5 Key Elements of an Effective Mobile App

People decide whether they like an app within the first minute. After designing apps for banks, gyms and online shops, we keep coming back to the same five elements.

1. Speed you can feel

Show something useful immediately. Skeleton screens, cached content and optimistic updates make an app feel fast even on a slow connection.

2. Navigation within thumb reach

The most-used actions belong at the bottom of the screen. A tab bar with four or five clear destinations beats a hidden menu every time.

3. Onboarding that gets out of the way

Ask for permissions when they are needed, not on the first screen, and let people explore before they create an account.

“Every extra screen in onboarding costs you users. Earn the right to ask for more.”

— Priya Nair, Mobile Lead, Brightline

4. Notifications people want

Notifications are a privilege. Send them only when they are timely and personal, and give people fine-grained control over what they receive.

5. A consistent visual language

Colours, icons and motion should mean the same thing on every screen. Consistency is what makes an app feel easy, because people stop having to think about the interface and focus on their task.