so you think you can app?

So You Think You Can App: Getting from idea to market with limited resources

Clayton A Davis

Kinsey Reporter, Indiana University

April 6-8, 2014 San Francisco, CA

Annual Conference on Youth + Tech + Health

•  Mobile survey platform to share, explore, and visualize anonymous data about sex

A Bit About Kinsey Reporter


•  Reports are submitted via smartphone


tag info

Reports Surveys

Ques3ons Tags

1:N

1:N

N:M


•  Reports are submitted via smartphone •  Survey topics range from sexual activity and flirting to

contraceptive side effects and unwanted experience



•  Reports are submitted via smartphone •  Survey topics range from sexual activity and flirting to

contraceptive side effects and unwanted experience •  Data can be downloaded from the website or explored

using our visualization tools


What’s in an App?

•  Mobile frontend •  Android / iOS app

•  Web frontend •  Website

•  Backend •  Database

•  Glue •  Public and private APIs

The KR “App” is Really Four Parts…

The KR “App” is Really Four Parts…

Backend

Public API

Web Frontend

Mobile Frontend

•  Mobile UX/UI designer •  Mobile developer •  Web UX/UI designer •  Web developer •  Database/API architect •  Database administrator •  Content (survey) designer •  PR and Advertising

…And About Eight Jobs…

•  Not funded by grants •  Small budget •  Zero full-time researchers •  Very few RAs

•  Small development team •  The maximum was three

•  Android, iOS, web/backend •  Currently one. Just this guy.

…On Limited Resources

So How Did We Do It?

More importantly: how can you do it?

So How Did We Do It?

•  Two PIs •  Fil Menczer, Informatics •  Julia Heiman, Kinsey Institute

•  Collaboration with Kinsey Institute •  Excellent technology support at IU

We Get by With a Little Help From our Friends


The Jobs Again

3pillarglobal.com

•  Spend time designing mobile interfaces before implementing them

•  Do not skip this step •  Users are quick to point out pain points in the interface

•  You will get more feedback than you think •  Use paper mockups if you need to

•  Use common interface elements and metaphors

Mobile UX/UI Design


The Jobs Again

Sparsolu3ons.com

•  You probably don’t need a native app •  Web/hybrid apps have many benefits:

•  Many platforms, one codebase •  Fewer developers needed!

•  Required skills are more broadly useful •  iOS uses Objective C, Android uses a Java SDK •  Web/hybrid apps are written in HTML5 and Javascript

•  Cost is decreased performance •  “Premature optimization is the root of all evil” – Knuth

Mobile Development


The Jobs Again

studio631.com

•  Do as little “design” as possible •  Logo •  Color scheme •  Interactive elements

•  Leave the rest up to a web framework •  Bootstrap •  Foundation •  Ink

Web UX/UI Design


The Jobs Again

exposedata.com

•  Use 3rd-party APIs when possible for rapid development

•  Google Charts, Visualization API •  Google Maps

Web Development

Example: Google Charts API



•  But then migrate away from 3rd party APIs •  They can change, leaving you stranded •  D3.js is the current “gold standard” for interactive graphics

•  Steep learning curve •  Nvd3 is an easier-to-use wrapper for common visualizations

Web Development



•  But then migrate away from 3rd party APIs •  They can change, leaving you stranded •  D3.js is the current “gold standard” for interactive graphics

•  Steep learning curve •  Nvd3 is an easier-to-use wrapper for common visualizations

•  Eat your own dogfood

Web Development


The Jobs Again

Reports Surveys

Ques3ons Tags

1:N

1:N

N:M

•  Write your queries first •  This should inform architecture decisions

•  NOT the other way around! •  Doing useful work quickly is more important than

theoretical “correctness” •  But those rules exist for a reason

•  You probably don’t have “big data” •  SQL is a proven backend solution

Database/API Architecture


The Jobs Again

•  Outsource it if you can •  Hosted database solutions abound

•  Open-source databases are excellent •  MySQL •  PostgreSQL

Database Administration


The Jobs Again

rulestoolsfools.com

•  Beware of choice paralysis •  Attention span, working memory are incredibly short •  Max 5-7 choices at a time

•  App stores and advertisers are total prudes •  Any potentially objectionable keywords will get red-flagged •  Usually no human oversight in the flagging process

Content Design


The Jobs Again

brown-‐pr.com

•  Citizen science is popular •  People like to contribute •  Social media is key for creating community dialog

•  But social attention doesn’t last without sustained effort •  Media coverage is a double-edged sword

•  Gets you attention and mindshare •  Can sometimes overstate controversy

•  Targeting an audience is tricky •  The most receptive audience might not be your target

PR and Advertising


The Jobs

animacenter.org

•  There are multiple jobs to be done, most in parallel •  You will probably be understaffed •  Knowing what tasks need to be done gives you time

•  To find people to fill gaps in the team •  To learn the skills needed to fill gaps

You’re Going to Wear Many Hats

animacenter.org

Acknowledgements Principal Investigators

Fil Menczer, SoIC & CNetS Julia Heiman, Kinsey Institute

Contact Kinsey Reporter kinseyreporter.org facebook.com/KinseyReporter

Clayton A Davis [email protected] clayadavis.net @clayadavis on Twitter

so you think you can app?

Health & Medicine

mobile survey platform

mobile interfaces

metaphors mobile uxui

anonymous data

davis kinsey reporter

smartphone survey topics

kr app

sex reports