Zach Forrester - Android for Humans: Designing Compelling Apps for Android

Designing apps that people can relate too, grow fond of, and look forward to using is critical in the ever expanding and already crowded marketplace. What are some universal elements of beloved apps? What are some avoidable pitfalls of overly ambitious designs? What kind of guiding principles can we follow to make things that people fall in love with?

Zach will be talking about his challenges, misteps, and successess designing Vū, a smart news reader app available for iOS and Android, and sharing some lessons he's learned in the process. He'll also address the broader question of what makes an app great, and how empathy and emotion in interaction design can create an unforgetable, humane experience for your users.

Transcript

1. Android for Humans
2. Who am I?
3. State of Mobile Design
4. New Patterns, New Guidelines
5. New Patterns, New Guidelines Android Design for UI Developers developers.google.com/events/io/ sessions/326204977
6. Lean on these new conventions
7. What about the competition?
8. “We have to let go of this notion that for Apple to win, Microsoft has to lose.”
11. Devices are becoming more powerful Markets are becoming more crowded Design is becoming more important than ever
12. How do we create something memorable?
13. Form VS Function Build for your Platform Creating Humane Experiences
14. Build for your Platform
15. Android ≠ iOS/Web SURPRISE!
16. Why do we keep forgetting that?
17. Obviously, there are lots of considerations Budget Time Branding Mysterious Product Strategy
21. Too demanding for most Android devices Not great on tablets Just didn’t feel right
22. Let’s rethink this Recommended Readin Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Create Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. 2:30 Recommended Reading Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Create a Vū 2:30 Recommended Reading Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Baseball & Hockey Local News Seafood Recipes Saved Favorites Topics Trending articles Make a new Vū Recommended Reading Create a Vū 2:30 Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Recommended Reading Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Trending on Vū Create a Vū Good Morning Bryan,
27. Brother and sister apps, not identical twins
28. When does platform consistency beat out cross-platform familiarity?
29. Form VS Function
30. Things people look for in an app 1. Does it work? 2. Is it better?
31. If >2 apps solve the same problem equally... HOW DO YOU WIN?
32. With Personality
33. Design is your moat
34. Form and function are not at odds with each other
35. Form is function The medium is the message The package is the product
36. People will remember and share apps that provide them with personal, humane experiences over other apps with similar feature sets
37. Creating Humane Experiences
38. A great app can feel like a good friend
39. Respect Users’ Time Superfluous/gratuitous animations will degrade the users sense of control/influence
41. Move with Purpose Transitions between screens and views help orient users and provides a sense of space
43. Design for Affection
44. “I believe when properly done, a visceral app actually causes your body to release endorphins. I’ve heard people describe certain apps as being “alive” and I think this is precisely what they meant. Potential and kinetic. Build-up and release. Mmmmmmm, endorphins.” - Rob Foster twitter.com/therobfoster http://mysterioustrousers.com/news/2013/3/25/visceral-apps-and-you Virtual Bubble Wrap
47. Get Creative with Gestures
49. Use your product before it’s built RAPID PROTOTYPING
50. Why do this? Find flaws in your IA or UX Turns you from a creator to a user Is this something you’ll use?
51. How to do this effectively? Sketch, wireframe, or design key screens Stitch these images together Deploy to your device Give it to friends and strangers Actually USE it Live with it
52. Tools you can use Keynote Invision Flinto PopApp CSS
53. Keynote Great for animation concepts Good for observing linear actions Bad for gauging interactions Can not deploy to native devices
54. Android for Humans
55. Invision Great for quickly linking screens Great for managing feedback/notes Great for device-specific deployment Poor indicator of actual experience http://www.invisionapp.com
56. Flinto Great for quickly linking screens Great indicator of actual experience Great for device-specific deployment Not able to capture feedback/notes https://www.flinto.com
57. Pop App Great for turning napkin sketches in to something useable Not really intended for polished designs, but that’s a good thing! https://popapp.in
58. CSS Animate images of screens or UI elements on custom touch events Code written may be reusable Can be slightly more time consuming Code written may be thrown out
59. What makes you human? Be direct. Be memorable.
60. THANKS! @zforrester @BNOTIONS