Top 9 Must-Have Functionalities for Web and Mobile Applications

If you are working on a digital solution, one of its integral stages will be UX/UI design. While trivial projects usually have “beaten” paths for creating navigation and visuals, any deviation from the standard can lead to dissatisfaction among end users and increase the entry threshold for them. In this regard, no matter how sophisticated the logic of your project is, it is important to understand the usability principles maintained by human psychology to ensure its excellent user experience.

Theories of Perception in UX/UI Design

Generally speaking, there are several popular theories of perception in UX/UI design:

• Gestalt psychology aimed at gaining an understanding of how people associate individual objects with things that are meaningful to them. The main gestalt principles include figure-ground (according to which some objects, depending on their visual appeal, are perceived as key navigation elements, while others serve as background), similarity (according to which elements with identical visual characteristics are perceived as interconnected), proximity (according to which closely placed objects are also perceived as related to each other), and closure (which states that incomplete objects, if sufficiently detailed, can be perceived by users as complete).
• Affordance theory, claiming that to ensure intuitiveness, users should receive some cues from the interface from the very beginning on how to deal with a particular element – one way to do this is to use skeuomorphism;
• Hick's Law, which states that the time it takes a particular user to make a decision is logarithmic to the number of available options (which means that to maximize intuitiveness, the user's choice should always be limited);
• Fitts' Law, stating that the time it takes a user to reach a desired part of the interface depends on its size and distance (which means that to ensure a great user experience, you need to place interactive elements closer to the user's starting point);
• Signal Detection Theory, claiming that users can subconsciously distinguish between meaningful cues (calls to action) and background noise, meaning that they should be visually separated.

Cognitive Load: Its Effects on UI Design

Now let's move from theory to practice and consider individual insights extracted from the above theories of psychology in UX. 

In particular, the first insight is the minimization of cognitive load, that is, the efforts of the human brain that must be applied to perform a specific target action. Thus, the importance of reducing the amount of information or tasks provided to the user becomes clear – otherwise, there is a high probability that the user will begin to act erroneously. 

In practice, such brevity can be achieved by correctly grouping interrelated elements and removing elements whose functionality duplicates each other.

Emotional Response & UX Design

Another valuable insight from UX design and psychology is to establish an emotional connection with the end user through your interface. This is a global task that begins with user behavior analysis and identifying their desires, pain points, and intentions and ends with transforming the obtained information into design elements that resonate with them. 

Ultimately, you will have to walk in the shoes of the average consumer of your software solution to ensure the proper level of empathy with your emotional design. In terms of practical implementation of the emotional response, such user empathy can be achieved through the integration of “user experience stories” that can be presented by a service provider to users as they get acquainted with the digital solution, as well as the use of the right color palette, forms, audio, pop-ups, and text.

The Role of Memory in User Interaction

Since, according to cognitive psychology in design, the average person can concentrate on one object for up to 20-30 minutes, it is important to take this aspect into account if your software solution involves long-term interaction with it. 

Specifically, you can reduce the load on your users' memory by implementing elements and scenarios that work and occur in a way that is familiar to them. Otherwise, if something does not function as expected, it can lead to users’ confusion and erroneous actions. 

Understanding User Behavior Through Heuristics

Heuristics are specific UI design principles that can predict user psychology. Here are some of them:

• Visibility of system status, which implies the importance of informing end users about what is happening with your software solution at the moment through progress bars, loading animations, or status messages;
• Match between the system and the real world, which emphasizes the importance of correspondence between the system's behavior and the knowledge and experience that users received before they became familiar with your software solution;
• User control and freedom, which implies the need to provide end users with the ability to freely navigate your software solution and manage negative scenarios;
• Consistency and standards, which determine the significance of logical connections between elements, terminology, and layouts;
• Error prevention, which consists of preventing erroneous actions by end users by providing them with unambiguous and understandable instructions;
• Recognition over recall, which states that to ensure better intuitiveness, users should “recognize” familiar patterns from the real world in elements and scenarios of your interface.

Thus, you have to perform a heuristic evaluation to check whether your solution is good in terms of usability. Also, note that in reality, there are many more psychology UI design heuristics, but the above list will be sufficient for a basic understanding of what is meant by the term excellent user experience.

The Impact of Attention on User Experience

Many designers, in order to encourage the user to perform a particular action, abuse pop-up notifications and other features to attract attention, thereby increasing the cognitive load, the inadmissibility of which we have already discussed earlier. 

