Mobile Flashcards
What is a software application?
Computer program built to perform a certain function or set of tasks.
What is a web application?
Developed to run in a web browser on any operating system; website.
What is a responsive website?
Site that adjusts appearance to suit the device it is being used on. Alters fonts, images, sizes, content hierarchy and nav appearances.
What is a mobile/m-dot website?
Website specifically developed for capabilities and constraints of a mobile device. Typically designed in conjunction with a separate desktop website.
What is a native app?
Software specifically built for mobile/tablets. Runs on the operating system of the device. Optimized to use abilities of smart phones and tablets.
What 4 things do you look at to justify a native app?
- Volume: Do you have a lot of users?
- Frequency: How often do they use the app?
- Unique: Does your app need native capabilities a website can’t provide?
- Cost: Is the cost of building and maintaining the app worth the benefits?
What are the 4 main types of applications?
- Utility
- Process
- Consumption
- Commerce
How do you determine which type of application you should use?
Through workflow complexity and structure.
What is a utility application complexity and structure?
Simple & structured
What are examples of utility applications?
Banking, Uber, whats app, calendar
What is a process application complexity and structure?
Complex & structured
What are examples of process applications?
insurance claims, realty, adwords
What is a consumption application complexity and structure?
Simple & random
What are examples of consumption applications?
Newspapers, Netflix, Facebook, online education
What is a commerce application complexity and structure?
Complex & random
What are examples of commerce applications?
eCommerce apps, Amazon, Walmart
When would you consider app unbundling?
When you have 2 or more user flows that have vastly different processes. You’d have smaller apps better at doing their primary use case.
What are the 3 different types of mobile flow?
- Linear
- Non-linear
- Hub-and-spoke
What are 4 characteristics of linear flow?
- Natural sequence
- Routine transactions
- Dependencies (on previous steps)
- Short, quick transactions
What is 1 characteristic of non-linear flow?
Steps are not dependent on one another
What are 4 characteristics of hub-and-spoke flow?
- Hub page allows access to any spoke page
- Sequence is not natural
- Long, involved transactions
- minimal dependencies
What are the 5 navigation patterns for mobile?
- Tabs
- Off-canvas
- Floating buttons
- Content as nav
- Blended
When would you consider using tabs and off-canvas nav?
- Broad content or functionality
- Some content is more important
When would you consider using off-canvas nav?
- Broad content or functionality
- Too many options for tabs
- All options of equal importance
What navigation is primarily on utility apps?
- Floating buttons for primary nav
- Everything else on off-canvas nav
What navigation is primarily on consumption apps?
- Content as primary nav
- Secondary options off-canvas
What navigation is primarily on commerce apps?
Primary nav is off-canvas
What navigation is primarily on process apps?
Primary nav is based on linear or hub-and-spoke options
What are the benefits of using input types?
- Reduces user workload
- Reduces user errors
- A lot of code bases offer built-in input types
What is more important to prioritize? Content or navigation?
Content. Prioritize the most critical/popular content first. Nav is secondary and accessible.
For a tap target, what is the average width of a finger?
11 mm
What are 4 different types of content views?
- List view
- Thumbnail view
- Grid view
- Map view
What are 3 things to help determine which type of content view to use?
- Simplicity or complexity of content
- Importance of imagery
- Relevance of location
What 2 purposes do notifications serve?
- Notify the user of comms from others
- Remind users of upcoming tasks or events
What are 4 characteristics of good notifications?
- Inform the user
- Bring into to the user
- Quick access to functionality
- Quick access to app
What 3 things can we do to make notifications less annoying?
- Don’t bombard
- Make them genuinely useful
- Make them time sensitive
What is the benefit of a skeleton state?
Gives the impression the site is loading faster than it is.
