For the inaugural version of Ask Apple, members of our Design Evangelism crew acquired collectively to reply your Slack questions on design philosophy, coloration tips, keyboard shortcuts, and far more. Listed below are a number of highlights from that dialog, together with steering in regards to the HIG, tips about lowering litter, and an important message in regards to the tab bar.
Do you ever really feel like your design isn’t fairly proper, however you’re unsure why?
On a regular basis! Actually, “Feeling just like the design isn’t fairly proper” can typically appear to be an on a regular basis temper. When this occurs, there are a number of methods we discover useful, and the primary is: Cellphone a pal! Typically it takes one other individual to gut-check why we’re feeling unsure a couple of design, and it’s at all times nice to interact in a dialog and critique. Plus, this not solely requires you to clarify the issue (which alone can assist you establish what’s not working), it additionally lets you personally step away from it — not less than for a second.
How are you aware when to start out slicing options to make your app much less cluttered and extra user-friendly?
This can be a nice train for a whiteboard or sticky notes. First, write down all of the options/areas of your app. Then, bucket them into what fulfills the objectives your customers could have. If one thing feels superfluous, take into account whether or not you want that characteristic. There is a steadiness between what you want seen on a regular basis, what generally is a few faucets away, and what does not have to be there in any respect. (It is also a useful solution to prioritize a very powerful performance of your app — which can assist you higher arrange your app’s hierarchy!)
Is it thought-about finest follow to restrict system orientation on iPhone?
It’s best to actually depart system orientation as much as customers. We love when apps assist each portrait and panorama and would solely advocate limiting orientation in sure app situations, resembling when motion or system mounting would make orientation-switching really feel distracting.
What are some tips for colours and shades?
Utilizing coloration for actions is a refined solution to model the interface with out being distracting or intrusive. Begin by choosing a principal tint coloration, establishing your workflows and actions, then sketching these out with the tint coloration representing actions. (You’ll discover our first-party apps all have one key tint coloration; as an illustration, Mail is blue and Podcasts is purple.) Once you’re engaged on high-fidelity visible designs, use a palette that enhances that coloration.
Is it obligatory to incorporate tab bar labels for frequent tabs like House, Search, or Profile?
In lots of circumstances, labels are really helpful for readability and accessibility. House, Search, and Profile are typically enough for speaking which means on their very own, however they’re exceptions to the rule. Many icons are usually not as broadly understood. Tab bar labels create a stronger distinction from toolbars, which don’t have labels. Plus, eradicating the labels doesn’t present a lot profit to customers. It doesn’t save any house, nor does it considerably cut back visible info from the interface.
How ought to I take into consideration keyboard shortcuts that really feel intuitive and don’t intrude with system shortcuts? When ought to I take advantage of one modifier over one other (as an illustration, Possibility vs. Shift vs. Command)?
Typically, the go-to modifier secret’s Command as a result of it’s best to succeed in along with your left thumb. And talking of, listed here are a number of extra guidelines of thumb:
- The less modifier keys, the higher.
- Utilizing the primary letter of the motion identify helps folks keep in mind the shortcut.
- From an ergonomic standpoint, keys nearest modifiers and simply reachable utilizing one’s index and center fingers — Q, W, E, A, S, D, O, and P — are usually extra profitable as shortcuts.
Need to dive in slightly deeper? You’ll discover numerous good info within the HIG.
Human Interface Pointers – Keyboards
How giant are the desired margins for the iOS and iPadOS secure areas?
On iOS and iPadOS, the format margins are 16pt within the compact width measurement class and 20pt within the common width measurement class. However we usually consider secure areas as distinct issues that work in tandem with margins. Protected areas are extremely dynamic and alter with system orientation, display measurement, and quite a lot of different components (like whether or not navigation bars, toolbars, or tab bars are displayed). You’ll discover numerous info within the HIG.
Human Interface Pointers – Format
When designing for lists, how can I cease rows and cells from feeling overcrowded?
Take into consideration progressive disclosure and hierarchy. What info do folks want at every stage of your app? When cells really feel overcrowded, query the aim of every ingredient. Perhaps a photograph or icon isn’t helpful, or possibly the secondary textual content generally is a description on the element view.
Do you at all times attempt to adhere as a lot as doable to the HIG, or do you attempt to do one thing totally different with each design?
Nice query! We do attempt to adhere to our foundations and comply with our personal design patterns for the good thing about consistency and understanding. (We additionally attempt to use system elements as a result of they’re so environment friendly to construct with.) However that being mentioned, we’re additionally keen to push on the HIG the place it is sensible — if it means an general profit for customers. We’re fairly adamant that the HIG should not be a algorithm, however superb ideas. And we evolve it continuously based mostly on what we’re seeing locally and the way we wish to push our personal aesthetics and interactions for the longer term.
Is it good follow to cover the tab bar when navigating to sub-pages?
Nope. 🙂
(It’s OK to cowl it for temporary intervals when a modal sheet is displayed. In any other case, hiding a tab bar could make folks really feel misplaced.)
