Designers are aware that good looks are only one aspect of design. Steve Jobs said, "The design is how it works." The product experience is like a conversation, and navigation is a big part of it. It feels like you're having trouble finding the right words to say in a conversation if you can't navigate the app. As a result, today we will investigate bottom navigation, one of the most effective methods for developing effective mobile navigation.
Why is bottom navigation so crucial?
In his study of how people use mobile devices, Steven Hoober found that 49% of people only use one thumb to do things on their phones. The approximate reach charts that appear on the screens of mobile phones are depicted in the figure below. The colors indicate which areas a user can reach with their thumb to interact with the screen. The area that a user can easily reach is marked in green; yellow, a region that needs to be stretched; and red area, which requires users to alter their device's position.
It indicates that:
Because they are easily accessible with one-thumb interactions, it is essential to position the most important and frequently used actions at the bottom of the screen.
How to design the bottom navigation of an app:
Numerous apps use the tab bar to display the most crucial features. Facebook lets users quickly switch between features and makes the most important parts of its core functionality available with a single tap.
3 Fundamental Principles of Effective Bottom Navigation Design
1. Only display the most important destinations The bottom navigation should be used for similarly important top-level destinations. These destinations require immediate access from any app location. In the bottom navigation, aim for three to five top-level destinations.
Tap targets will be too small and too close together if you put more than five destinations in the bottom navigation. Consequently, having too many tabs in a tab bar can make it physically challenging for users to tap the one they want. Additionally, as you add more tabs to your application, its complexity grows.
Provide alternative locations for access to destinations not covered in the bottom navigation if your top-level navigation contains more than five destinations.
Avoid Scrollable Content
Tab bars or partially hidden navigation are pretty obvious options for small screens. However, it is essential to keep in mind that scrollable content is less effective due to the fact that you must scroll once before you are even permitted to view the option you desire. Therefore, do not make it your primary mode of navigation. In addition, you can use a scrollable tab in areas of your product with too many options.
2. Communicate the current location
The most common oversight on the app menu is probably not displaying the user's current location. I'm lost.is a fundamental query that must be answered by users in order for them to navigate effectively. To ensure that the navigation doesn't need any explanation, you should make use of the appropriate visual cues—such as icons, labels, and colors.
Icons
The actions in the bottom navigation should only be used for content that can be effectively communicated using icons because they are displayed as icons. Users are familiar with a set of universal icons, such as search, email, and print icons. Sadly, there are few "universal" icons. Additionally, app developers frequently conceal functionality behind icons that are actually quite difficult to identify. Therefore, when selecting icons, carry out usability testing to guarantee that users won't have any trouble understanding what they mean.
Colors
Your app will look like a Christmas tree and users will be distracted from the interaction if you use different colored icons and text labels in your bottom tab bar. Instead, highlight the currently active view by using the app's primary color.
Text Labels
It should be simple to scan menu items. When a user taps on an element, they should know exactly what happens. For navigation icons, text labels should provide concise and meaningful definitions. Labels should not contain more than two words.
Target Size
Make your targets big enough to be easy to click or tap to divide the width of the view by the number of actions to determine the width of each bottom navigation action. Alternately, make each action in the bottom navigation equal to the largest action's width.
3. Make it easy to navigate
Predictable Behavior
There must be a destination for each option in the bottom navigation. The user should be able to directly access the associated view by tapping an icon in the bottom navigation. It should not display pop-ups or menus.
Be Consistent
Display the same options in the tab bar in every part of the product as much as possible. Users will feel more secure as a result.
When a tab's function is unavailable, you should not remove it. Your app's user interface will become unpredictable if you remove a tab in some cases but not others. Ensure that all tabs are enabled, but explain why a tab's content is unavailable—this is the most effective approach. For instance, if the user does not already have offline files, the Dropbox app's Offline tab shows a screen that shows how to get them.
Conclusion
Nearly every website and app should place a high priority on assisting users with navigation. People will be more likely to use your product if it is simple to use.
