App design is important not only for improving the user experience, but also for improving the app’s functionality, performance, and overall aesthetics. However, creating a mobile app is not an easy task. To ensure a successful outcome, careful planning, strategizing, and execution are required.

Mobile app design can appear extremely vague and pose a lot of questions to the businesses that consider requesting it. “What are the steps? What are the artifacts? How many people will be involved, and what will my role be in it?” 

In this article, I answer all these questions and more as we discuss the key stages of designing a successful mobile app. 

1. Business analysis

You also need to define the purpose of your app and its features. This involves identifying the problems that your app will solve and the features that will help users achieve their goals. It is essential to keep your app simple and user-friendly, and not overload it with too many features. 

For example, if you target an average US user, you will be able to win the audience with just an iOS version. But if you want your app to go global, you won’t succeed without an app version for Android, which is overwhelmingly popular in EMEA markets. 

Once you define the platform(s) you need to reach, you should consider the development approach. Your options here are: 

• Native development – UX and UI design of the app is tailored to the platform’s original guidelines, it looks and feels exactly like any factory app for that platform. This development option entails high implementation costs but guarantees high user satisfaction. 
• Hybrid development – UX and UI design are identical on different platforms and thus may feel unnatural to some users at first. Implementation costs are almost 2x lower than with native development. 
• Cross-platform development – UX and UI design offer a near-native look and experience on either platform. This option requires about 70% of the native development budget. 

Defining functional requirements is the core objective of business analysis. The requirements help build a detailed concept of your future app and describe all the tasks it will handle in the form of a project specification. Without this document, the UX designers won’t be able to even start their work. 

2. UX design

After you’ve defined the functional requirements for your future app, your preferred vendor can begin the design process. The first stage is user experience design, which is usually done in collaboration with a business analyst by a UX expert.

The team works to develop fictitious profiles of your mobile app’s future users (aka personas) and their interaction patterns with the app (aka user scenarios). Although it depends on the functionality of your app, mobile app design typically necessitates 5-7 personas, each with at least two distinct user scenarios.

Both personas and scenarios help a UX designer understand what goals users will want to achieve while using your app. This understanding, in its turn, allows the designer to give the detailed form of wireframes, either hand-drawn or digital, to interaction flows between a user and the mobile app. 

The finished UX wireframes – around 40 mockups on average – go through rigorous, multi-round UX testing. Aimed at gaining early feedback, testing makes it possible to eliminate UX issues while they are still cheap to fix. I also highly advise you (or somebody from the project team on your side) to take part in this testing to see the first results for yourself. 

3. UI design prototyping

UX wireframes – which usually look like monochromatic schemes – are the basis for the work of user interface designers. By combining your company’s brand book, platform-specific guidelines (the major ones being Google’s Material Design and/or Apple’s Human Interface), and the latest mobile design trends, they transform the lo-fi wireframes into a colorful, hi-fi digital prototype. If you already have a web application with a similar functionality pack, UI designers make sure the mobile app’s look is consistent with that of the web app. 

Once the prototype is finished, the UI team contacts you and asks for your review. Make sure to share all your thoughts and doubts at this point. Even if some major fixes or additions end up being costly, they will still be at least 2 times cheaper at this stage than they will be later, in the shape of code. 

Only after your project team approves the final version of the UI prototypes, the design is complete, and you can safely proceed to development. 

Although I’ve covered the most common choices and actions involved in the mobile app design process, each project has its own specifics that can pose more questions and require more decisions from your side. If you feel like these decisions cause uncertainty that holds you back from launching your mobile app development project, don’t hesitate to reach out to us by clicking the “get in touch” button at the top right of this page to book a free 30-minute consultation to find out how we can help provide your business with a brand-compliant and fully responsive mobile app.  

Technology underpins the significant advances in globalization. For instance, there has been an increase in smartphones and other devices that have enabled individuals all over the world to have a means of communication and idea-sharing right from their location. Also, there is the Internet of Things (IoT), which has made data collection processes easier and more dynamic. People may now connect more easily because of the increased speed at which information is moving.

There is an ICT revolution, which has led to a major rise in the internationalization of all digital services and made society more competitive, demanding, and fast-paced. The reason for this is not farfetched. Since many businesses and professionals make deals on trade, investments, and communication largely over the internet, there is more pressure to compete on an international level. So, the life cycle of products gets shorter, and over time, the production, distribution, and supply chains get more integrated. 

Foreign direct investments, trade, migration, and even the flow of capital are all examples of how this trend has contributed to what is now known as economic globalization. Collectively, these factors promote global trade, the development of which is heavily reliant on the internet. Almost every company in the world uses technology to conduct business. 

