One of the reasons for starting the Fengzi Lab project was to make apps with the following design standards roughly drafted in 2018-2019:
Aesthetics
Pretty: They should look pretty. A good way to start is to respect established design patterns. Balance is key. Most of the projects should aim for a minimalistic design, which is also important for many other aspects of the standard. Avoid visual clutters.
Comfortable: People from most or all cultural backgrounds should feel comfortable looking at the interfaces and feel welcomed. Elements should appear friendly and consistent across a project.
Usability
Simple: Any user should be able to pick up the apps and immediately know how to start using them. This is ideally done without excessive introduction or walk-throughs. Find the right balance in prioritizing between the ease of use of first-time users and experienced users. Always think of ways to remove parts.
Accessible: Respect standards and accessibility preferences wherever possible. Elements should behave as expected to new users and power users alike. All features and content should be maximally accessible no matter the device, language, tech experience, and physical abilities. Any exceptions should be labeled clearly.
Responsiveness
Real-time: If updates are made to any data, especially if the data is shared across multiple users, they should be updated in real time for all users.
Lightweight & fast: Apps are loaded fast. Fast is measured by user perception, not metrics. They should not take up excessive computer resources. Ensure low-end devices from ~5 years ago with no accelerated graphics can run well, with options for more advanced aesthetics for higher-tier hardware if necessary.
Each of these “pillars” requires a lot of attention to detail, and it’s generally good that users don’t notice these details.
There’s clearly still a long way to go, but the aim is that people will be able to expect all projects from Fengzi Lab to comply with these standards.