Mobile Dashboard UI Components: Best Practices for Buttons, Cards, and More

In today’s digital world, the design of mobile dashboards has recently become the cornerstone of optimal user experience. UI components in mobile panel design are crucial in how users interact with an app. Well-made components make the application much more intuitive, and the user sometimes falls in love with the ease of use.

This article discusses two essential UI elements for mobile dashboards: buttons and cards. It covers best design practices and the most effective methods for creating them.

Role of Buttons in Mobile Dashboard UI Design

Mobile dashboard UI design in applications requires essential elements such as buttons, which are the main call-to-action triggers. Different types of buttons exist, such as primary, secondary, and tertiary.

Types of Buttons

1. Primary buttons. These are the most visible and used for the main activities that users need to accomplish. Their design makes them stand out from other components on the display, and they often use bright colors or bold text.
2. Secondary buttons. These are less known and are for secondary actions that are less important. They are harmonized with the primary button but do not stand out too much.
3. Tertiary buttons are the least prominent and are typically used for less influential actions or options. They usually have a minimalistic design and sometimes appear as plain text links.

Button Placement and Size

To make buttons easily accessible and visible, you need to position and size them correctly. Buttons should be placed where users usually look for them, such as at the end of a form or in the corner of the screen at the thumb level.

Buttons should be large enough for users to tap them quickly. Button spacing and size will help eliminate the inconvenience of accidental clicks and increase user engagement.

Clear and Concise Button Titles

Button texts must be descriptive and describe just the action performed. Avoid jargon and abstruse language that may hinder user understanding. “Start” is a simpler and more effective name for the “Initiate Process” button.

Examples of Effective and Ineffective Button Designs

• Effective. A striking “Submit” button that the thumb may easily reach by tapping at the end of a form. It has a different background than other texts, so you should display clear and attractive “Submit” or “Next” buttons.
• Ineffective. The “Submit” button is small and hard to spot, sandwiched between other elements. Its misleading wording, “Go” or “Proceed”, may puzzle users about its function.

Cards in Mobile Dashboard UI Design

Cards are among the most flexible user interface elements used in mobile dashboards to organize data. They can carry many content types and layouts, making them ideal for the correct display of clear and structured data.

Purpose of Cards

Cards are designed to present data in a visually attractive and easy-to-read manner. They can organize content so it is easy for users to scan and digest information. Cards are also perfect for organizing data, profiling users, and displaying product features, among other uses.

Types of Card Layouts

• Image-based cards primarily consist of images and are best for appealing content through their visual presentation. They are frequently used in e-commerce software for product display, social media apps for posting users’ photos, or news apps for implementation articles.
• Text-based cards. Subjects in this section are about textual information, which is perfect for displaying additional texts or brief descriptions. Examples include notification cards, message excerpts, or parts of detailed information.
• Mixed cards. These affect both the visual and textual, which makes them the best way to impart information. For example, a card may display a product image with a short description and price or a user profile picture with contact details.

Effective Use of Cards

For efficient card usage, the cards must be well-organized and visually distinct. To provide space around the cards, use padding and margins, and remember to reckon for each card’s information hierarchy. The objective is to make the card’s unique content clear and easily scannable.

Tips for Creating Visually Appealing and Informative Cards

• Use high-quality images and readable fonts to enhance visual appeal.
• Ensure a clear distinction between different types of content within the card. For example, use spacing or borders to separate the image from the text.
• Maintain consistency in design elements across all cards, using the same font styles, colors, and spacing.

Mobile Dashboard UI Design: Other Components

In addition to buttons and cards, several other UI components are vital for a well-designed mobile dashboard.

1. Charts are the visual representation of data. They should be intuitive, easy to grasp, and responsive to different display sizes. Choose a suitable type of chart for the data, such as bar charts for comparisons, line charts for trends, or pie charts for proportions. Ensure that charts are interactive, allowing users to tap or hover for more details.
2. Icons help reduce cognitive load by providing visual cues. They should also be easy to understand and follow and not change from one application to another. Use the most well-known and general images, such as a search magnifying glass or a gear for setup. Be sure that icons are clear and distinguishable, even in small sizes.
3. Typography impacts readability and overall aesthetics. Stick to the legible fonts and design with the same font style and size. Pick a font that is easy to read on small displays, and use different font weights to create a visual hierarchy. But don’t use a broad variety of fonts because sometimes it will make the design too messy.
4. The color scheme should be visually appealing and enhance the dashboard’s usability. Use colors to differentiate elements and convey meaning: to signal error, use red; for success messages, use green; and for informative content, use blue. If the text color contrast with the background is high enough, the text will be simple to read.

Best Practices of Mobile Dashboard UI Design

Successful mobile UI design depends on the components that improve user experience. Consistency, clarity, and user testing are the main principles for designing functional and engaging dashboards.

• Consistency. Keep the design elements identical throughout the app, including colors, typography, and layout patterns.
• User testing. Regularly ensure that you conduct live user testing to collect feedback and make necessary adjustments. User testing helps identify usability issues and areas for improvement that might not be apparent during the design process.

Conclusion

Well-crafted UI elements are needed to create a pleasurable user experience on mobile dashboards. Using buttons, cards, and other components will create an easy and elegant dashboard. Uniform interface designs, exemplary communication, and user feedback are vital to achieving this goal.

Well, have you found inspiration to create your dream mobile UI? Then contact our Uitop agency, and our specialists will answer all frequently asked questions.