Technological advancements that have affected globalization in several ways including;  

•  Mobile payments : In the past, individuals had to be ready to pay any amount in cash. When people were required to pay large sums, they carried large amounts of cash in bags and often hired security to help the money safe which in turn cost more. After sometime, cheques came into the picture however even till now people don’t trust the validity of cheques as they bounce and take long hours to clear. Mobile payments however have changed how we live, putting more people in touch with business opportunities. Mobile payments are making a big difference in how we live. As it is fast, simple and safe.  Mobile payment services make it possible to safely pay on the go, these same services are making life easier and more convenient especially for people around the world who live in remote places. It is much easier for them to take part in global trade, either as consumers or as businesses. 
• Blockchain:  The global trade supply chain is changing a lot by blockchain and distributed ledger technologies that use blockchain.  Blockchain technology is being used to solve problems with global trade, like high costs and a lack of security and transparency.  Blockchain-based solutions are not only making the movement of goods faster and more reliable, but they are also shaking up the world of trade financing.  For example, blockchain is being used to make it easier to get a Letter of Credit (LoC), which is a way to pay for international trade. Getting a LoC used to be a long and complicated process. 
• Machine learning and artificial intelligence : Artificial intelligence and machine learning are being used to find the best trade shipping routes, manage ship and truck traffic at ports, and translate e-commerce search queries from one language into other languages and respond with translated inventory.   AI is being used to make global trade more stable in more ways than just making it more efficient and giving customers better service, examples include chatbots, etc 
• Digital Trade and E-commerce Platforms : Online platforms like Upwork make it easier to trade services. Users can find service providers from all over the world for a wide range of services. These digital platforms make it easy for customers and service providers to connect in a way that wasn’t possible in the past, when these kinds of professional services were mostly done in person. Digital platforms help business customers around the world connect with service providers and make it easier to find the right professional for their needs.  

The effect of these technologies has been especially good for emerging market economies, which have been using more foreign knowledge and technology to help come up with new ideas and make their workers more productive.  With all the uncertainty in the world today, the future of international trade looks exciting because of new technologies.  With the right way of doing things, these new ideas will make trade growth more efficient and open to more people in the future.  Because of progress in technology, the world has become a global village where people can talk, work, and do business without leaving their homes.  As new technologies are made every day, there is a better chance that these and other fields will get better in the near future. 

 Article Submitted by Aderonke Folorunso, Director of Enterprise Sales, Prunedge

There’s no denying that having access to relevant data is crucial for expanding your business and making informed decisions. This emphasizes the importance of data engineering. Data drives the operations of businesses small and large. Businesses use data to answer relevant inquiries ranging from consumer interest to product viability.   

Data engineering, also known as information engineering, refers to a software-based strategy for creating data and information systems.  When we talk about data engineering, we’re talking about the entire process of gathering, cleaning, and organizing information from several sources. Data integration tools and AI are just two examples of the advanced methods used in data engineering for data collection and verification.  Data engineering typically entails the creation and monitoring of complex processing systems to apply discovered data to real-world settings. 

Read: Why You Should Adopt IoT Into Your Business in 2022

This procedure guarantees that the data is usable and can be accessed when necessary. More importantly, the practical applications of data collecting and processing are emphasized heavily across the field of data engineering. Data engineers are responsible for ensuring the data’s quality. 

If the quality does not meet their standards, they clean the data in order to bring it up to their requirements. Because of this, a substantial portion of the work consists of designing database systems. An interesting fact is that machine learning engineers can serve in the capacity of both data scientists and data engineers.  

Also Read: How Can Your Business Benefit from API Integration

Why Is Data Engineering Important? 

Businesses can greatly benefit from data engineering since it improves the quality and usefulness of their data.  

• It helps prevent data breaches and online attacks by strengthening your company’s information security. 
• Improves your software development life cycle by identifying and adopting the most effective approaches. 

• Developing deeper expertise in the field of business 
• Integrating disparate data sources into a centralised database 

Data is present at every stage of the business process, from dealing with sales data to assessing lead life cycles. Data engineers ensure that data is both complete and consistent. The success of almost every company goal relies on data engineering. In order to get data ready for analysis, data engineers employ a wide variety of specialized techniques and resources. Data sustainability has evolved as a result of technological advancements over the years.  

Cloud computing, open-source software, and the explosion of available data are examples of such developments. Information has little value if it cannot be understood. Data engineering is the foundation for turning raw data into actionable information. 

