Design Patterns - Development of a Design Space for Mobile Applications to Support Designers

Abstract

This thesis addresses the challenge of organizing and applying mobile UI design patterns
by developing a structured, multidimensional design space. While design patterns are
widely recognized as a valuable resource in interface design, they are often dispersed,
inconsistently documented, and difficult to access - particularly in mobile contexts where
interaction is shaped by small screens, touch gestures, and context-sensitive usage. The
thesis responds to this gap by investigating two central research questions: (1) What
key characteristics should a design space have to effectively organize and
describe current design patterns in mobile application interaction design?
and (2) How can the developed design space support designers in selecting
suitable solutions for specific challenges in mobile interface design?
Drawing from a literature review and qualitative insights from a pre-study with
professionals, who work in the design or development industry, the design space was
conceptualized as a multidimensional classification scheme along the facets of user goals
(Why), data characteristics (What), and interaction techniques (How). Each of the 47
design patterns was documented and visually represented through sketches. The final
prototype was implemented as a navigable, web-based tool, based on the existing IVES
Project by Keck et al. (2024), using the programming languages Javascript and Vue.js,
and evaluated in a task-based usability study.
The results indicate that the multidimensional and visually supported structure
significantly improves pattern discoverability, comprehension, and practical usability.
This work contributes a user-centered design space for mobile design decision-making
and lays the foundation for future research and further development of the design space
- particularly in regard to dynamic filtering, tool integration, and community-based
expansion.

Date of Award	2025
Original language	English (American)
Supervisor	Mandy Keck (Supervisor)