Designing the iPhone user experience : a user-centered approach to sketching and prototyping iPhone apps

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Ginsburg, Suzanne, Author.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

iPhone (Smartphone)--Programming.

iPhone (Smartphone).

Application software--Development.

Application software.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (xxxi, 294 p.) : ill.

Edition:

1st edition

Place of Publication:

[Place of publication not identified] Addison Wesley 2011

Language Note:

English

System Details:

text file

Summary:

With over 150,000 apps in the App Store, it has become increasingly challenging for app designers and developers to differentiate their apps. The days are long gone when it was possible to crank out an app over the weekend and refine it after receiving a few not so flattering user reviews. Users now have choices -- lots of them. If your app is difficult to use or doesn’t meet their needs, finding another one is just a tap away. To illustrate, consider the ever-growing field of Twitter clients. There are hundreds of variations in the App Store but only a handful stand out from the pack (such as Tweetie or Twitterific). For most apps, it boils down to one thing: the user experience. The same is true for countless other categories within the App Store; well-designed apps are more likely to attract and retain users. Of course there are other critical aspects of iPhone app development: the coding, the marketing, the customer support. All of the elements must come together. Designing the iPhone User Experience will help you tackle the user experience part of the iPhone challenge. Three key themes will be reinforced throughout the book: Know thy user, the Design Lifecycle, and Attention to Detail: Millions of people depend on iPhone apps to get them to work, find their next meal, and stay in touch with family and friends. Professionals of all kinds also rely on iPhone apps: doctors look up drug interactions; photographers fine-tune lighting; cyclists find the best routes. To truly understand how your apps can fit into their lives, designers and developers must learn how users do things today, what’s important to them, and what needs have not been met. Part II, , will introduce a variety of user research methods. Know Thy User Introduction to User Research Award-winning designs rarely happen overnight; they usually only occur after many rigorous design cycles. To illustrate this point, consider USA TODAY's iPhone application, which went through at least seven iterations for the article view in their app. These kinds of iterations should happen before you launch your app, since it will save valuable time and money, not to mention the headaches a bad design could create for your user. More importantly, you may only have one chance to impress your users -- you do not want to sell them half-baked ideas. Part III, , will explain how to iteratively design and test your app concepts. The Design Lifecycle Developing your App Concept Most professionals know th...

Contents:

Cover

Contents

Preface

We'D Like To Hear From You

Acknowledgments

About The Author

Part One: Iphone Application And Device Overview

Chapter 1: Iphone Application Overview

Utility Apps

Productivity Apps

Immersive Applications

Summary

Chapter 2: Iphone Device Overview

Reviewing The Iphone And Ipod Touch'S Features

Multi-Touch Display

Light, Proximity, And Motion Sensors

Location And Compass Information

Bluetooth

Still And Video Cameras

Microphone And Speaker

Part Two: Defining Your Iphone App

Chapter 3: Introduction To User Research

Common User Research Questions

Shadowing And User Interviews

Documenting User Interviews

Diary Studies

Choosing A Research Method

Planning Your Research

Recruiting

Facilitating Interviews

Related Research Activities

Chapter 4: Analyzing User Research

Share The Wealth

Analyze Notes

Document Implications And Ideas

Report Findings

Create Design Tools

Revise The Product Definition Statement

Case Study 1: Windspire

Case Study 2: Aardvark Mobile

Chapter 5: Evaluating The Competition

Benefits

Apps To Include

Methods

Choosing A Method

Impact On The Product Definition Statement

Part Three: Developing Your App Concept

Chapter 6: Exploring App Concepts

Creating A Design-Friendly Environment

Effective Brainstorming

Sketching Your Concepts

Common Questions

Case Study 3: Foodspotting

Case Study 4: Not For Tourists

Case Study 5: Muse

Chapter 7: Prototyping App Concepts

Why Prototype?

Prototyping Approaches

Case Study 6: Prototyping At Dan4, Inc

Case Study 7: What'S Shakin'

Chapter 8: Usability-Testing App Concepts

What Is Usability Testing?

Why Usability Testing?.

Role Of Context

Usability-Testing Methods

Usability-Testing Timeline

Planning Usability Tests

Recruiting Participants

Drafting The Discussion Guide

Pilot Session

Facilitating Usability Tests

Analyzing Usability Tests

Presenting Usability Findings

Guerrilla Usability Testing

Beta Testing

Choosing An Approach

Case Study 8: Realtor.Com

Part Four: Refining Your Iphone App

Chapter 9: User Interface Design

User Interface Best Practices

User Interface Q&A

Back-End Ui Checklist

Case Study 9: Sonos

Case Study 10: Flighttrack

Chapter 10: Visual Design

The Importance Of Visual Design

When Should Visual Design Begin?

Visual Structure

Color

Type

Icons And Other Imagery

Case Study 11: Usa Today

Case Study 12: Voices

Case Study 13: Convertbot

Chapter 11: Branding And Advertising

What Is Branding?

Brand Expressions

Mobile Advertising Formats

Chapter 12: Accessibility And Localization

Accessibility

Internationalization And Localization

Looking To The Future

Handheld Forms Will Evolve

Mobile Payments Will Become Ubiquitous

Health Care Monitoring And Delivery Will Improve

Environmental Monitoring Will Lead To Scientific Discoveries

Privacy Issues Will Come To A Head

Conclusion

Index.

Notes:

Bibliographic Level Mode of Issuance: Monograph

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Description based on publisher supplied metadata and other sources.

ISBN:

9786612739293

9781282739291

1282739298

9780321699572

0321699572

OCLC:

1027179072