Explore some of the principles of mobile app design through example. By tearing down some of the most popular Chinese mobile app like Alipay,DianPing,Taobao and etc. you will learn how to design an effective app navigation and exploration, maximize the value of in-app search features, create a seamless user experience to drive conversions and etc.

1. Mobile App
Design
Principle of

2. What will we cover?Your great subtitle in this line
JOBS-TO-BE-DONE
HOOKED MODEL
PRODUCT DESIGN PRINCIPLES AND MODELS
Deep Dive into popular Chinese App such as Alipay, Taobao, DianPing, Ele.me
DIVE INTO CHINESE MOBILE APP
Alipay AR for Hong Bao, OFO Join Marketing with Despicable Me 3, Power bank and Sleeping Pod
Sharing, Mobile Health Check Kiosk and etc.
FINALLY COVER SOME MOBILE CHINESE INNOVATION
01
03
02

3. Jobs-To-Be-Done Framework
Understanding Customers Job and the Job Stories

4. “If I had asked people what they wanted,
they would have said faster horses.”
—Henry Ford

5. Why Jobs?
“People buy products and services to get jobs
done; and while products come and go, the
underlying jobs-to-be-done does not go away”
While most companies innovate by trying to
improve their existing products (faster
horse), the innovation process is
dramatically improved by instead trying to
find better ways to reach the destination (to
get the job done).

6. The Problem with User StoriesYour great subtitle in this line
EXPECTED
OUTCOME
So that
Too many assumptions
Irrelevant
How do we know this is the best
actions to take? Maybe there’s a
better way …
PERSONA
As a
ACTION
I Want to

7. User Story: As a developer, I want a badge on my profile that when I am
a top poster, so people know I am a top poster.
Job StorySITUATION, MOTIVATION, EXPECTED OUTCOME
SITUATION
When
MOTIVATION
I Want to
EXPECTED OUTCOME
So I can
Jobs Story: When I am one of the top posters for a topic I want it to
show on my profile so that people know that I am an expert in a subject

8. 4 FORCES AFFECT PURCHASING DECISIONS
The Real Product Competition
Anxiety of a new choice
Habit of the present
Push of the
situations
Pull of a new
solution
Habit Pull
Anxiety Push
Drive ForwardHold Back
“Your product is competing not so much with other similar product
offerings, but mostly with the person’s existing habits, or the person’s mix
of cobbled-together solutions. Your real competitor is non-consumption.
Solve the Job well, and find a bigger market share.”

9. DESIGN TO COMPLETE A JOB IN
MIND
PEOPLE DON’T BUY PRODUCT,
THEY HIRE PRODUCTS FOR A JOB
Minimum Viable Product (MVP) is not a half-baked version of the produc

10. Hooked Model
Building the experience design

11. A HOOK IS AN EXPERIENCE
DESIGN TO CONNECT USER’S
PROBLEM TO YOUR SOLUTION
EACH PASS THROUGH THE HOOK HELPS
SHAPE USER PREFERENCE AND ATTITUDES
WITH ENOUGH FREQUENCY, A HABIT IS
FORMED

12. INTERNAL TRIGGERS
Information on what to do next is informed through
an association in the user’s memory
TriggersInternal and External Triggers
TRIGGERS
EXTERNAL TRIGGERS
Information on what to do next is within the triggers
Video Ads
Promotional Emails
Call to actions
Word of mouth

13. ActionUnderstanding Fogg Behavior Model
According to BJ Fogg, for any
behavior to occur, we need
MOTIVATION, ABILITY and a
TRIGGER
b = m + a + t
Seeking pleasure
Avoid Pain
Seeking Hope
Avoiding Fear
Seeking Acceptance
Avoiding Rejection
Time
Money
Physical Effort
Brain Cycles
Social Deviances
Non-Routine

14. ActionThe Definition
ACTION
An action is something a user does in anticipation of a
reward
The less effort it takes to get the reward, the more frequently
customers will complete the action
In other word, MAKE IT SIMPLER

15. “Simplicity is a function of your scarcest
resources at that moment”
—BJ Fogg
E.g. time as a resource: If you don’t have 10 minutes to spend, and the
target behavior requires 10 minutes, then it is not simple

16. Variable Rewards REWARDS
Search for Social
Rewards
The Tribe
 Search for Empathetic Job,
Partnership and Competition
 Social rewards such as
Facebook Like
 Rewards for recognition and
cooperation
Search for Resources
The Hunt
 Hunt for Variable material rewards
- Groupon
 Hunt for Variable information
rewards – Google Search results
Search for Self-
Achievement
The Self
 Levelling-up reflects mastery
and competency
 Inbox or Task management
reflects consistency and
completion
Variable rewards are simply rewards that are given to users based on a
variable ratio schedule.

