The UX/UI Ingredients We Use For World-Class Apps and Ecommerce Solutions

Robusta Studio is RTG’s digital agency arm, responsible for building customer engagement tools and apps that help businesses grow.

Recently, I talked to Noha Asal about these challenges. Noha is Design Manager at Robusta Studio, and she has a lot to say about application design and the considerations that go into building world-class solutions for MENA region businesses.

Note: To see recent examples of RTG designs, you can peruse our Behance . Be sure to check out the Gray Book and Spinneys designs while you’re there.

Here’s the interview …

What cultural and linguistic considerations does RTG have when designing for diverse MENA-region businesses?

Designing for diverse MENA-region businesses involves navigating cultural and linguistic differences while understanding varied user behaviors.

Key challenges include respecting local customs and ensuring proper language localization. Design preferences and user expectations also differ across the region, with some markets favoring modern aesthetics while others prefer traditional styles. Additionally, understanding user behavior patterns is crucial to creating designs that resonate with each market’s unique needs.

How do you balance aesthetic appeal with functionality in ecommerce design?

We prioritize simplicity to balance aesthetic appeal with functionality by focusing on clean and minimal layouts that enhance the user experience, ensure easy navigation, and help users focus on products without distractions.

Visual elements are used thoughtfully to guide users while keeping the interface intuitive and clutter-free. The goal is to create an attractive interface that doesn't compromise usability or performance.is

What challenges does RTG face when designing for diverse MENA-region businesses? What cultural and linguistic considerations are there?

Key challenges include respecting local customs and ensuring proper language localization. Additionally, understanding user behavior patterns is crucial to creating designs that resonate with each market’s unique needs.

Click to watch Noha Asal discuss UX/UI challenges

How do you balance aesthetic appeal with functionality in ecommerce design?

In ecommerce design, we prioritize simplicity to balance aesthetic appeal with functionality by focusing on clean and minimal layouts that enhance the user experience, ensure easy navigation, and help users focus on products without distractions. Visual elements are used thoughtfully to guide users while keeping the interface intuitive and clutter-free. The goal is to create an attractive interface that doesn't compromise usability or performance.

What strategies does RTG use to optimize the user experience for mobile users?

To optimize the user experience for mobile users, it’s crucial to implement strategies that enhance various aspects of usability. Simplified navigation is essential, with clear menus and touch-friendly elements to help users find important content quickly. Personalization should tailor the experience based on user preferences and behaviors, creating a more relevant and engaging journey. Accessibility must be a priority, ensuring all users, including those with disabilities, can navigate the site effortlessly.

Effective mobile optimization involves leveraging touch interactions, while optimized onboarding provides a smooth start with simple sign-up processes and helpful tutorials. Performance optimization is also key; reducing the size of images and assets improves load times and ensures fast app speed to keep users engaged. Lastly, content should be concise, scannable, and formatted for mobile, delivering a seamless and efficient experience.

How do you approach user research and testing?

Building a scalable design that aligns with business objectives and user needs requires a strategic approach to ensure the system can handle increasing traffic, usage, and complexity as the business expands. The process begins by understanding the business’s goals, identifying key workflows, potential challenges, and the target audience, while adhering closely to brand guidelines to ensure consistency.

We perform benchmarking through a comparative analysis of competitors or similar products to understand market trends and best practices, helping us avoid usability issues. User research starts with identifying target users and understanding their needs, behaviors, and pain points through various methods like surveys, interviews, and observations. Insights from this research inform the creation of user personas, scenarios, and user flows, guiding us in developing mid-fidelity wireframes to validate the solution and ensure it meets user expectations.

Testing is then conducted with a mid-fidelity prototype to uncover usability issues and gather early feedback for iterative improvements. Usability testing with real users assesses the design’s effectiveness and highlights areas for enhancement. Feedback from each testing phase is used to refine the interaction design, ensuring it evolves to meet user needs and supports the organization’s growth goals.

How does the RTG team stay updated with the latest UX/UI trends and technologies?

To stay updated with the latest UX/UI trends and technologies, it’s essential to adopt a continuous learning approach. This involves regularly reading books, industry blogs, and publications like Nielsen Norman Group, Medium, and Smashing Magazine. Attending conferences, webinars, and workshops, along with taking courses on trusted platforms, helps deepen skills and learn about new tools.

Setting up a weekly design mindfulness session to share knowledge and insights among the team and discuss design trends fosters collective growth. Additionally, watching daily websites such as Awwwards for inspiration, experimenting with new design techniques, and subscribing to newsletters or podcasts like Design Better are effective strategies for staying informed about emerging trends, best practices, and technological advancements.

Also one of the most important things is collaborating with the community by participating in events, giving talks, or joining panels with industry leaders helps us stay updated with the latest trends, tools, and best practices by engaging directly with experts and peers, learning from others, and exchanging ideas.

Additionally, discussing design issues in public forums can provide fresh perspectives and solutions, sparking innovation and encouraging continuous learning. This involvement not only benefits individual growth but also contributes to advancing the design community as a whole.

Click to see a case study showing how we designed an experience that keeps app users coming back

_How do you ensure accessibility in your designs to cater to users? _

Digital accessibility is the practice of creating digital content and applications that everyone can use, regardless of their disabilities. This includes accommodating individuals with various impairments, such as cognitive, physical, hearing, and visual challenges. Ensuring accessibility means providing all users with a barrier-free opportunity to interact with your platform, fostering inclusivity and equality. As designers, we hold the power and responsibility to ensure that everyone, irrespective of their abilities, context, or situation, can access what we create.

To achieve this, it's crucial to present information in multiple formats, ensuring that content is equally accessible to all users. For instance, providing transcripts and subtitles for audio or video content benefits individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing. Screen reader compatibility supports users with low vision, allowing them to "hear" web content, while keyboard navigation accommodates users with motor disabilities.

Other strategies include adding captions to images to convey key information, using descriptive labels for calls to action (CTAs) to clarify their function, and maintaining high color contrast for text readability. Simple animations and interactions should be prioritized to engage users without overwhelming those with motor challenges. For individuals with dyslexia, using images and diagrams alongside text, aligning text to the left, and keeping layouts consistent can enhance comprehension. By implementing these practices, we can create a more inclusive digital landscape that empowers all users to engage with our designs effectively.