Instead, you can use such approaches as the correct building of a visual hierarchy, optimization of the color palette, breaking down complex processes into several simple ones, etc. And, of course, do not forget to appeal to the memory of users, which already contains some experience of interaction with other digital solutions and can automate some processes of dealing with them due to the familiarity of the mental models implemented.

User Motivation & Reward Systems in UX/UI Design

Finally, from the point of view of UX psychology, many UX/UI designs benefit from gamification, which motivates users to move toward the target action. In general, gamification is aimed at boosting user engagement and creating an exciting user experience that they don’t want to interrupt. Its main elements are rewards and recognition.

At the same time, it is crucial to note that some reward systems are too confusing for the average user and, thus, create unnecessary cognitive load instead of motivation. Moreover, gamification is not considered a universal approach that could be used in any project. Therefore, you have to always start with the appropriateness and the affordance of implementing this concept clearly and simply for the consumer.

Conclusion

We hope that with the help of this article, you were able to understand the importance of UX design psychology and how it is implemented in UI/UX principles like heuristics, emotional response, lowering cognitive load, user motivation, and others. If you are interested in creating a digital solution that fully meets all these psychological principles, feel free to contact us.

In today's rapidly evolving digital landscape, businesses and individuals constantly seek innovative ways to optimize their processes and enhance productivity. One key solution that has gained significant attention is custom-made software. Tailored specifically to meet unique requirements and objectives, it offers a large number of benefits compared to off-the-shelf alternatives that can limit your business's growth potential. Today, we are diving into the world of custom-made software, its advantages, and how it can revolutionize how businesses and individuals operate.

Understanding Custom-Made Software

The purpose of custom-made software is to offer a unique solution that aligns precisely with your needs and goals. Unlike standard software, which provides general functionality for a wide range of users, custom computer software is designed to align perfectly with unique workflows, business models, and user preferences. It is created from scratch, allowing complete control over its features, design, and integration capabilities.

Custom software can grow and evolve with your business. It can be designed to handle increased workloads, incorporate new functionalities, and seamlessly integrate with existing systems, ensuring long-term scalability and adaptability.

As for the user experience, it’s also optimized for your specific needs. Custom application software enhances efficiency and productivity by focusing on usability, intuitive design, and personalized workflows, leading to higher user satisfaction and engagement.

Mass-market software often includes unnecessary features and complexities, making it less efficient and harder to learn. Custom-developed software overcomes these challenges by offering user-friendly interfaces, streamlining processes, and automating repetitive tasks, significantly boosting productivity.

The advantages of custom-written software are that it offers enhanced security measures, guarding against potential vulnerabilities and ensuring heightened data protection. That is achieved through the implementation of strong encryption, access controls, and user authentication mechanisms, enhancing the security of sensitive data in custom-made software.

Planning Your Project and Managing Costs

Outline the Project Parameters

Clearly define the scope of your project by identifying the key features and functionalities required. Prioritize the must-have features and separate them from nice-to-have ones. That helps manage costs and ensures the development team focuses on the most crucial aspects.

Finances

Determine a realistic budget for your custom-made software development project. Consider complexity, development time, resources required, and ongoing maintenance costs. Discuss your budget with potential development partners to ensure alignment and feasibility.

Development Approach

Consider adopting an Agile development approach, such as Scrum or Kanban. Agile methodologies emphasize iterative development, allowing flexibility, frequent feedback, and continuous improvement. This approach helps manage costs by delivering software incrementally and adjusting priorities as needed.

Collaboration

Maintain open and transparent communication with your development team throughout the project. Regularly discuss progress, address concerns or changes, and provide timely feedback. Effective collaboration ensures that the software aligns with your expectations and minimizes the risk of costly rework.

Consider Long-Term Maintenance

Discuss post-development support options with your development partner and consider the need for future updates, security patches, and feature enhancements.

Unlike ready-made software that may require additional licensing fees or customization, a custom software tailoring solution that eliminates the need for unnecessary features and ongoing expenses. By partnering with a reputable development team and strategically planning your project, you can ensure the successful delivery of a custom-made software solution that meets your specific needs and unlocks new opportunities for your business.

How to Choose a Developer Team

When searching for a custom-made application software development partner, it is crucial to consider their knowledge, background, and previous work when evaluating their suitability. Look for developers with a deep understanding of your industry and a proven track record of delivering successful custom software solutions. Collaborating with an experienced development team will ensure a smooth and efficient process, resulting in a tailored software solution that meets your requirements and exceeds expectations. 

