About these guidelines

These guidelines describe how to design apps that follow the official HIG for iOS by Apple, not what you can do with custom controls. Sometimes it makes sense to break the rules. The purpose of this document is to guide you, not to provide solutions for complex and unique design problems.

Design Principles

Purpose: To maximise reach

Aesthetic integrity: How does appearance and behaviour integrate with function, i.e. captivate with fun and engaging design or focus with subtle purpose-driven design.

Consistency is key:

• Standardised text elements
• Familiar icons
• Familiar functions that people expect
• Uniform terms

Direct manipulation rules:

• How users rotate the screen etc.
• Use gestures to affect the content shown
• Immediate visible feedback

Use “Metaphors”:

• Move screens to expose content
• Toggling, switches, sliders mechanisms that are familiar in real life.

Let the user be in control

• A balance between constraints
• Easy to cancel actions even when they’ve started