3 Creative and Innovative Approaches to Navigation in Mobile Apps
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Side Panel Menu
Source: Android//UI PatternsThis approach to navigation is a new trend originating from the Facebook app. Upon clicking on an icon, the current page automatically slides to the right, revealing a menu located vertically on the left side. Other apps that now use this approach is Spotify, Evernote, and Google Plus.
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Expanding Circular Menu
Source: SoftonicCurrently only in the Path mobile app, this menu has an elegant design. It is located where thumbs can easily access it, and upon tap, the animation of menu items expanding outward is not only pleasing to look at, but the red plus sign also rotates to be come a red ‘X’ – immediately informing the user that tapping it again would close the menu.
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Scroll Bar Information
Source: The Next WebJust a neat little feature from Path – while you are scrolling, a small tool-tip hovers beside the scroll bar so that users will know at a glance, where in the timeline they are currently viewing.
References
Lehtimäki, J. (2012, June 10). Emerging UI pattern – Side navigation. Retrieved from http://www.androiduipatterns.com/2012/06/emerging-ui-pattern-side-navigation.html .
Colour and Mobile GUI
A couple of months ago, we posted an infographic introducing you to the psychological effects of colour. Colour can greatly impact not only the look and feel of your mobile app, but also how the users may behave.
Red
Represents: Ambition, vitality, passion, strength, anger (therefore, use in moderation)
Application: Referees favoured athletes who wore red (they were asked to judge identical tapes of athletes differing in only colour of attire).
Mobile: Use in moderation to highlight important items that must be seen.
Pink
Represents: Emotionally soothing and calming, femininity, softness, health, innocence; alleviates feelings of irritation, loneliness
Application: A university football coach painted the visitor’s lockers pink to reduce aggression (O’Reily, 2012)
Mobile: Use for apps that need to be gentle or relaxing (e.g. mHealth apps that might hold stressful information)
Orange
Represents: Joy, fun, value, discounts; stimulates mind to find interests, increases craving for food
Application: ING Direct uses orange to remind you of reduced fees, McDonald’s uses a red-orange to boost appetite
Mobile: Great for food-related apps (recipes, shopping lists, etc.), mCommerce apps
Yellow
Represents: Wisdom, joy, happiness, creativity, intelligence; encourages optimism and self-confidence; fatiguing to the eye
Application:
Mobile: Use on apps that require creative thought (e.g. drawing apps, note-taking apps), but use conservatively because it may cause eye-strain
Green
Represents: Relaxation, balance, self-respect, well-being, learning, growth
Application: Blackfriars Bridge in England, once painted green, saw a significant reduction in suicides.
Mobile: Safe colour to use for if you can’t decide on a theme. Also good to use on apps that promote learning (e.g. trivia apps).
Blue
Represents: Calm and relaxation, night, protection, creativity, clarity, trust, memory, depression (for dark blue; use in moderation); suppresses appetite
Application: Operating rooms choose a pale blue for their sheets and gowns to promote calm and relaxation.
Mobile: Use for apps that need to promote feelings of calm and relaxation, perhaps in conjunction with pink (e.g. mHealth apps, weight loss apps); use also for apps requiring user trust (e.g. mCommerce apps)
Brown
Represents: Honesty, dependability, stability, comfort; alleviates insecurities
Application: The UPS logo sports brown to remind customers of their dependability.
Mobile: mCommerce apps, and apps selling a service
Black
Represents: Comfort, protection, silence, mystery, authority, luxury, power
Application: Think Apple products.
Mobile: Use on apps with a more serious tone, and to indicate luxury.
White
Represents: Peace, comfort, purity, truthfulness, lightness
Application: Airplanes are painted white because “It soothes the concern we all secretly harbour that a machine that size can’t possibly become airborne.” (O’Reily, 2012)
Mobile: Use white on complicated mobile apps to make it appear less cluttered.
References
Psychology-101. (2012, February 22). Color psychology – How colors affect our moods and emotions? Retrieved from http://www.psychology-101.com/2012/03/color-psychology-how-colors-affect-our.html
O’Reily, T. (2012, May 5). Colour schemes: How colours make us buy. http://www.cbc.ca/undertheinfluence/season-1/2012/05/05/colour-schemes-how-colours-make-us-buy-1/
6 Things to Consider when Building a Mobile App
When building a branded mobile app consider the following:
1. Target Audience
What does my target audience like to do?
If your a surfboard company, create a free app that shows ocean tides, has a forum, a beach check-in service and a shark sighting map. ( just off the top of my head)
2. Metrics
Each download creates deep audience metrics
Metrics can tell you:
-Users
-Active users
-New users
-Geography
-Age distribution
-Gender distribution
-Sessions
-Session length
-User retention
-Frequency of use
3. Gamification
Just because you create a game doesn’t mean it is going to be downloaded. Incorporate a celebrity endorsement like “Kelly Slaters Surf Shark, sponsored by…your brand”. Games are a crowded space so they better be good.
4. Incentive
Allow users to generate loyalty points by achieving high scores through your game. Award users for checking in at your retail locations or restaurants.
5. Awareness
-Storefront signs
-Point of Purchase
-Traditional Media
-Website
-Employee Tattoos
Whatever gets you as many downloads as possible.
6. Notify the Press and Blogs
If you are confident in your application you should want people to review it. Therefore get the word out and send out media releases to as many places as you can. If your feeling generous, put together a media package with some company “swag” included.
Read MoreInfographic: Trends in Mobile Application Consumption
Created by: www.OnlineBachelorDegreePrograms.com
Infographic: The Impact of Reducing Avoidable Admissions into US Hospitals
Reducing avoidable admissions in 11 potentially avoidable conditions equates to an ~$9.5 million gain in hospitals. These 11 avoidable admission conditions can be reduced with outpatient care and early intervention – imagine the amount of other avoidable admission conditions that can be reduced by having doctors coordinate with patients through mHealth apps!
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