UX Fundamentals: Improving App User Experience for Better Retention

The world that apps live in is quite lonely and unforgiving. This is because users rarely download new apps, and when they do, abandonment is high. Deploying research to discover and understand what makes users return isn’t that simple because users don’t always know what they want.

People love apps that feel fast, good, and intuitive. Luckily, you can easily achieve that with your app if you focus on its perceived speed, familiarity, and branding. When you improve on these elements, they will make your app more appealing even from day one.

Altering the Perception of Time

Humans are usually more impatient than patient, and this is reflected in many things that they do, including using apps. Users aren't always patient with apps, and if an app causes them to wait too long, they can be driven to make use of other apps that can do the job faster. Impatience, however, isn’t only about time; it also involves emotional factors.

James Moore, a neuroscientist, explains it this way: “A lot is dependent on expectation—if we think something will take time, we accept it. Frustration comes when expectations are violated.”

This means that when we expect a fast experience but we get buffering, lags, and delays instead, we get frustrated. However, if we expect a slow experience and we get those same buffering, lags, and delays, it does nothing to frustrate us because we were already expecting it.

Hence, your users’ perception, rather than actual speed, affects their experience.

With this knowledge about human psychology, app developers can change the way an app is perceived and effectively combat impatience in users. Instead of working tirelessly to reduce and grind a few milliseconds off each interaction, app developers can enhance the user’s experience, leading to a more satisfying outcome.

Some examples of designing for perceived speed include using progress indicators, engaging copy, transitional animations, and gradual loading to create a sense of momentum.

A prime example of such an app that has been designed for perceived speed is the Instagram app. When users “like” an image, they get instant feedback with a heart animation and an increase in the like tally, enhancing the feeling of speed.

Requests are processed in the background, so the user experience remains pleasant even in slow connectivity areas.

Helping the User Feel at Home

Familiarity is the basis of a great user experience, as it helps to foster a sense of security in the minds of users. The mere exposure effect, a psychological phenomenon, explains this quite well. It describes how repeated use of something leads to attachment. Having prior experiences with something makes it easier to use it the next time because we already know what to do and what to expect from it. Familiarity is key in UX. Familiar designs let users know how something works and provide comfort to them.

Three Standards that developers use have been listed below:

• Standard interaction designs are successful when the outcome of users’ actions matches the users' mental models- their thought process of how something works. This simplifies usability for users.

• Information architecture must also align with user expectations. Users will expect that the elements in an app will follow common layouts, such as search functions at the top and shopping baskets at the top-right corner. Expectations arise when the majority of the web uses the same design approach. Users will expect similar responses when they interact with similar elements. If there are inconsistencies, it can lead to confusion and frustration. This consistency helps users navigate effortlessly.

• Visual cues also provide users with information to help them use a product. For example, variation in size and color can help users understand the importance and relationship between contents.

While sticking to standards might sound boring, ignoring them can negatively affect how your users interpret the elements in your app. Standards should be taken seriously, as most of your users would expect things to work that way. A deviation from the standard can cause confusion and inconsistencies for your users while using your app, ultimately leading to app abandonment.

Building Relationships With Your Brand

One of the most important but often overlooked elements in UX design is branding. Branding is crucial for user retention but is often forgotten when planning an app’s user-experience design.

While performance metrics such as time on task, error frequency, and success rates are essential, you should bear in mind that users are usually irrational and will not just keep on using an app just because of its “superior usability”.

Users need emotional connections to return to your app. This is why you need to leverage your brand to balance user retention. Branding is about the human experience: the set of associations and emotions a user develops when using your app. It shapes how users feel about your app. If the associations are consistent with your user convictions and remain that way, there is a higher chance of user retention.

This is why it is important to infuse your brand in our app from the very start of the app’s design. It will help you provide your users with a stronger human experience with your app and will also strengthen the connection they have with your app.

Some techniques that can help you bolster your UX with branding include making use of engaging content, micro-animations, and thoughtful logo designs.

Great content builds trust and credibility with your users. It helps them figure out what you do, what you stand for, and why they should care. For example, Headspace promotes the science of meditation effectively, through the use of engaging visuals and great content to support its brand’s message.

Motion through micro-animations also helps to express the brand's personality. It can be used to guide users more fluidly, provide relevant feedback, and help prevent errors. MailChimp is an example of an app that makes use of micro-animations to create memorable moments. Simple animations like that can help to enhance user flow and engagement with the app.

Strengthen Your Foundations

The bottom line is that if your app feels slow, then you can trust users not to stick around. Unfamiliar interfaces create frustration and will leave your users feeling alienated. Also, your it is essential for your users to understand your app's value so that they can always remember it and return to your app.

Simply getting the fundamentals right—like perceived speed, familiarity, and branding—will boost your app's retention rate.