Click on the “get in touch” button for a free 30-minute consultation to find out how we can help provide your business with the best data engineering services

What Is A User Interview?

In a user interview, a researcher converses with the user of a product or service to better understand their needs, driving factors, and viewpoints. To ensure that products are designed with users in mind, user interviews are a crucial tool for designers and product teams.

User interviews can be conducted in person or over the phone, and can last between a couple of minutes and well over an hour. In a user interview, the researcher will question the user about their experiences with and viewpoints on a range of issues concerning the product or service. User interviews are intended to collect qualitative information that can be used to enhance the product or service.

User interviews are typically informal discussions, so researchers should make an effort to make the user feel comfortable. Avoiding leading questions will help the user feel more comfortable sharing their thoughts and experiences. Depending on the requirements of the research project, user interviews can be conducted with either individuals or groups.

Also Read: Optimizing Customer Experience and Growing Your Business With UI/UX Designs

Why User Interviews Are Important

User interviews are an important part of the product development process. They help you to understand your users’ needs and how they interact with your product. Conducting successful user interviews requires careful planning and preparation.

User interviews are an essential part of user research. They allow you to get direct insights from your target users about their needs, wants, and frustrations.

User interviews, when done properly, can assist you in validating your hypotheses, spotting new opportunities, and creating a better product.

I will share a few tips that will guide you in conducting successful user interviews that are both informative and valuable.

Read This : User research VS Market research, which works best for You? 

What Questions To Ask In A User Interview

Asking the right questions during a user interview is important for obtaining actionable feedback. Here are some questions to ask that will help you understand your users’ needs and pain points.

1. What problem are you trying to solve by using our product/service?
2. How do you currently go about solving this problem?
3. Have you previously tried any other options? If so, what aspects of them did you like or dislike?
4. How does our product/service compare to other solutions on the market?
5. What would be your ideal solution to this problem?
6. How easy is it to use our product or service? Do you require assistance using it?
7. What features do you like/dislike most about our product/service? Is there anything missing that you would like to see added?
8. Would you recommend our product/service to others? Why or why not?
   

   How To Analyze User Interview Data

   As you may already know, user interviews play an important role in user experience research. They help us understand the needs, wants, and pain points of our users. But after the interviews, how do you begin to analyze all that data?

I will take you step-by-step through a process for analyzing user interview data, though there are a few         different ways to go about this.

1. You should first, read through all of the interview notes where you have documented the user’s feedback. Take note of any important ideas as you read.
2.  After reading through all of the feedback, you can decide to classify the information. For instance, you might want to create categories for each mentioned pain point or type of solution that was suggested.
3.  After categorizing your data, search for patterns and trends. Are there any recurring pain points? Do some solutions get mentioned more frequently than others?

User interviews are a fantastic way to obtain opinions about your product or service from actual users. I hope that the few tips I have provided yield valuable insights that you can use to improve your user interviews.

Written by Bolutife Adeniji. Bolutife is a Product Design Intern at Prunedge who loves to write about what she does.

All your business documents, information, and projects are safely put away on an outside server (Cloud) that permits you to get your documents from anywhere. Without a doubt, Cloud Computing gives businesses access to innovations that were not in their range and allows them to rival both other small and big businesses.   

Although there are endless benefits of using cloud-based software, here are five benefits of using cloud-based software for MSMEs. 

1. Easy access to all your files and documents. 

With cloud computing you can work from anywhere. You can get to your files and information while with a client, while you’re on the road or at home. It’s facilitated remotely which means you don’t have to stress over any serious downloads and updates. Cloud computing is an adaptable working answer for businesses to enjoy a work- life balance without enduring a shot on efficiency. 

2. Sensitive documents are properly secured 

Cyber security is very important, with businesses at high risk of cyber-attacks and the ascent of remote working pushing the need for more severe safety efforts. Making use of a cloud-based framework from a service provider that you can count on will remove the weight from your shoulders, saving you significant time and assets. Cloud computing allows for speedy and careful recovery. It also checks that you are not exposed to periods of downtime or unnecessary issues. Cloud based programming eliminates these security imperfections totally. In the cloud, your data and information is kept in high security server locales, with inbuilt reinforcement and overt repetitiveness. 

Also Read: How Can Your Business Benefit from API Integration

3. Save Money

 You can reduce how much time you spend on administrative tasks and have the time to zero in on strictly business activities.  With Cloud Computing, you don’t have to buy expensive software anymore. This is because you now use cloud applications at the forefront of today’s technology and in many cases a whole less expensive. There are various ways that Cloud Computer can help you save. With Cloud Computing, you won’t need to get people to install new updates, servers, or backup. This is because at Prunedge, we will help you maintain your service, applications and this is incorporated with making use of Cloud Computing. 

