What separates apps people use daily from apps they delete
After building over 200 mobile applications, we've identified five UX principles that consistently predict whether an app succeeds or fails.
1. Design for your actual users, not yourself
Development teams often design for users who think like they do — tech-savvy and patient. Real users are distracted, impatient, and using your app while standing in line. Test with users who match your target demographic, not with colleagues.
2. Build navigation around user behavior
Companies organize app navigation to mirror internal departments. Users think in tasks: "I want to pay my bill." Map the top 5 user tasks and make each achievable in 3 taps or fewer.
3. Show value immediately
Users who see an empty screen or lengthy onboarding won't come back. Pre-populate relevant content during onboarding. Ask for minimal information upfront — only what's needed to show something useful.
4. Use micro-interactions to communicate
Small animations and feedback tell users their actions registered. A button that changes color when tapped. A progress indicator during loading. Every user action should produce feedback within 100ms.
5. Build adaptive experiences
Not all users need the same interface. New users need guidance; power users need shortcuts. Track feature usage and progressively reveal complexity.
Frequently asked questions
How do we measure UX quality? Track task completion rate, time-to-task, and error rate. These are more actionable than NPS scores.
Building or redesigning an app? We bring UX expertise to every project.