Brand Associated UIs in Mobile Apps

BRAND ASSOCIATED UIsWHEN 1 SIZE DOESN’T FIT ALL

BY DAVE SMITH // @DSPUREHEAD OF UX DESIGN @SPRIINGAGENCY

A HEADS UPTHIS IS NOT A LECTURE ABOUT BEST PRACTICE UX

IF YOU LEARN SOMETHING, IT WAS PROBABLY ACCIDENTAL

DAVE SMITH | BRAND ASSOCIATED UIs

HECKLERS ARE WELCOMEFEEL FREE TO INTERRUPT ME, SHOUT OUT YOUR OPINIONS OR DISAGREE

DAVE SMITH | BRAND ASSOCIATED UIs

SO, WHAT DO I MEAN BY BRAND ASSOCIATED UIs?// WHEN HARDWARE BRANDS DO THINGS ONE WAY, ‘THEIR’ WAY

// AND MAKE OUT IT’S THE RIGHT WAY

// FOR EVERYTHING!

// BUT HOW CAN IT BE WHEN EVERY APP SERVES A DIFFERENT PURPOSE?

DAVE SMITH | BRAND ASSOCIATED UIs

PRIORITY PRIORITY PRIORITY PRIORITYEVERYTHING

ELSE

THE BOTTOM TABBED NAV// FORCED SIMPLICITY

EXAMPLE 1

DAVE SMITH | BRAND ASSOCIATED UIs

THE HAMBURGER// WHEN 2 STEPS ARE SUPPOSEDLY BETTER THAN 1

EXAMPLE 2

DAVE SMITH | BRAND ASSOCIATED UIs

TILES// WINDOWS DOING IT DIFFERENTLY (JUST, BECAUSE)

EXAMPLE 3

DAVE SMITH | BRAND ASSOCIATED UIs

RULES// THEY ALL HAVE THEM

// GUIDELINES, FOR HOW THEY WANT YOU TO CREATE AN APP FOR THEIR DEVICES

// YOU CAN’T (SHOULDN’T) BREAK THESE RULES (THAT WOULD BE NAUGHTY)

// THE EXPERIENCE WILL SUFFER (THEY SAY)

// USERS WON’T KNOW WHAT TO DO (HMMM)

// THEY’LL RUN FOR THE HILLS! (OF COURSE THEY WILL!)

DAVE SMITH | BRAND ASSOCIATED UIs

BUT RULES DO GET BROKENAND TECH FANS GET UPSET...

DAVE SMITH | BRAND ASSOCIATED UIs

TABS... ON MY HTC!!!!

DAVE SMITH | BRAND ASSOCIATED UIs

AND WHEN RULES AREBROKEN

THEY CAN LOOK A BIT LIKE...

DAVE SMITH | BRAND ASSOCIATED UIs

TABS? SORRY YOU MUST BE GETTING MEMIXED UP WITH SOMEONE ELSE

BUT ON THE SERIOUS SIDE…DEVICES MAKE IT MORE DIFFICULT AND TIME CONSUMING TO

INTEGRATE NON-NATIVE, GUIDELINE BREAKING UIs

WHEN THEY COULD BE ENHANCING A USER’S EXPERIENCE

DAVE SMITH | BRAND ASSOCIATED UIs

WHY IT’S WRONG// APPS ALL DIFFER

// THEY SERVE UNIQUE PURPOSES

// HAVE VARYING AUDIENCES

// AND DIFFER IN SCALE

DAVE SMITH | BRAND ASSOCIATED UIs

SO ONE SIZE DOESN’T FIT ALL// THE APP SHOULD WORK IN THE BEST WAY TO SERVE THE PURPOSE!

// THE UI SHOULD THEREFORE BE DESIGNED ACCORDINGLY

// …IGNORING THE BRAND OF DEVICE IT’S ON

DAVE SMITH | BRAND ASSOCIATED UIs

BECAUSE IN BASIC TERMS...

DAVE SMITH | BRAND ASSOCIATED UIs

YOU DON’T NEED A HAMBURGER MENU TO HOLD 3 SECTIONS

DAVE SMITH | BRAND ASSOCIATED UIs

YOU CAN’T FIT 20 SECTIONS INTO 5 TABS

DAVE SMITH | BRAND ASSOCIATED UIs

TILES ARE SHIT

DAVE SMITH | BRAND ASSOCIATED UIs

SO IS HORIZONTAL NAVIGATION WITH PARTIALLY HIDDEN SECTION TITLES

DAVE SMITH | BRAND ASSOCIATED UIs

SORRY BILL

DAVE SMITH | BRAND ASSOCIATED UIs

SO WHY DO THEY DO IT?// MY TAKE…

// COMMERCIALLY BASED DECISIONS ALWAYS WIN OVER USABILITY

// UX MAY BE THE BUZZWORD OF THE CENTURY

// BUT SOMETIMES COMPANIES DON’T CARE ABOUT IT (EVEN THOUGH THEY MAKE OUT OTHERWISE)

// THEY SIMPLY WANT TO ATTRACT A DIFFERENT AUDIENCE

// HAVE DIFFERENT SELLING POINTS

// LOOK LIKE THEY’RE MOVING THINGS ON

// SOMETIMES THAT’S NEEDED - (EXAMPLE)

// BUT AT THE SACRIFICE OF THE USERS NEEDS

DAVE SMITH | BRAND ASSOCIATED UIs

WHAT’S NEXT FOR UI…WHICH TRAITS WILL LIVE ON?

AND WHICH WON’T?

DAVE SMITH | BRAND ASSOCIATED UIs

A SHOT IN THE DARK// HAMBURGERS WILL STAY BUT IMPROVE

// TABS WILL LIVE ON, BUT WE’LL SEE MORE IN FUTURE UI’S OUTSIDE OF iOS

// METRO TILES WILL HAVE A PLACE BUT FOR A MORE DISTINCT AND SMALLER SET OF APPS, WHEN AND WHERE IT’S DEEMED USEFUL

// OTHER METHODS - FAMILIARITY WILL ALWAYS WIN SO LOOK OUT FOR EVOLUTION OVER RE-INVENTION

DAVE SMITH | BRAND ASSOCIATED UIs

RANT OVERTHANK YOU

(THAT’S THAT OFF MY CHEST)

DAVE SMITH | BRAND ASSOCIATED UIs