I think most of us have said something along the lines of "I don't have an iPad," or "I don't really use an iPad/pad/tablet" at some point in class. I have one, but it's really old and I can no longer update the apps because it's OS isn't supported, so I generally only use it to read ebooks on my Kindle app or to watch Netflix when I don't feel like unpacking my laptop from my bag. So, it seemed like designing for mobile/app visual design would make a good topic at this point in the term.
During my research, in an attempt to find a sense of best practices or tips or theory specifically for app design, I came across these two articles/blog posts that I think are helpful.
3 Rules of App Design, According to Yahoo's Marissa Mayer: I realize that Yahoo in general, and Mayer specifically, have experienced some difficulties during her tenure there, but these three basic ideas seemed useful. It's a quick read, but there's the "two-tap rule," which is probably what you think it is, the "five point rule," which is interesting to consider, and the "98% rule," which is helpful to think about with relation to hierarchy, which is probably even more important in app design than in other formats of design.
Designing for Mobile, Part 2: Interaction Design: This is a longer piece, and part 2 of a 3-part series, all of which is helpful in the larger context of thinking about designing apps. I chose this part to link to because of the sections about halfway down the page on "gestures," "transitions," and especially "Main Navigation," which shows examples of different methods of presenting navigation within the app. For each type of navigation, there's a "Good For" section and a "Watch For" section that helps frame how useful each decision might be. I think all three parts of this series are useful, and relatively easy to skim, with illustrations/examples of apps to clarify the points the author (Elaine McVicar, a UX designer in London) makes.
So, what do you think of these articles? What source material(s) have you looked at or worked with in trying to map out your app, or in thinking about your grid, or about how color schemes might help show hierarchy or interactivity, etc? Have you found anything that's been helpful in thinking through this very different format and its opportunities/peculiarities?
