There are a lot of times when even a good app design starts to wear off. Users get tired of seeing the same interface over and over again. Other apps in the market start to leave behind the app in question in terms of UI, UX, and overall user flow.
Thus, a makeover should always be on the cards when we speak of mobile apps. Users these days expect the apps they use to offer the same latest functionality on offer on other apps.
This constant need for improvement and fine tuning brings us to the prospect of a mobile app redesign. The following sections cover the subject in detail and provide a guide into how the process takes place.
Also read: Mobile app design – The Complete Guide to Designing a Mobile app
What is the need for redesigning a mobile app?
There are no fixed set of reasons why a mobile app redesign. Some companies take the simple route and decide to redesign an app in a fixed period of time. This time period can be anywhere between a few months to a few years depending on the scale of the redesign in question.
The main overarching need for a redesign is offering new and improved features which match the market trends. Let’s take an example. Assume you make your own app without coding using a mobile app builder.
Do you expect to keep the same mobile app design and structure for the next ten years? The answer would naturally be no. You know how much the world of technology can change in ten years. A study recently showed that users tend to discover 78% of bugs on a regular basis. Can you really afford to stand still as users start to demand more?
Commiting to the same app build for ten years is unviable.
A redesign is always on the cards. Sometimes companies do it out of ambition. Other times they do it out of compulsion.
The following sections discuss how a design team generally goes about the redesign process.
How to approach mobile app redesign? A brief step-by-step guide
Every design process must be approached with a deep level of professional sobriety and planning. The following sections highlight five common steps involved during a typical redesign process.
Step #1 - Why is the redesign happening?
Let’s say you convert WordPress website to Android app using a free Android app maker. Your app initially gets a lot of rave reviews because of its good content and simple design.
However, your users start noting how other apps in your niche are becoming more progressive. They’re adding features like text to audio as well as translation capabilities.
You begin to notice this trend and decide to start a mobile app redesign
Why are you redesigning your app? In this case, the main reason is keeping up with the features other competing apps are coming out with.
The reason behind the whole redesign process helps give direction to the entire process. Updating every little part of an app during a redesign is a fool’s errand. Companies must focus on the main reasons behind the redesign and focus solely on those parts.
Step #2 - Study user feedback
The second step is studying user feedback. More often than not, a redesign is triggered by a slew of feedback from users asking for a specific change or update.
Before getting into the brass tacks of the redesign, it is smart to go back and analyze the feedback coming from the users. This is especially important if the redesign in the pipeline is slated to make changes on a large scale.
If the changes proposed in a redesign match the needs of users, it makes sense to go through with the process. Otherwise, the redesign idea must first be tested through various validation phases.
Step #3 - Implement changes based on redesign goals
The changes you make during app redesign must match your overall goals. Let’s go back to the first step and the example mentioned there. You used a free Android app maker to make an app out of your WordPress website. The big reason behind your app redesign was adding new features.
This step basically involves the implementation of the same features.
In some cases, mobile app redesign also involves the need for developers. In this example for instance, adding new features will require the design team to work closely with developers.
The nature of the changes involved determine the kind of professionals needed. In generic UI and UX changes, the design team itself is enough to manage the entire process. The development team only needs to verify the viability of the new designs.
Step #4 - Test the new design with a sample audience
It doesn’t make sense to simply roll out a new design without testing it with a sample audience. A bad response from a new app redesign is the last thing a company needs. After all, the entire point of the process is to bring the app closer to optimality.
There are many ways you can start mobile app testing with a sample audience. Google Play Store offers internal testing mechanisms which enables developers to open up their app for testing.
Step #5 - Roll-out new design and look for changes in user behaviour
Once the testing is complete, you can roll-out the new features. One of the best ways to announce a new design is to run push notification campaigns to inform users about the updates. This will immediately inform users about your new redesign.
The important part here is noting changes in user behaviour after the launch. This is best accomplished with the help of some powerful app analytics tools like Firebase, App Annie, and Flurry. These tools help companies see whether their new updates are having the desired effect.
In conclusion
Mobile app redesign is a common event in an app’s life. Even the biggest of apps such as Facebook and Twitter appear different from their decade-old designs. This shows that even the biggest apps in the market have to change with the times.
The piece provides a primer on mobile app redesign and helps readers understand its importance. The step-by-step guide also enables users to learn how the redesign process actually happens.