Define Your Requirements

Clearly articulate your goals, functionalities, and budget before approaching a developer team. That will help you communicate your needs effectively and evaluate potential partners.

Look for Relevant Experience

Seek a developer team with experience in your industry or a similar domain. They will understand your unique challenges and have the expertise to deliver a solution that meets your specific requirements.

Check Portfolios and Client Feedback

Review the portfolios of custom-made software development teams to assess their previous projects and the quality of their work. Request references and reach out to past clients to gain insights into their experience working with the team.

Evaluate Technical Expertise

Assess the technical skills and proficiency of the developer team. Look for certifications, proficiency in relevant programming languages and frameworks, and a track record of successful software development projects.

Additionally, when considering developer teams for your custom software project, it's worth noting that specialists from Eastern European countries such as Ukraine or Poland are renowned for their high qualifications and expertise. For the reason that IT industry in these countries has experienced rapid growth and development over the years, resulting in a rich talent pool of skilled professionals.

Here are some reasons why specialists from Eastern Europe can be a valuable choice for your custom software development needs

High-Quality Expertise

Eastern European specialists are known for their strong technical skills, proficiency in programming languages, and up-to-date knowledge of industry best practices. They often possess advanced computer science and engineering degrees, ensuring high expertise.

Cost Efficiency

While offering exceptional skills and expertise, Eastern European specialists generally charge lower rates than their counterparts in North America or Central Europe. This cost advantage can be significant when working within a tight budget or seeking to maximize the value of your investment.

Communication Skills

English proficiency is widespread among IT professionals in Eastern Europe. That makes communication with the development team efficient and effective, ensuring smooth collaboration throughout the project.

The Development Process: Steps to be Followed When Building a Custom-Made Software

Requirements Gathering: Clearly define your goals, objectives, and functionalities. Discuss your vision with the developer team to ensure a shared understanding of the project scope.

System Design: The system design phase begins once the requirements are established. That includes designing the database structure, determining the architecture, and mapping the user interface (UI) and user experience (UX) elements.

Coding and Implementation: Qualified software engineers write the code, ensuring that the software meets the design specifications and incorporates any necessary integrations.

Backend Development: The backend is the "behind-the-scenes" part of the software that handles data storage, logic, and interactions with the frontend. Common technologies used in backend development include Node.js, PHP, and NestJS.

Frontend Development: The frontend is the visible part of the software users interact with. Technologies such as JavaScript, ReactJS, Angular, and Vue.js are commonly used for frontend development. These frameworks enable the creation of dynamic, responsive, and user-friendly interfaces.

Design: Design encompasses both the UI and UX aspects of the software. UI design focuses on the visual elements, while UX design ensures a seamless and intuitive user experience. Good design enhances usability and engagement.

Quality Assurance (QA): It involves thorough testing to identify and fix any bugs or issues. That ensures that the software functions correctly and meets the defined requirements. Testing is conducted at various stages of development to maintain high-quality standards.

Project Management: Project management ensures that the development process stays on track and meets deadlines. It involves effective planning, resource allocation, risk management, and stakeholder communication.

Deployment and Maintenance: Once the software has undergone thorough testing, it is deployed and available for use. Ongoing maintenance and support are provided to address any future needs or updates.

Here is a List With Brief Descriptions of the Key Technologies in Custom Software Development

Databases (DB): DB store and organize data used by the software. Popular database options include relational databases (e.g., MySQL, PostgreSQL) and NoSQL databases (e.g., MongoDB, Firebase).

React Native: UI software framework for building cross-platform mobile applications. It allows for code sharing and rapid development across iOS and Android platforms.

ReactJS: ReactJS is a popular JavaScript library for building user interfaces. It allows for component-based development, reusability, and efficient rendering, resulting in fast and responsive web applications.

Angular: It’s an efficient JavaScript framework for building scalable and feature-rich applications. It provides a comprehensive set of tools and features for building complex frontend applications.

Vue.js: It’s a progressive JavaScript framework known for its simplicity and flexibility. It allows developers to adopt its features and scale applications as needed incrementally.

Node.js: Runtime environment that enables server-side JavaScript execution. It provides a scalable and efficient platform for backend development.

PHP: Widely-used scripting language for server-side development. It is known for its simplicity, extensive library support, and compatibility with various database systems.

Ionic Framework: Popular framework for building hybrid mobile applications using web technologies like HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. It offers a single codebase for multiple platforms, reducing development time and costs.

