Start with tasks, not visuals
Before drawing anything, list the three to five main things a user does. For an online shop that means finding a product, adding it to the cart and paying with Click or Payme. For a salon it means choosing a service, picking a time and confirming. Each of these should be reachable from the home screen in as few taps as possible.
A common mistake is copying the website's structure into the app. On a website people read and scroll; in an app they finish a specific job and leave. The interface should lead to that job, not display everything the company has.
Navigation and the thumb zone
Many people hold the phone in one hand. The bottom and middle of the screen are easy to reach, the top corners are not. Put the main action button low and move rarely used items such as settings higher up.
When there are three to five sections and users switch between them often, a bottom tab bar works well. A side menu hides sections, so keep it for secondary items.
- Keep important functions within three levels of depth.
- Make the back button and the Android system gesture go where people expect.
- Make buttons large enough for a finger and leave space between neighbours, or users will hit the wrong one.
- Follow the touch-target minimums published by Apple and Google.
Forms are where customers drop off
Every extra field is a reason to close the app. Ask only for what is needed to complete the order or booking, and clarify the rest later, after the person has already got a result.
- Show the right keyboard: numeric for phone, with the @ symbol for email.
- Show the format inside the field, for example +998.
- Fill in the SMS code automatically where possible.
- Show errors next to the field and immediately, not after the whole form is submitted.
- Keep what the user typed if they leave the screen by accident.
Design every screen state
Mockups usually show a screen full of perfect data. In real life screens have other states, and the forgotten ones tend to surface right after launch.
The empty state matters most for new customers. If there are no orders yet, say so in plain words and give a button that leads to the catalogue.
- Loading: a skeleton or indicator instead of a blank screen.
- Empty: what to say and where to send the user.
- Error: clear text without technical codes, and a Retry button.
- No connection: what still works offline.
- Partial data: very long names, products without photos.
Copy, two languages and accessibility
Name buttons after actions: Place order, not Next. Uzbek text is often longer than Russian, so test layouts in both languages and make sure labels are not cut off or breaking the grid.
Keep contrast sufficient, support enlarged system fonts and never rely on colour alone: a rejected status should be both a colour and a word. If an icon's meaning is not obvious, add a label. This pays off in sunlight and on budget screens.
Test with real people, and think about Telegram bots
Give an interactive prototype to five people from your target audience and ask them to complete the main tasks without hints. Watch where they stop and what they tap. Changing a prototype costs far less than rewriting finished code.
The same principles apply where a full app is not needed yet. A Telegram bot is an interface too: buttons, menus, error messages and empty states. For many businesses in Uzbekistan, a bot with a catalogue, a request form and Click or Payme payment solves the problem faster and cheaper than an app, because customers install nothing. At markdev we design such bots starting from the user scenario rather than a feature list.
Before handing the design to developers, check that all screen states are drawn, layouts work in both languages, a design system with colours, fonts and components exists, transitions are described and both small and large screens are covered. If you already have an app or a bot and suspect users get stuck somewhere, you can discuss the task with markdev and review the scenarios together.
FAQ
Where should mobile app UI design start?
With the three to five main user tasks and the shortest path to each from the home screen. Visual style, icons and animation come after that.
Do I have to follow Apple and Google guidelines?
They are not dogma, but they describe what users expect: where the back button is, how switches and system sheets look. Departing from them should be a deliberate choice.
How many people do I need to test a prototype?
Even five people from your target audience usually reveal the main problems. The key is not to help them and to watch where they hesitate.
Should I build an app or a Telegram bot?
If customers only need a catalogue, a request and payment, a bot is often simpler and faster because nothing needs installing. An app makes sense for complex screens, offline use or daily engagement.
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