Everything moves forward with time. The market changes. New technologies and design trends are constantly emerging. Every day, there could be a bunch of new apps released. With so many new things and changes happening all the time, your application couldn't possibly stay the same for years. There must be a time for changes and updates, whether they are minor or major.
According to a study by Missouri University of Science and Technology, it is found that users form their initial opinions of a website or application within 50 milliseconds. Poor design can easily cause users to not use your product, especially if they do not have a strong initial interest in the app you offer. As a result, it is essential to understand when your app needs to be redesigned.
App redesign means changing or updating the visual aspects and the UX design of an app. There could be a complex redesign in which the entire product is remade, or a light redesign of specific features. So, redesigning an app may take different amounts of time; some may be faster than others, depending on the scope and goals.
There are several situations in which you may need to redesign your app, and here are 4 of them:
When there are many negative reviews from users
If you receive a lot of complaints from users about the design of your app, even long after it has been released, then you shouldn’t ignore those feedbacks and may consider redesigning it. Remember that you are designing your app for your users.
With their feedback, you can get a more comprehensive and honest sense of what's going on with your app. Take note of any user's feedback who offer potential solutions in addition to their complaints. That could be a very valuable solution for improving your app.
When your app’s interface becomes more complex
As new features are added, the interface may become more crowded and difficult for users to use. Then now might be the time to revamp your app and relaunch it with new and improved features.
However, the challenge is to carefully redesign it to make it more attractive than before while keeping the interface simple. This is needed to avoid overwhelming your users and to ensure a smooth user experience.
When the visuals of your app seem outdated
Any type of interface will eventually need to be updated, as modernization is unavoidable. You don't have to follow every new UI/UX design trend, but it's definitely worth updating the app once in a while if the current interface appears outdated.
There are numerous examples of popular apps that redesign their interface to appear more fresh and modern. Instagram, which officially launched in 2010, is one example. Instagram began as a photo-sharing app with photo-editing tools and has since undergone several changes, including the addition of new features and the redesign of its logo.
Then, of course, its user interface must be updated, too, to align with the current features and focus. In 2016, the interface was completely redesigned, making it more modern, minimalist, and clean than previous interfaces.
As it is stated on Instagram’s website:
“Our UI tells the story of our product. It’s the functional embodiment of our aspirations for our community, empowering them to explore and create on the app.”
When your target audience has started to shift
As time goes by, perhaps your users grow older or the product has evolved in a different direction, which results in targeting different users. When this happens, you must also adjust the app to their new needs and ways of navigating the app.
It is normal for an app to have some features that work well while others do not. However, regardless of the purpose of your redesign, a design audit and research are crucial prior to the redesign process. It will assist you in identifying flaws in your current design and understanding what needs to be improved to increase the effectiveness of your product. Furthermore, before releasing the new update, even the smallest changes to the app must be tested.
The steps of an app redesign will be more or less look like this:
Define the goal → Why are you redesigning? Do you have any specific concerns about the UI/UX design?
Conduct a design audit → This is the step where you need to figure out what the real problem is in your app. It can include identifying UI/UX issues, gathering user feedback, analyzing competitors, and finally coming up with potential solutions.
It's time to redesign!
Testing and gathering user feedback → It is always an important part of any design process.
Remember that a redesign is part of your app’s journey. It is a process, not a main destination. To remain relevant in the market and in the hearts of your users, you must constantly improve your product and be adaptable.
