You've decided to try mobile app design, but you're not sure where to start. No worries, we've got you covered. In this article, we'll outline five things you need to know to help get you started in mobile app design. Moreover, if you've already got some skills, take a look at our roundup of tutorials that will walk you through different aspects of how to make an app.




What is a mobile app design?

App designers are in charge of making an app look good, while developers make it work correctly. And, designers are responsible for the overall style of the app, including things like the colour scheme, font selection, and the types of buttons and widgets the user will use.

Which platform should you design for?Depending on your reasons for wanting to design mobile apps, you may already know which platform you want to work with and why. Besides, if you're just starting out and you're not sure which is right for you, got for the one you're most familiar with.

So, What tools should you use?

Adobe XDWhen it comes to designing mobile apps, the good news is that regardless of the platform, you can generally use the same tools for both. Moreover, one of the biggest reasons for using Adobe XD or Sketch over something like Photoshop is that these two tools are built with designing and prototyping in mind.

Besides, They help streamline your design workflows and are targeted at UI and UX designers, whereas Photoshop is more for image manipulation.

OS design guidelines

Generally speaking, mobile app design shares some similarities between the different operating systems, such as:

  • Goal-driven design
  • Keep it simple (less is more)
  • Maintain the flow
  • Readability is key
  • Respect the platform

This is app is more important than you may realise. When users download and install an app to their device, they expect it to behave in a way that's familiar and intuitive to them. Furthermore, Not only do you need to consider the different navigation patterns that iOS and Android have, but you also need to think about buttons, font selection, and placement of UI objects.

Wireframes and app flow

Before designing an app's look and feel, it's essential to work on its flow control and structure. And, Wireframes help you understand how users will navigate and use an app. They're generally simplified in their design so that the focus is on flow and usability.

Especially, While there are many dedicated wireframe tools, it's not uncommon for designers to simply use a pen and paper. But, if you're looking for something more hi-tech and collaborative (which is especially important when you're working with a remote team), consider creating your wireframes in Sketch or Adobe XD.

Mockups and prototypes

This step is generally easier if you've used the same design tool to create both your wireframes and your mobile app design. However, many tools, including UXPin (which integrates with Sketch), include ways to annotate your wireframes with the detailed information required by devs, to remove the need for any guesswork.