User design is one of the most important parts of any new tech product these days. From phones to tablets to computers, consumers want a user-friendly experience regardless of what device they’re using. Because the specs are so similar, users are purchasing mobile devices based on which products are the most intuitive.
But, when everyone is looking for something a little different, it can be difficult to have both a good user experience and user interface. To help you learn more about user experience and user interface, here is a list of educational apps.
UX Companion
The UX Companion app has a glossary of user experience tools and theories to help web designers understand the terminology. Along with tools, the app breaks down UX jargon so even users unfamiliar with web design can understand. In addition to the glossary, a series of hand-picked UX definitions link to explanatory articles written by designers and developers from Cyber-Duck, a digital agency. If you need even more detail, each article links to multiple other articles so users can get a holistic, well-rounded idea of what each term means. The app is for anyone from beginners to professionals as well as students and anyone wanting to learn a little more about user experience.
Appreciate UI
If you want great examples of what UI should look like, Appreciate UI is the tool for you. It is great for visual learners and those wanting inspiration for how to design a compelling user interface. The site features screenshots from top-notch apps, and new designs are added weekly. The examples are segmented by category, so you can search for specific designs such as video games, recipes and personal profiles. And, if you find an app design you like, you can add it to your collection so you can reference it anytime.
DN Paper
A great way to learn about UX/UI is to read the latest news for designers. With links to daily articles, there’s no shortage of information on the DN Paper app. Plus, because every article covers a different topic, you get a well-rounded look at the world of user interface. The app also has a lot of customization options. For instance, it allows users to customize what they are looking for and their different topics of interest. It also lets you change the font type, font size and color as well as dark and light themes so you can read at day or night. This app is available on iOS 8.
iOS Human Interface Guidelines
If you specifically want to learn about UI on iOS, then the iOS Human Interface Guidelines is a good place to start. It breaks UI down into three categories: deference, clarity and depth. One of the main points is that UI helps users understand the content, and it should never compete with it. The tool also goes through iOS anatomy, layout, navigation, color, terminology and other elements. Overall, it is a great tool for learning specifically about user interface for Apple devices.
