Start with a feature, not a layout When you start the design for a new app idea, what do you design first? If it’s the navigation bar at the top of the page, you’re making a mistake. The easiest way to find yourself frustrated and stuck when working on a new design is to start by trying to “design the app.” When most people think about “designing the app”, they’re thinking about the shell. Should it have a top nav, or a sidebar? Should the navigation items be on the left, or on the right? Should the page content be in a container, or should it be full-width? Where should the logo go?

The thing is, an “app” is actually a collection of features. Before you’ve designed a few features, you don’t even have the information you need to make a decision about how the navigation should work. No wonder it’s frustrating!

Instead of starting with the shell, start with a piece of actual functionality. For example, say you’re building a flight booking service. You could start with a feature like “searching for a flight”. Your interface will need:

• A field for the departure city

• A field for the destination city

• A field for the departure date

• A field for the return date

• A button to perform the search