Usability in Mobile Applications by Bruno Figueiredo

A mobile app is a computer program designed to run on smartphones, tablet computers and other mobile devices. Apps are usually available through application distribution platforms, which began appearing in 2008 and are typically operated by the owner of the mobile operating system, such as the Apple App Store, Google Play, Windows Phone Store, and BlackBerry App World. Some apps are free, while others must be bought. Usually, they are downloaded from the platform to a target device, such as an iPhone, BlackBerry, Android phone or Windows Phone, but sometimes they can be downloaded to laptops or desktop computers. The popularity of mobile apps has continued to rise, as their usage has become increasingly prevalent across mobile phone users. A May 2012 comScore study reported that during the previous quarter, more mobile subscribers used apps than browsed the web on their devices: 51.1% vs. 49.8% respectively. Researchers found that usage of mobile apps strongly correlates with user context and depends on users location and time of the day.

Usability in Mobile Applications

BRUNO FIGUEIREDO

the_ml

Europe: 90.9% have a mobile

41% worldwide (2,67 billion)

██ 120% > ██ 100-120% ██ 80-100% ██ < 80%

wikipedia

Adapted from Bill Moggridge & Jan Borchers

Market Evolution

Sweet

Spot

Feature Phones

Phone, SMS, Internet

Smart Phones

Applications

PDAs

Keyboard, Touchscreen

Mobile Phone

Types

dotMobi

Mobile Web Sites

moritz™

Screen Resolution and Formats

dotMobi

Mobile Development Languages

Wikipedia

Regular Web, Mobile version

Auntie P

Mobile Web

Main Mobile Browsers

Pocket Internet

Explorer

Opera Mobile Safari Mobile

Hub and Spoke

Simple Hierarchy

Brian Fling

Content Section 2

Heading

Navigation Footer Content

Aux Section Heading

Navigation Footer Content

Recomended Structure

Optimized Degradation

Horizontal Lines and Breadcrumbs

Optimized for vertical navigation Breadcrumbs: only useful for more than 3 levels deep

Forms

Shortcut Keys

The Magic Number

(+ or – 2)

George Miller

Good Practices

• Easy to type addresses

m.site.com or site.mobi instead of www.site.com/mobile

• Specialized mobile versions

• Simple, shallow navigation structures

• Useful and simplified content on every page

not just navigation

• Optimize for degradation

Good Practices

• Layout links vertically

• Avoid repetitive data entry

passwords are hard to type

• Simplify forms (with clear buttons)

Mobile Applications

Tim Caynes

Main Mobile Platforms

Numeric

Keyboard

and Joystick

Half Keyboard

and Ball

KhE 龙

Cursor Keys

Crouching Donkey

Touchscreen

(Multi-touch)

Full Keyboard and Touchscreen

Card Stack Screens

with subtle animations

Two Panels

List + Detail

Fisheye Lens

Distortion Lens

Predictive Text

Availability Restrictions

Progressive Filtering

Rapid Serial Visual Presentation

50 miliseconds

Robert Spencer

Good Practices

• Optimize interaction for the target device

stylus based, small targets; finger based, big targets

3D look and feel for touchscreen interfaces

• Minimize data entry

• Optimize content presentation

emphasize what’s being seen/manipulated

• Provide shortcuts for experienced users

Thank you

gailjadehamilton