iOS: Custom Modality – Mobile Warsaw, January 23rd 2017

Modality is a very effective tool. When done right, it makes apps feel much faster and easier to use. But modals became so diverse that Apple’s HIG no longer cuts it. How to choose from all the custom options out there?

Transcript

1. iOS: Custom Modality UX Designer Kamil Kolodziejczyk
2. Beautiful.Code.Smart.Design
3. Custom Modality Modals we design often don’t justify the effort required to build them. We often make choice based only on aesthetics rather than the functionality.
4. HIG doesn’t cut it HIG does a great job covering standard UI controls. But the custom modals became so diverse that it’s not enough anymore.
5. The thing about modals Modals require full attention Focus on one task Make the navigation easier to understand
6. but...
7. they can take up the whole screen, or a part of it
8. they can be centered, fixed to the top or bottom
9. sometimes they pop-up, sometimes slide from a side
10. no wonder this is confusing.
11. does it help you do things or pick things to do?
12. Pickers
13. Action sheet
14. Great for showing a list of actions Safe choice if you don’t have a lot of visual content to show Action sheet
15. Popover
16. Good if context of the previous view is important Arrow shows the connection between elements Popover
17. Alert
18. Use if you need to ask a question Great for getting permission Alert
19. Doers
20. Part Screen Modal
21. Pick an appropriate animation Add a close gesture Choose the position Part Screen Modal
22. Make sure it doesn’t resemble 3D-Touch Peek view too much Part Screen Modal
23. Part Screen Modal
24. Fullscreen Modal
25. Fullscreen Modal
26. Close button in part-screen modal
27. and what about Navigation Controller?
28. Navigation Controller vs Modal
29. Navigation Controller vs Modal Overcast keeps player inside the episode. Browsing episodes is the most important part Apple Podcasts puts player in the modal, making playback the most important part, separate from browsing
30. while navigation controllers promote content and its hierarchy, modals always exist in the context of a task.
31. summing up
32. Modals are a very effective tool. At first you might find it hard to get, but when you do it right your app will feel much faster and easier to use.
33. Figure out if it’s supposed to help people do things or pick things to do Think if showing the previous view in the background could help people understand what will be affected Mind the details: consider a closing gesture, position and animation
34. still not sure?
36. hope this helps!