17. INVESTMENT
Investment
User ”invest” for future benefits such as Money, Personal Data, Emotional Commitment, Social
Capital, Time and Effort.
An investment is anything a user does that increases the chance of returning back to the
app.
Uploading a photo Buying add-on features Inviting a friend Beating a difficult level
Investments increase the likelihood of the next pass through the Hook in Two Ways
1.Investments Load the next trigger of the hook
2.Is an open invitation for an external trigger to be returned

18. Build a New HabitsThe Hooked Model
HOOKED
MODEL
• What “bit of work” is done to
increase the likelihood of
returning?
Investment
INVESTMENT
• What internal trigger is the product
addressing?
• What external trigger gets the user
to use the product?
Triggers
TRIGGERS
• What is the simplest behavior
in anticipation of reward?
Actions
ACTION
• Is the reward fulfilling, yet
leaves the user wanting
more?
Rewards
REWARDS

19. Deep Dive on the Chinese App
Alipay, Taobao, DianPing, Ele.me

20. 20
Show the value of the app upfront
Provide text labels and visual keys to
clarify visual information (Make things
simpler to discover)
Prominently display the search field
Organize and label menu categories
to be user-friendly
Provide visual cue for others to take
actions (triggers)
Alipay
Use Shimmer effects for loading
App Navigation and Exploration
App integration API for 3rd party developers

21. 21
Use effective search indexing
Powerful Search Capabilities and filtering
Provides search history and others
relevant results
In-App SearchAlipay

22. 22
Make it easy to manually
change location
Use mobile web pages
for dynamic content
Kuala Lumpur content
Alipay Content based on location

23. 23
Alipay (Malaysia)
Recommended Business View Coupons Business Listing Business Location
Finding my way around in Sri Petaling (Jobs-to-be-done)

24. Alipay (Malaysia)
Tap on the location icon
to open map
Business Coupons and
Payments
Locate and visit the store I want
Tap on the taxi icon to
request Uber
Business Hours and
others information

25. 25
Alipay (Malaysia) Explore the country I’m visiting
View all services available
Travel Articles on Top 6
shopping mall to visit
KLIA Airport InformationTour Packages in KL

26. Taobao – Alibaba E-commerce
Request for login when is needed such
as checkout, add review and etc.
Prominently display the search field with
image search
Organize and label menu categories
to be user-friendly
Show the value or promotions up front
Additional location options when in
overseas
Long scrolling for product discovery

27. Taobao – Image Search Making product search simple from mobile
screenshots
Take mobile
screenshots
Latest
screenshots
available for
search
Searching in
progress
Identify products
by using vision
processing
Product identify Return search
results

28. Taobao – Image Search Making product search simple from camera
Take a photo of the
product you want to buy
Identify product Return results with the
ability to share
Ability to refine image
search

29. 29
Taobao – Text Search Text and voice recognition search
Search with search
history or voice search
Search Results Additional Filters

30. 30
DianPing – Location based business listing
Request for login when is needed such
as checkout, add review and etc.
Prominently display the search field
Organize and label menu categories
to be user-friendly
Show the value or promotions up front
Additional location options when in
overseas
Long scrolling for product discovery
Provide visual cue for others to take
actions (triggers)

31. 31
DianPing – Order, Payment and Booking
Store front with the ability to
post video review and
photos
Easy to share and favorite
store
Ability to order food, book
and pay for food
Ordering menu BookingStorefront

32. 32
DianPing – Other features
Food Delivery
Set Appointment, buy spa
package, pay for services and
location services
Comprehensive search
with filters

33. Ele.me – Food Delivery
Prominently display the search field
Organize and label menu categories
to be user-friendly
Show the value or promotions up front
Popup free coupons to trigger buying
behavior
Long scrolling for product discovery
Weather information to trigger purchases
such as during winter

34. How ele.me build habits in ProductA Chinese O2O food delivery service
Search for
restaurant
Internal Trigger
Order Meal
Action
Offer Coupon to
share in WeChat
Rewards, Triggers,
Action
Friends open
WeChat message
to receive
coupons
Rewards, Triggers
View delivery
status
Investment
More buying,
more coupons
Investment

35. Forming user habit to review foodA Chinese O2O food delivery service
Action
Perform food review
External Trigger
Earn additional points to
review
Rewards
The Self – rewards
point
Investment
Earn better reputation
as you perform more
review

36. China Mobile App Innovation
Alipay AR for Red Packet, OFO Join Marketing with Despicable Me 3, Power bank and
Sleeping Pod Sharing, Mobile Health Check Kiosk and etc.

37. Alipay – Red Packet
VR
Introduce in December for the Chinese New Year 2017

38. Ofo – Bike
Sharing Join
Marketing with
Despicable Me 3
 Solve the last mile problem
such as from the Subway
Station and to the home
 Deposit RMB 100
 RMB 1 for 1 hour ride

39. Ankerbox –
Portable Charger
 Solve the low battery problem
on you mobile device
 Can bring along with you and
return to any docking station
 Deposit RMB 100
 First 30 minutes free
 RMB 1 for 1 hour charging
 RMB 10 for whole day

40. Xiangshui Space -
Nap Capsule
Rental
 Targeted at white-collar
workers for noon nap
 Each pod contains clean
blanket and is equipped with
USB and power plugs
 RMB 10 per ½ hour (11am to
2pm)
 RMB 6 per ½ hour during off-
peak hour

41. UrWork- Co-
working Spaces
 Largest co-working spaces in
China
 For startup and small
businesses
 Most of the facilities are
driven by mobile apps and
paid through Alipay
 Door can be open using
Alipay or UrWork App

42. UrWork- Co-working Spaces

43. THANK YOU
William Lim
Email: williamltb@hotmail.com
Add me at LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/williamltb/