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How we built the new Exec iPhone App

blog.iamexec.com

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Re: How we built the new Exec iPhone App

#31

Post by prostoalex »

ericdykstra wrote: post #19
eps wrote: post #3

I'm sorry, but I don't like this UI at all. It looks foreign on the iOS as if it were designed for some other device and the ported over. Such neglect for the consistency with a native look and feel is not a "fun experience", it's really quite annoying. My iPhone is not an empty canvas for you to drop an arbitrary UI style on. It comes with Helvetica and a whole bunch of well designed controls. I insist you use them.

It's disappointing that this is the top voted comment. If there's enough budget/time, UIs should always be built from the ground up. At every page and every element in the design process, the designer has the decision to go with: 1. Stock OS elements 2. Non-stock OS elements that follow current UX paradigms 3. Completely custom, designed from the ground up elements As long as the designer is looking at the purpose of…

His comment is relevant to this use case. Admittedly, if you're building an airplane flight control dashboard or an app to schedule and coordinate circus acts, introduction of a new UX paradigm is worth it.

But a new UX paradigm for messaging window, registration form, map view, person view with Call and Message actions and settings view? This is the designer making themselves employable into the future, not great user experience.

Re: How we built the new Exec iPhone App

#32

Post by eps »

potatolicious wrote: post #12
eps wrote: post #3

I'm sorry, but I don't like this UI at all. It looks foreign on the iOS as if it were designed for some other device and the ported over. Such neglect for the consistency with a native look and feel is not a "fun experience", it's really quite annoying. My iPhone is not an empty canvas for you to drop an arbitrary UI style on. It comes with Helvetica and a whole bunch of well designed controls. I insist you use them.

That ship has sailed a long time ago. Pull-to-refresh, that-slide-out-navigation-from-the-left, fan-out-navigation, parallax scrolling, all are now common iOS UI tropes that originated nowhere near Apple. Personally I hate that back button - it's huge , but that's a pretty minor gripe in the grand scheme of things. This UI is clean, functional, and its functionality is intuitive. Pretty decent win, all things conside…

All that you listed relates to _interaction_ rather than _appearance_, and they saw wide adoption, because they are well thought out, innovative and inherently consistent with the iOS experience.

Gradiented button set in allcaps Proxima Nova is not. It's exactly what you said - a skin, and skinning a single app is a sure way to make it stick out as a sore thumb.

Re: How we built the new Exec iPhone App

#33

Post by phil »

eps wrote: post #3

I'm sorry, but I don't like this UI at all. It looks foreign on the iOS as if it were designed for some other device and the ported over. Such neglect for the consistency with a native look and feel is not a "fun experience", it's really quite annoying. My iPhone is not an empty canvas for you to drop an arbitrary UI style on. It comes with Helvetica and a whole bunch of well designed controls. I insist you use them.

Actually, an empty canvas for me to drop an arbitrary UI style on is exactly what your iPhone is. In fact, it's one of the best mediums yet invented for it.

Re: How we built the new Exec iPhone App

#34

Post by josephlord »

MaxGabriel wrote: post #5

I wish this post had more specifics about the coding or design. As is, it's screenshots and generic descriptions of difficulty. It would be good to hear why you made specific design decisions, why you didn't want to use IB, breakthroughs you had creating custom UIAlertViews etc.

Can you use IB when you have gone for custom UI components rather than the UIKit ones?

Re: How we built the new Exec iPhone App

#35

Post by rimantas »

marknutter wrote: post #26

Apple has stagnated on pushing their UX design, so more and more developers and designers are breaking free from the boilerplate objects and creating their own, unconstrained interfaces that evolve beyond the patterns Apple established.

Except in this case there is no evolution just different looks. And imho a lot of wasted effort with dubious results. If you want a good example of customization done well take a look at Tweetbot (or other apps by Tapbot). This app? Meh.

Re: How we built the new Exec iPhone App

#36

Post by MaxGabriel »

josephlord wrote: post #34
MaxGabriel wrote: post #5

I wish this post had more specifics about the coding or design. As is, it's screenshots and generic descriptions of difficulty. It would be good to hear why you made specific design decisions, why you didn't want to use IB, breakthroughs you had creating custom UIAlertViews etc.

Can you use IB when you have gone for custom UI components rather than the UIKit ones?

Yes. If the custom UI is primarily imaged-based it is easy to make with a storyboard/xib. For example, the brushes in iPhoto for iOS are made with a xib.

Re: How we built the new Exec iPhone App

#37

Post by jazzychad »

codyko wrote: post #15
jazzychad wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yes, this is a known bug for a certain set of users (iOS 6+ with logged in Facebook credentials in Settings app) - we have shipped a fix today already. For now the only workaround is to use the "sign in/up with email" flow.

Cool, glad you guys are aware. I like the custom UI implementations. Seems like you guys spent some good time polishing up all of the core animation and stuff. Nice job!

yo, just an fyi, we just updated this bug and it is available now in the app store. one thing you might have to check is go to the Settings app -> Facebook and make sure Exec is switched to On, then the fb login button should be functional again in the app!

Re: How we built the new Exec iPhone App

#38

Post by codyko »

jazzychad wrote: post #37
codyko wrote: post #15

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Cool, glad you guys are aware. I like the custom UI implementations. Seems like you guys spent some good time polishing up all of the core animation and stuff. Nice job!

yo, just an fyi, we just updated this bug and it is available now in the app store. one thing you might have to check is go to the Settings app -> Facebook and make sure Exec is switched to On, then the fb login button should be functional again in the app!

Cool, thanks man. Does exec work in Palo Alto or only the city?
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