4. Recover Data easily 

Losing files or data can be very sad for any business. For a business that is trying to grow, it goes beyond just the lost data, it is about the time and money that you’ll need to recover the lost data. Cloud-based services with data recovery are an extraordinary choice to keep your data secure. It’s an incredible venture for your business. Particularly on the grounds that a hearty information recuperation framework can save your information when it’s been cleared off of a failing server. Or on the other hand you can securely erase basic information from a distance from a lost PC. Cloud-based storage assists you with tending to security worries by incorporating overt repetitiveness into an organization’s data the board approach. Crossover frameworks moving up nearby information to the cloud progressively offer assurance against security breaks and permit businesses to decrease their dependence on actual foundation and mental backups. 

5. You’re one step ahead of your competitors

 In the event that you start using cloud-based software before your competitors, you’ll be further along the expectation to learn and adapt when they get up to speed. For SMEs, Cloud Hosting is financially savvy, profoundly dependable and it gives the adaptability, dexterity, elite execution and security businesses need from their IT frameworks. This means that you’ll be making use of something that gives you various advantages that your competitors or even bigger businesses aren’t using. 

Now, the security concerns around the cloud’s initial days have generally lessened and the technology has developed. Businesses are making use of the advantages of the cloud for a wide range of imaginative purposes. Cloud technology has played a huge role in development across many areas, mostly around empowering the rise of AI, the web of things (IoT), and huge scope data handling and storage on far servers. 

Click on the “get in touch” button for a free 30-minute consultation to find out how we can help provide your business with easy-to-use cloud-based software with first-class support to help you get the most out of your procurement activities. 

For businesses, customer experience and feedback are perhaps the most important determining factors of being successful.

When customers are satisfied with what they see and what they get, you are assured that they will tell their friends about you which will, in turn, lead to revenue generation and business growth.

A lot of business owners do not know that UI/UX designs are not just technical terms, they are important qualities that a good business must possess.

UX, meaning user experience is the process of improving the overall experience of the user when they interact with your business software application or website. With UX, the goal is to provide maximum customer satisfaction. With a good UX design, you get software that is easy to use, intuitive and inviting. Optimal UX ensures that customers find value when they interact with a company’s products or services.

UI on the other hand means user interface design. It focuses on navigation, appearances, and how the product interacts with users. UI also addresses issues such as responsiveness, efficiency, and accessibility. Other vital hallmarks of a hassle-free UI design include consistent layout and fitting graphics design. The scope of the UI includes all visual layouts, and interactive elements of a product’s interface, including buttons, icons, spacing, and responsive layout.

UI and UX play a crucial role in encouraging customers to continue using a service or a technology. Creating human-centered interfaces boosts customers’ usability and reduces the effort they need to make. Telling your brand’s story requires engaging customers. This is why UX and UI design are very important. To tell your story successfully, you need to include your customers by making your UI and UX customer-centric.

As a business owner, you need to create a distinctive and exciting end-to-end experience that makes life easier and more enjoyable for your customers. From websites to apps and more it’s important to see your brand how your customer would see it. It must be well-designed, quick and efficient.

With great UI/UX designs, you are guaranteed that;

1. Customers will return to your website and use your app again and again if you have a great UI/UX design. Even better, it will contribute to them leaving you an excellent rating and reviews because they are unlikely to find issues with your platforms. More people will visit your website and download your app as a result of this. Customers are not just returning; they are also telling their family and friends about your business because they were impressed. Which in turn translates to leads and revenue generation.
2. UI/UX design makes sure that the design of your website and app is consistent across all pages. This means that the colors, fonts, design style, layout, and button type are all identical. As a result, even if your app is not a pale imitation of your website, there will be consistency within and across both platforms.

With so many competing brands and options available to customers, your UI/UX designs must be able to capture your customers’ attention. They become loyal customers after falling in love with the brand, which leads to revenue generation. As a company that values customer satisfaction, you require the best UI/UX design for your website and mobile app.

Also Read: User research VS Market research, which works best for You?  

A great UI/UX design, on the other hand, necessitates extensive research and expertise. As a result, you should hire a UI/UX designer who understands how to create designs that are not only seamless but also meet the needs of your users.

Our UI/UX designers at Prunedge are experts who focus on users’ needs to create designs that will improve their experience.

Click on the “get in touch” button for a free 30-minute consultation to learn more about how UI/UX design can optimize your business.