Tablets, PCs and mobile phones have in fact become the core gadgets that every individual requires in order to execute his or her personal as well as professional duties successfully. However, on this front, there is an extensive debate which rages on. Android platforms have often coped up criticism by the iOS users, on the basis of the superior UI’s and classy design. Nevertheless, both these platforms come under equal scrutiny by either party. But in general, when we happen to analyse, it is clear that there are more questions than answers in this respect.
Any electronic device or application for that matter, owes its existence to two reasons – Design and Features. The delicate nature of application development begs to dwell on the intricacies that clearly implicates the functional details as well as proves its market efficiency. With increasing number of competitors, the market looks as daunting as ever, and this has forced the developers to ponder over the ‘enticing’ factor that could increase their customer base.
The Voice Of Any Application – Functionality
Social media has ensured the probability of immediate discussions on any new application launched by fellow users. Instantly, the word spreads throughout these platforms. Hence, the functionality of the application is the major factor that forms a distinct opinion about the application. Adding the functionality is not a mere formulation or adding of codes. It is about finding a drawback and coming up with an efficient solution that portrays the true features of the application.
There is another question that every developer needs to ask… Is the application made easy to use for the most basic users? This criteria is very important and it is a major step towards customer retention. Studies show that applications that can be used comfortably in the first ten minutes of opening it, have often gone on to becoming hot favorites of the customers.
The Deal Breaker – Design
An interesting pattern that was observed was that, the applications with superior graphics that had innovative implications on the app, topped the charts regularly. A stand-up design would ensure that the functionality of the application also gets a positive boost. Another important thing to take a note of is the prolonged usage of the app. It hardly takes two minutes to uninstall the app and hence the developer should take every possible effort to create a demography that enhances the visual perception of the user.
The Editor’s Verdict – Design Vs Function
Ideally, high functional capability and design parameters would bring out the best applications in the market. However, if budget is the key, then first the functional requirements have to be successfully met, according to the user’s needs. User retention, however, is a major topic in this discussion. As Ferdinand Porsche rightly puts it across, “Design must be functional, and functionality must be translated into visual aesthetics.” For starters, reach out for the moon, go out there and build your own formula for a successful application launch!
