Elevate Your Mobile App Design: Best Practices for Mobile App Success

May 26, 2023

A person creating a mobile app prototype using paper and small circular cutouts of colored paper. Each cutout features an icon representative of typical mobile app elements.

Mobile apps are a fundamental part of the success of any business. As the world continues to develop at a rapid pace, it is imperative that companies adopt successful practices.

Incorporate Useful Experiences… Minimal Effort is Key

Users want easy access to what they want. This means making informed decisions about how content is organized and minimizing tasks for the user. Setting smart defaults and offloading tasks is a great way to create user-friendly experiences.

Use Navigation as an Engagement Tool

Navigation should encourage users to engage and interact with your content. Navigation needs to be accessible and identifiable, but it should not draw attention away from vital information.

No Web Experiences

Users should be able to experience your content in a way that differs from your web page. Don’t replicate your website on your mobile app. Instead, maintain visual consistency with typography, color choices, and other creative elements.

Personalize the Experience

Personalization offers users a unique and more relevant experience. When possible, leverage user data to display relevant content. Including things like the user’s name on the screen and in messaging can be a great way to make the user experience more personable.

One-Handed Centered Design

More than 80% of users use their phone with one hand. As screen displays continue to grow in size, more of the screen will likely be inaccessible. Make use of the green zone area and be sure to place the top-level menu, frequently used controls, and common action items in this part of the screen, which can be easily reached with the thumb.

In improving the efficiency of your mobile app you allow for better user experience. If you want to offer a more engaging experience to users consider these helpful practices that work to deliver a more personalized and engaging encounter for users.

Designing for the Thumb: Creating User-Centric Mobile App Experiences

May 24, 2023

Optimal thumb-zone mapping for both left- and right-handed users. The 'combined' zone indicates the ideal placement areas for maximum usability across a wide range of users.

Designing mobile interfaces requires a unique approach distinct from web design. Ignoring the importance of a thumb-friendly design can result in frustrated users. Let’s explore effective techniques to enhance mobile app usability and create a seamless user experience.

The Power of Thumbs

Did you know that nearly half of all users hold their phones with one hand? Thumbs drive approximately 75% of mobile interactions. Designing with thumbs in mind is essential to prevent user frustration and maximize engagement. Below are two tips to improve your app's UX.

Full-Screen Menus

Utilize responsive full-screen menus with a hamburger dropdown, offering ample space and large, thumb-friendly options. Users can effortlessly navigate through the menu, ensuring ease of use.

Sticky Navigations

Implement a sticky navigation menu at the bottom of the screen, accompanying users as they explore the app. This strategic placement enables quick and convenient thumb-driven navigation.

Thoughtful Placements

While including links and buttons that require more thumb effort is acceptable, prioritize their placement for less frequently accessed pages or tools. User-centric design ensures essential features are easily accessible, minimizing frustration.

Optimizing your mobile app design for thumb-friendly interfaces is vital for a seamless user experience. By implementing techniques like responsive full-screen menus and sticky navigation, you can enhance usability and captivate users

Mobile App Spotlight: QR Pop

May 17, 2023

The image consists of three screenshots from the mobile app QR Pop. At the bottom of each screenshot, there is a navigation bar displaying icons for the Builder, Scanner, Archive, and settings.

The left-most screenshot showcases various QR code options, including Links, Wifi Networks, Calendar Events, Contact Cards, Emails, Phone Numbers, Text Messages, Whatsapp, Facetime, and more. Each QR code type is represented by an orange-colored symbol.

The middle screenshot displays a basic black QR code that links to Bluehouse.Group. The interface includes a tab for viewing the QR code and another tab for designing it.

The right-most screenshot demonstrates the QR code design feature. In this particular instance, the app allows users to customize the pixel color of the QR code.

Every now and then I find an app that has truly impressed me with its simplicity and user-friendly approach. Let me introduce you to QR Pop, the QR code generator that’s tailor-made for Apple devices.

QR code generators can be pricey, clunky, and packed with annoying ads. But QR Pop, developed by Shawn Davis, breaks the mold. The best part? It doesn’t cost anything to use and there are no bothersome advertisements. Now, that’s a win in my book!

What sets QR Pop apart is its sleek and intuitive user interface. Navigating through its features is easy, thanks to its straightforward design. You can also customize a lot of different things within the app. You can also change the app’s icon on your phone’s home screen to fit your phone’s aesthetic.

Curious to give it a whirl? Head on over to the app store and grab QR Pop. Experience its greatness firsthand and see how it fits into your digital toolkit. I have a feeling you’ll be pleasantly surprised by its quality and ease of use.

If you want to try out QR Pop, you can download the app on the Apple App Store.

Mobile App Spotlight: Atlas Obscura

May 03, 2023

Three mobile phones are placed on a light purple background, displaying different screens from the Atlas Obscura app.

In the left screenshot, the path with trees looks like a magical spot, and the

Exploring off-the-beaten-path destinations is one of my favorite things to do when traveling. It’s always exciting to stumble upon unique spots that few others know about. Recently, I found the Atlas Obscura app, and I was very excited. This mobile app is available for both iOS and Android, and it’s an excellent tool for exploring unique destinations around the world.

One of the most interesting features of this cross-platform app is the interactive map, which plots all of the unique places in the Atlas Obscura database, making it easy to find hidden gems nearby or plan your next adventure. The mobile app development team has done an excellent job of designing a user-friendly interface that allows you to navigate the app with ease. Each location has detailed information, photos, and tips from the community, allowing you to get a better understanding of what makes each place so special.

As someone who loves to plan ahead, I love that the Atlas Obscura app lets you create custom lists to organize your itinerary or bucket list. You can also use a “Been There” feature to track your progress as you explore places around you.

The Atlas Obscura app also lets you contribute your own discoveries, sharing new places you have found with other travelers in the Atlas Obscura community. If you’re someone who loves to explore unique destinations, then the Atlas Obscura app is a must-download.

Idle Gaming: Bluehouse Group’s Top Picks for Entertaining Inactivity

May 02, 2023

Progress Quest, released in 2002, is widely considered the first idle game and was created by Eric Fredricksen as a parody of EverQuest and other MMOs. Currently, Bluehouse Group is hooked on the idle game Universal Paperclips, playing the game has sparked some interest in creating our own idle game; here is a list of some of the team’s favorite idle games.

Progress Quest is a satirical idle game that parodies the genre of RPGs by automating character progression and gameplay.

A Dark Room is a text-based adventure game that immerses players in a post-apocalyptic world and challenges them to survive and rebuild.

Cookie Clicker is a free online game where players click on a giant cookie to earn cookies, which can then be used to purchase upgrades and buildings to increase cookie production.

Kittens Game is a text-based incremental game where players manage a civilization of kittens, gathering resources, researching technologies, and building structures to progress through different eras.

Egg, Inc. is a clicker game where players manage a virtual egg farm, purchasing upgrades and vehicles to increase their production and profitability.

Universal Paperclips is an incremental game where players manage a paperclip-making AI that gradually becomes more intelligent and resourceful, eventually expanding to take over the entire universe.