Final thoughts and the lesson learned from UI design.

 In this last post related to design, I'm going to talk about what I've actually learned about UI design so far.

freedom to concentrate on programming afterwards

I personally think that a UI design is a must before starting the construction of an app. It gives me a lot of freedom to concentrate on programming afterwards. First and foremost because you don't have to think about the concept anymore, but also, especially with a prototype in Figma or other software, you know that you will be happy with the result. Without this you can invest a lot of time in a product that you do not yet know if the end result is the result you wanted to achieve.

achieve a goal every day

Furthermore, during the construction of the UI I learned that you have to work in many small steps.  In this way I achieve a goal every day. And that there is a kind of chronological structure to achieve the end result. A structure that is probably different for everyone. And with which you should feel good. And that is certainly important for mental health during the project. Because it is and remains a lonely quest. 

start programming

And now that I'm going to start programming, and the more I think about it, I'm going to use the same steps in coding the app. So basically I can use the structure of the design to plan my programming. So you are already programming during the graphics part. Pretty right?

a backpack

In fact, I can compare building the UI to a backpack that you stuff full with your ideas, photos and texts that I will need later in my project. So you have also collected your assets. A well-prepared man / woman is worth two! 

think about the connections

The great thing about making a prototype before the production of the app starts is that during the design you already have to think about the connections that need to be made between different screens and detail pages. Links that must be made and any third parties that are addressed by your app. The famous APIs.

about the data

During this process I also got an idea about the data that will have to be treated. To build lists or detail information that I want to display in the application. That will also guide me in the choice of coding for the entire project.

learned a lot

So in the whole process of the last weeks I have learned a lot. Using design software, building prototypes, but certainly also programming. The programming that has yet to follow and that will be a whole new experience.

The next post I will talk about the information that can and cannot be found on the overcrowded internet to start my second part of the project, programming. The choices of widgets, databases, API, tools, and a lot more stuff I like. And I which steps I should look for guidance.

Do, believe and be happy,

Stefaan