FEAD: Figma-Enhanced App Design Framework for Improving UI/UX in Educational App Development
It addresses design gaps for students and educators using educational app development platforms, offering a scalable framework to improve app creation, though it is incremental as it builds on existing tools.
This study tackled the limitations in UI/UX design for educational app development tools like MIT App Inventor by introducing the FEAD Method, which integrates Figma's design tools, resulting in 61.2% of participants perceiving FEAD-enhanced designs as on par with professional apps compared to 8.2% for baseline designs.
Designing user-centric mobile applications is increasingly essential in educational technology. However, platforms like MIT App Inventor-one of the world's largest educational app development tools-face inherent limitations in supporting modern UI/UX design. This study introduces the Figma-Enhanced App Design (FEAD) Method, a structured framework that integrates Figma's advanced design tools into MIT App Inventor using an identify-design-implement workflow. Leveraging principles such as the 8-point grid system and Gestalt laws of perception, the FEAD Method empowers users to address design gaps, creating visually appealing, functional, and accessible applications. A comparative evaluation revealed that 61.2% of participants perceived FEAD-enhanced designs as on par with professional apps, compared to just 8.2% for baseline designs. These findings highlight the potential of bridging design with development platforms to enhance app creation, offering a scalable framework for students to master both functional and aesthetic design principles and excel in shaping the future of user-centric technology.