticated apps and big data play larger roles in providing utility, speed, information and entertainment to consumers.
This puts an enormous burden on designers and marketers not only to catch up but to anticipate and proactively serve the growing expectations of mobile users. We have to rethink how we create mobile assets by partly abandoning and party adapting what we’ve learned about creating websites and digital experiences. As a rule of thumb, the fewer clicks; the better.
Consider these 7 important user design factors.
Rendering. While the debate between adaptive and responsive design advocates rages, the bottom line is … if your content doesn’t render properly on mobile devices your brand is dead on arrival. Google has gently weighed into the debate by prioritizing responsive sites.
Fat Finger Friendly. Mobile is a one-handed finger-driven experience. Your design has to be flat and clean to account for spacing, links and buttons that are big enough, clearly marked and won’t be either missed or hit in error.
Information Hierarchy. What do you want users to do first? Make that prominent. Nobody really knows the tolerances for scrolling and multiple clicks but assume its much less than on a desktop. Place vital information in sequential priority order. This requires ruthless editing to be sure users get what they want quickly.
Imagery. How much time and space does the hero image require? Do users have the patience for a revolving carousel of images? Do you lead with a short video? Understanding the importance of imagery to the experience is a critical first step in the design and UX process. This is probably a function of relative brand awareness. But tough choices are required at the outset.
Iconography. There is no universal consensus on these symbols or their meanings. Select or design icons that are intuitive and big enough to direct usage.
Reviews. Reviews are a critical tool for building trust and credibility to support ecommerce and brands. A small screen doesn’t have much room for stars, pull quotes or testimonials. Think about teasers that can be expanded with a click.
Site Search. A huge number of users search first. Licensing a robust mobile search tool that accounts for geography, can store user search history and maybe even predict searches based on past use is worth the expense.
Many marketers are taking a mobile first posture in re-evaluating and re-designing their digital assets and ecosystems. It’s a good bet to get ahead of the trends in mobile use.
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