On the ipad reading application design

Since ancient times, people from reading to understand the latest information, learning knowledge, cultivate sentiments. With the development of society and science and technology, new reading devices, reading methods and rich multimedia presentations make reading human beings more efficient and diversified. For the newer media of tablet PC, how can we further improve the user's reading experience, which requires us to conduct more in-depth analysis of user usage scenarios, tasks, operating habits and information display features. This article aims to analyze the reading behavior as the basis, with the current iPad reading class application analysis, and we discuss the reading experience design experience.

When we open an application, the first problem is to load. Optimize your loading process, show some information in advance, or do a suitable loading animation, let the user know that your application has been implementing his operation step by step, give him the due feedback, so that users are more patiently waiting load.

For example, when Flipboard opens an application, cover changes from an old, fixed image to an image of your subscription, establishing the connection between the content and the user as soon as possible, and reading the information being updated while waiting for the process.

Such as Tencent love to watch, waiting for the animation process, clearly tell the user the functional layout of the product.

Like The Early Edition 2, the process of opening a newspaper roll is so natural that anyone can think of it as a trick that loads too slowly.

A large number of picture loading process, in the picture station in advance to display part of the text message, one by one to display pictures, allowing users to have prior information available, the entire loading dynamic is very enjoyable. Such as the display of quantitative loading progress, to meet the user's long-term psychological expectations.

Projection of real-world elements onto the interface helps users quickly establish contact and enhance interactivity with applications. Simulation of real-world elements, easy for users to intuitively understand its inherent function and logic.

Extraction of traditional paper media elements (such as newspapers, magazines), to facilitate users to quickly understand the main purpose of the application

Through the metaphor of the envelope, it implies that the user enters the sharing interface from the reading interface

iPad can be based on gravity sensing, horizontal screen and vertical screen to display different reading effects. You can hardly help users decide which way they will use your application, and perhaps they just like to flip the iPad upside down. So in the design should take this into account, no matter how the rotation, try to maintain reading comfort, after all, the content is always the focus.

Horizontal and vertical screen does not mean stretching the image content, adjust the content of the arrangement, so that it is more adapted to the current screen.

With the iOS system, but the end of the iPad is not as good on the performance of the iPhone. Attention is usually focused on the contents of the center of the screen, because the iPhone screen is small, the user easily noticed the bottom of the message, while at the top, the bottom is more suitable for one-handed operation. However, transplanted to the iPad, due to the larger screen, the bottom of the message can be easily ignored, taking into account the user when using the iPad posture, the bottom guide has become a blind spot, easily blocked, not easy to operate part.

Especially when the bottom guide is also accompanied by the fact that the function of reminding, real-time as some fictitious.

Good look and function integration will enhance the user experience. Relative to the efficiency of the type of tool applications, users need to provide frequent operation, convenient and quick operation. Reading products, is to provide users with the focus and immersion reading experience.

Such as Press Reader, read full screen, top and bottom navigation hidden, allowing users to focus more on the content itself, to enhance the reading experience.

Another example is The Early Editon 2, the top guide in a hidden state, when the user needs, drop-down display

The animations in the App are much more than cool applications, but more importantly, they let users know where they are from and where they are going to help users understand the product architecture and hierarchy. Easy to understand their product features, and thus allow users to generate a good psychological experience

For example, Flipboard, in the target article at the click or zoom out operation, view the details, this zooming effect allows users to clearly understand the new page with the previous page relationship. Another example is The Early Edition 2, flip the page effect, let the user know the way forward, and how to return to the previous page.

Users download applications not for the sake of learning complex and complicated gesture operations. If these operations are not consistent and consistent, it is hard for users to memorize them in a short period of time. Unexpected triggers can cause frustration. Maintaining the unity and consistency of operations will effectively reduce the user's learning costs, easy to remember and use.

Relative to the start of a series of functional operation to explain, not to mention the number of users will remember that he would patiently read is a problem. In the course of the task, given the appropriate and key operational guidance, focused on helping users to complete real-time tasks, can effectively attract the attention of users and help solve practical problems.

Guide in the process, the first time you can use a dedicated page to give text prompts, can also be lightweight corners to guide the user.

When a user inadvertently triggers an action and enters a new page, the most common response from people is: How do I get back? However, many applications ignore this important function, back. In fact, the application on the iPad lost some of the web-side features. Unlike the web side, any page opens in the browser, unify the browser forward, backward can easily return to the previous page. iPad side need to design these functions into the application, if the user can easily find the return of the exit, it is undoubtedly to make the user experience more fluid and comfortable.

Apple's iPhone Human Interface Guidelines recommends a minimum size of 44x44pixel, 34x34pixel for Microsoft's Windows Phone UI Design and Interaction Guide, and 28x28pixel for Nokia's Developer Guidelines. What is the minimum size? (The following information from Smashing Magazine)

In the course of operation, the use of thumb belly is more natural behavior, but if the target is too small, it is blocked, the user can not see the trigger feedback. Although the use of fingertips to avoid this problem, but users need to adjust the finger position, resulting in operational behavior is not smooth.

Not only that, the trigger interval between targets is also very important. If too close, it is easy to cause misoperation, seriously affecting the user experience. Because of the width of the thumb and index finger, the index finger operation will be more accurate, but sometimes less important operation also requires the user to adjust the position, and can not be called a good design. For example, users usually use the thumb to slide the page, but need to use the index finger to click the small button. This is especially true at handsets, where many people are not free to use their cell phones. For example, squeezing on the subway can not be overemphasized.

MIT Touch Lab study of Human Fingertips to investigate the Mechanics of Tactile Sense

A survey by MIT shows that the average adult index finger is 1.6-2 cm wide. Ported to the phone screen that is 57pixel. The average adult thumb width of 1ch (2.5cm), which is 72pixel, this size allows users to trigger, while the tip of the finger can see the trigger feedback, easy to click or move the target, the user does not need to be cautious. A survey by relevant agencies shows that when the triggering goal is getting bigger, people's operations are significantly faster and their misoperation rates are significantly lower. However, when the ideal is realistic, for a limited screen size, these buttons can take up a lot of space, affecting the main content display. So we need to design the size of the targets, not the guidelines.

These are just some of the accumulated in practice, we welcome everyone to discuss and give more advice.

(Microblogging UDC original blog, welcome to reprint and indicate the source, welcome to subscribe)