balboni design
10 Principles
Of Good Mobile Design
While working at EnerNOC (now Enel X), I composed a set of ten principles to guide designers as they develop mobile experiences. These principles are based on the philosophies of Dieter Rams and Simon Sinek, focusing on the user in an effort to create products that adapt and evolve rather than compromise.
Products that respond to how they are used, when and by whom, are more than options in a marketplace: they become experiences. It creates a value proposition with the user's time and data, adapting to their needs and engaging their attention.
Products that respond to how they are used, when and by whom, are more than options in a marketplace: they become experiences. It creates a value proposition with the user's time and data, adapting to their needs and engaging their attention.
1
Good Mobile Design is Honest.
An experience does not make promises to the user it cannot keep. Extraneous items are not falsely touted as "features", and the user willingly participates without questioning the product's necessity.
1
Good Mobile Design is Honest.
An experience does not make promises to the user it cannot keep. Extraneous items are not falsely touted as "features", and the user willingly participates without questioning the product's necessity.
2
Good Mobile Design is Intuitive.
Manuals are for appliances. Experiences are expressions of a designer's duty to clarify. Obfuscated interfaces, or non-standardized elements frustrate users, eroding their confidence in themselves and the product.
2
Good Mobile Design is Intuitive.
Manuals are for appliances. Experiences are expressions of a designer's duty to clarify. Obfuscated interfaces, or non-standardized elements frustrate users, eroding their confidence in themselves and the product.
3
Good Mobile Design Adapts to The User.
Every user is different, therefore so is every experience. Content that is contextually relevant to the user—where they are, what they're doing and why—needs to proactively evolve with their needs.
3
Good Mobile Design Adapts to The User.
Every user is different, therefore so is every experience. Content that is contextually relevant to the user—where they are, what they're doing and why—needs to proactively evolve with their needs.
4
Good Mobile Design Adapts to The Device.
The desktop's days of dominance are over. More than half of all global content consumption occurs on mobile devices—tablets, smartphones and wearables. Each device must then present the same product differently, optimizing the experience for the context it is being consumed in.
4
Good Mobile Design Adapts to The Device.
The desktop's days of dominance are over. More than half of all global content consumption occurs on mobile devices—tablets, smartphones and wearables. Each device must then present the same product differently, optimizing the experience for the context it is being consumed in.
5
Good Mobile Design is Inclusive.
Great experiences are aware of both their presence and other products' in the user's life. Instead of developing competitors, build relationships. Integrating cloud storage platforms, AI assistant shortcuts and automations leverages immense value for the user with content they already have.
5
Good Mobile Design is Inclusive.
Great experiences are aware of both their presence and other products' in the user's life. Instead of developing competitors, build relationships. Integrating cloud storage platforms, AI assistant shortcuts and automations leverages immense value for the user with content they already have.
6
Good Mobile Design Stays Updated.
Updating software is the 'brushing your teeth' of the digital era: it needs to be done regularly, if not daily, and can cause problems if neglected. Designers must consider a user's human nature—to loathe the necessary chores of our digital lives—and create experiences with autonomous self-care.
6
Good Mobile Design Stays Updated.
Updating software is the 'brushing your teeth' of the digital era: it needs to be done regularly, if not daily, and can cause problems if neglected. Designers must consider a user's human nature—to loathe the necessary chores of our digital lives—and create experiences with autonomous self-care.
7
Good Mobile Design is Informative.
Ignorance is far from bliss, especially when it's raining and the weather app doesn't tell you. Proactively engaging the user's attention when it is necessary cannot be dismissed, or abused. Bombarding someone with 15 notifications for a retweet achieves the same result as drop-kicking a hornet's nest: nothing good.
7
Good Mobile Design is Informative.
Ignorance is far from bliss, especially when it's raining and the weather app doesn't tell you. Proactively engaging the user's attention when it is necessary cannot be dismissed, or abused. Bombarding someone with 15 notifications for a retweet achieves the same result as drop-kicking a hornet's nest: nothing good.
8
Good Mobile Design Consumes User Capital.
A product of any kind must create a value proposition that does not dissipate. Improving physical health, tracking tasks, or providing directions all require personal information from the user to produce a valuable experience for the user. Without it, an experience is just another one of many to forget about.
8
Good Mobile Design Consumes User Capital.
A product of any kind must create a value proposition that does not dissipate. Improving physical health, tracking tasks, or providing directions all require personal information from the user to produce a valuable experience for the user. Without it, an experience is just another one of many to forget about.
9
Good Mobile Design is Secure.
Not everyone is as optimistic as designers. Malicious agents actively seek information from wherever it can be easily obtained. No matter how sensitive the data may be, ensuring their content is actively protected builds trust between the user and the experience.
9
Good Mobile Design is Secure.
Not everyone is as optimistic as designers. Malicious agents actively seek information from wherever it can be easily obtained. No matter how sensitive the data may be, ensuring their content is actively protected builds trust between the user and the experience.
10
Good Mobile Design "is As Little Design As Possible."
To quote Dieter Rams: " Less but better—because it concentrates on the essential aspects, and the products are not burdened with non-essentials. Back to purity, back to simplicity."
Users do not need to know a designer's personal preferences. Users do not care how well-sold a product is. Providing a memorable, thoughtful and useful experience requires adherence to the objectives, not the marketing.
Users do not need to know a designer's personal preferences. Users do not care how well-sold a product is. Providing a memorable, thoughtful and useful experience requires adherence to the objectives, not the marketing.
10
Good Mobile Design "is As Little Design As Possible."
To quote Dieter Rams: " Less but better—because it concentrates on the essential aspects, and the products are not burdened with non-essentials. Back to purity, back to simplicity."
Users do not need to know a designer's personal preferences. Users do not care how well-sold a product is. Providing a memorable, thoughtful and useful experience requires adherence to the objectives, not the marketing.
Users do not need to know a designer's personal preferences. Users do not care how well-sold a product is. Providing a memorable, thoughtful and useful experience requires adherence to the objectives, not the marketing.
10 Principles of Good Mobile Design
Based on the works of Dieter Rams and Simon Sinek.
Andrew Balboni
Feb 2015
Andrew Balboni
Feb 2015
10 Principles of Good Mobile Design
Based on the works of Dieter Rams and Simon Sinek.
Andrew Balboni
Feb 2015
Andrew Balboni
Feb 2015
