How many times have you asked this question to yourself: who are we designing the app for? As it goes without saying, the users of the app form the targeted audience, and technically they are also the only users of the app layout, coding and UI/UX and all other facets of the App design. Analysing their user behaviour is the first step towards making a highly productive app for Windows, iOS, Android and a usable one.

You should zero in on certain aspects of user behaviour that ranges from how they use a particular feature and what engages them. Study of user behaviour will help you design the UX suitably, and allow you to deliver user-centric app solutions. Here are some ways by which the developer can identify app behaviour including what you need to consider:

The app goal:

Any app must be designed with the end user’s goal in mind, which, in most case, is very specific. Take Uber for example, it allows you to select your travel options, helps avoid needless haggling with the driver over cab fare and gives you fare estimate even before you start the ride. Another point to note here is how easily the app intends to help the user achieve his or her goal.

Mobile usage:

Next is to understand how the targeted audience use the mobile form, considering the convenience factors.

For example, an overwhelming 79% of the people use their left hand to operate their mobile device or access apps. What is the weightage given to these vital numbers while designing an app?

Most people prefer using the app in portrait mode; however, they use the landscape mode when viewing videos. If your app cannot adjust the view accordingly to the content served and the preferences selected, then you are likely to lose customers big time.

What do your app visitors use to access the buttons on the screen: the thumb or the fingers? What is the navigation path of your customers to view the screen? Do your users use a single hand or cradle the hand set? The answers to these questions will put you in a commanding position pre-app design. This will give you an idea of the position of buttons and various clickable elements, design of interaction and places on the mobile screen cordoned off as inaccessible.

Acknowledge feedback:

Acknowledge what aspects of the app the user likes and what turns them off. For instance, features like slow loading times with tons of images, overly designed graphic UI, etc can adversely impact app performance.

The motivated user:

Finally, you need to understand what motivates the user and what distracts him/her from completing an action such as clicking on the ‘buy now’ button or the action button in your app. Assess the safety factors of the app. Understand the barriers blockading user actions to come out with an extremely intuitive user-centric app.