What do you find most challenging about launching an app?

General Discussion
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Is it the database, design, marketing, or something else? What’s the hardest part for you?

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I think the most challenging thing about launching an app is probably the design. I’ve read lots of articles about UI & UX design.

If you’re users find your app too messy or it has too many colors, they will delete your app and leave.

Here are some tips:

  • don’t put lots of text, buttons, and rectangles on a screen, make the screen simple

  • don’t use lots of colors (for example, don’t have bright red on the top then orange at the bottom, then blue in the middle)

If anyone has any more tips, be sure to add them! :slightly_smiling_face:

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  • Some of the more advanced actions, and/or multiple actions; sometimes working; sometimes not working, combined with all the work-arounds… i.e. temporary states etc

  • naming conventions + editing them + limited view of the names

  • consistency in design between screens and platforms. Consistency between platforms, understandably, may be difficult. But, then again, I don’t get why the calendar element is displaying so many different ways. Even between 2 plus sized iphones— the calendar displays differently. And the am/pm selector doesn’t display at all. Better guides could help design consistency between screens.

  • Pre-formatted elements, such as lists, and others, are so restricting, that I wonder if they are even worth having. It would prevent a lot of time wasted doing/and undoing — and it would simplify the Adalo UI.

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How do you think people can get better at design?

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I don’t consider myself and expert. Here is what I have learned:

  • Negative space AKA space between elements (goes with your suggestion of keeping things simple)

  • Ask yourself: Is design of the screen confusing (graphic design)?.. OR is the flow of your app confusing? This will help focus your efforts (UI/UX are the proper terms. However, they are often over-used/ mis-used. I consider ALL interactions with your app, such as, but not limited to, customer service via phone call, a part of your UX.

  • TEST - Give a user a task. i.e. " Buy a small blue shirt from my app" AND have users verbalize their thoughts as they are using it; while you are watching (without helping them) The tester should be talking the whole time; saying things like: “I see the pants, but where are the shirts… oh, here it is… i’m looking for the size… oh, here it is… how do I go back?.. oh, it’s here. I thought it would be in the upper left… ok, here is the red shirt, how do I change it to blue…” and so on… Also, ask the tester, what does my app do? Ask simple stupid questions. Make no assumptions.

  • When possible, Put help / explanations for each task on the same screen. Not on a separate “help” screen.

  • Stay away from NON-conventional use of navigation. Don’t reinvent the wheel… so to speak.

  • Use the MOM or Grandma test. If they can’t use it, it’s not good enough.

  • Make sure users can explain back to you, what the purpose of your app is - or what it does BEFORE they use it for the first time. This clarifies expectations and helps solve the correct issues.

  • Simple alignment and visual hierarchy should not be ignored. Things like text size and indentations can make a huge difference.

  • Fewer tasks per screen, with more screens is BETTER than more tasks per screen, with fewer screens. Think: Yahoo vs. Google. Google is less confusing, right?

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