Summary

In summary, custom-made software offers unmatched benefits in today's technology-driven world. By carefully selecting a competent developer team and following a well-planned development process, you can create a cost-effective solution that meets your unique needs, improves efficiency, and enhances user experiences. By following these guidelines, you can access the total capacity of tailored solutions for your business and unlock the full potential for growth and success!

As the practice shows, no idea, even the most brilliant one, when embodied in a digital product or service, will become successful without quality assurance. It, in turn, always includes two non-intersecting procedures that occur before software is launched: the first of them is aimed at obtaining a clear understanding of whether development is moving in the right direction, and the second of them clarifies whether the solution being created meets end user needs. So, how are they called and performed? Let’s find it out right now.

What Is Verification Testing?

In a nutshell, it is a procedure aimed at checking whether the solution being created meets its predefined specifications and generally accepted design and development standards. Software verification testing is performed throughout the entire creation process and involves the use of various automation testing tools and verification methods, such as modular, integrational, and system testing.

What Is Validation Testing?

Unlike the previous type of testing, this one involves planning real-world scenarios that allow the development team to make sure that the solution being created meets its audience’s needs (for this, you can apply, for example, the alpha- and beta-testing validation methods). After that, the solution has to be compared with its specifications. If any discrepancies are found, they need to be eliminated before this solution is released to the public. Actually, that’s why validation testing is repeated until the team achieves full compliance.

Purpose of Verification and Validation

The main goals of verification and validation testing are to fully satisfy the needs of the software solution owner and the audience as well. As soon as these procedures are successfully completed, the project can be launched.

Difference Between Verification vs Validation Testing

So, what about the verification and validation difference? Generally speaking, while verification is aimed at checking the compliance of a product or service with its list of requirements agreed upon between the development team and the owner, validation allows teams to make sure that this service or product will be positively accepted by its end users. 

In this regard, the first procedure starts from the very beginning of the development process and lasts until the final testing stage and the second – only after the product/service is completed. This also imposes certain differences on the test data used: during verification in software testing, QA engineers use sample data (in this regard, automation methods are often applied), and during the software validation – real data (usually, manual methods do a great job here).

How Are Verification and Validation Testing Performed?

Now, let's look at the four most popular approaches used for validation and verification in software testing:

• Peer reviews, which involve providing a software solution to focus group representatives for a certain period of time in order to obtain feedback on their experience of interacting with it;
• Assessments, which are left by focus group representatives after checking the solution for functionality and identifying errors and inconsistencies in it;
• Walkthrough, which implies a preliminary explanation to focus group representatives of how exactly to interact with the software solution, after which the latter leave their feedback on how well everything was clear and whether they think some areas need to be optimized;
• Desktop-checking, which includes reviewing the software code by specialists (in particular, software engineers).

Tips for Successful Verification and Validation

To ensure these two procedures go smoothly, follow these guidelines:

1. Define the tasks and goals you are pursuing through these procedures and what the results should be upon their completion;
2. Choose the specific tools and approaches you are going to use – they should cover all possible scenarios of user interaction with your software solution, as well as generally accepted software development standards;
3. Create a testing plan, where you will specify deadlines, available resources, and evaluation criteria (along with the acceptable minimum compliance);
4. Proceed directly to testing in order to identify bugs and inconsistencies that will need to be fixed before the project is released;
5. Involve representatives of the potential target audience and stakeholders in the testing procedure to get the most objective assessment of the quality of your team's work;
6. Don't forget to document and monitor the testing results from one bug fixing to another to understand the dynamics of improvements.

Popular Test Automation Tools For Verification and Validation

Although automated testing is considered a standard approach for verification testing only, sometimes, it also brings benefits when implementing validation testing. In this regard, we have compiled a small selection of popular tools that you can use for quality control in software:

• Selenium, an open-source web solution that supports a lot of programming languages, such as Java, Python, C#, and so on, as well as integrates with different frameworks;
• Appium, an open-source service for automated testing of mobile apps on iOS, Android, and Windows (both native, cross-platform, and hybrid ones);
• Robot Framework, an automation framework aiming at implementing acceptance testing and acceptance test-driven development;
• Jenkins, an automation server used for continuous integration and continuous delivery that streamlines the build, test, and deployment stages;
• TestNG, a popular testing framework that is actively used for testing Java-based software solutions;
• Cucumber, an environment for running automated acceptance tests written in Java, Ruby, etc.;
• JMeter, a perfect solution for performance testing of web apps.

Conclusion

We hope that we have helped you understand the difference between validation and verification testing, and now, you can also assess their importance in creating high-quality and competitive software solutions. You can also check out our blog to learn more about software development and design.