Designing for Mobile devices uses both stable dsign principles and also rules unique to the medium. The basic principles that stay intact are the usual backbone of design, gestalt, color, hierarchy, typography, etc. Here are some specific considerations that predominate mobile UI design. First and foremost Screen Constraints. Smartphone technology is everchanging. Screen sizes keep increasing and features like infinite scrolling start appearing in selected devices. Resolution capabilities are also pushed with each new launch. That said, you still have a very limited area to design, mobile screens are small and you will have to adjust your content accordingly. This means eliminating unnecessary clutter, simplifying information and figuring out how not to flood the screen and user’s attention. You might have (through iterative trial and error) to minimize the steps required for various flows in order to create a desirable mobile experience. A big ally when designing for mobile is to use established conventions from the biggest players. Study the Material Design guidelines for Android apps or the Human Interface Design guides for iOS apps. You don’t need to reinvent the wheel or confuse the user when there are already established methods for navigation, UI elements, and interactions. Last but not least, remember that all the mobile interactions will happen by touch, this creates additional constraints when it comes to layout, sizing and placement of important elements (navigation, buttons, CTAs).
About Dimitrios Stamatis
I am a designer of physical and digital products with a background in industrial design and visual communication. I have worked in design consultancies in London, China, and Greece. I strive to design products, services, and experiences that address pressing human needs by enabling change, challenging preconceptions and shifting paradigms. I like to prototype possibilities, simplify complexities and bring the future a little closer. I am fascinated by human behavior (mostly the irrational side) and I like to question a lot.