Mobile App Mockups

What are Mobile App Mockups?

Essentially, a mobile app mockup is an in-between stage between a wireframe and a working prototype. Mockups present finished design – including colour palette, typography, imagery, layout, button styles, etc., enabling feedback from relevant stakeholders. This feedback can validate your design and user experience before you invest further time and money into the project.

Mobile app mockups allow you to showcase your app design before starting development. They provide insight into what the final designs will look like and enable your team to gather valuable client or user feedback before progressing the project further.

Mobile app mockups can be created using online software like Invision or Justinmind. These (and many more options) allow you to either create a custom mockup or work within a template.

Tips for creating app mockups

With so many software options available, it’s easy to create an app mockup that fits the design style of your project. Here a few tips to consider as you create your own app mockup.

Identify your audience(s)

First, know your audience(s). Ultimately, you are building your app for specific users, and when you create every aspect of design for those users, your app is far more likely to succeed. Consider the user journey your app will take them on and identify any potential problems or roadblocks they may encounter. It’s also a good idea to consider what value your audience can get from your competitors’ apps, and then identify ways that your app can deliver an even better experience.

Make sure your mobile app is user-friendly

As you present your mobile app mockup to clients or customers, it’s important that you demonstrate a user-friendly experience. It should be clear to users how they should navigate around the app to accomplish various goals.

Ensure mockup includes a full surface layer

Present your mockup with a full surface layer. The surface layer (also known as visual design) includes images, typography, colour palette, and other visual elements. Essentially, it should look and feel exactly how end users will experience it. This level of detail allows you to gather design feedback from stakeholders before investing more time and money in development.

Relevant Terms

Search Engine

Database tools that help users find content on the World Wide Web. Once a user enters a keyword or search query, search engines curate a list of the most relevant webpage URLs, images, or videos, known as the Search Engine Results Page (SERP).

Above the Fold

The top portion of a webpage that is visible to a visitor without scrolling. It's the area that appears immediately when the page loads, typically on desktop and mobile devices.

CMYK

CMYK stands for the four primary ink colours used in full-colour printing: cyan, magenta, yellow, and black.