starting a lean mobile app business
TRANSCRIPT
![Page 1: Starting a Lean Mobile App Business](https://reader034.vdocuments.net/reader034/viewer/2022042907/58b89c771a28abc06d8b462b/html5/thumbnails/1.jpg)
Starting a Lean Mobile App BusinessEdward Tsang
Founder & CEOOnDemandWorld
15 January 2016 19:00 - 21:00 @TUSPARK_HK
![Page 2: Starting a Lean Mobile App Business](https://reader034.vdocuments.net/reader034/viewer/2022042907/58b89c771a28abc06d8b462b/html5/thumbnails/2.jpg)
About Me• Founded OnDemandWorld in 2008
• 20 years in the UK and 6 years in China
• MA in Computation from University of Oxford
• MBA from Tsinghua University
• Leading the Technology Group of Hong Kong Chamber of Commerce in China
2
![Page 3: Starting a Lean Mobile App Business](https://reader034.vdocuments.net/reader034/viewer/2022042907/58b89c771a28abc06d8b462b/html5/thumbnails/3.jpg)
About OnDemandWorld
• Started in 2008 straight after the first iOS SDK
• Focus on Web and Mobile Software
• 450 apps, mainly in geolocation, travel and online education
• Over 15 million users
• 20 people in Beijing and London
3
![Page 5: Starting a Lean Mobile App Business](https://reader034.vdocuments.net/reader034/viewer/2022042907/58b89c771a28abc06d8b462b/html5/thumbnails/5.jpg)
Agenda
• Setting the Scene: Why Mobile?
• Basics: Building Your First Mobile App
• Tips & Tricks: Lean Strategies
• What's next? How to grow it into something much bigger?
5
![Page 6: Starting a Lean Mobile App Business](https://reader034.vdocuments.net/reader034/viewer/2022042907/58b89c771a28abc06d8b462b/html5/thumbnails/6.jpg)
Setting the Scene: Why Mobile?
![Page 7: Starting a Lean Mobile App Business](https://reader034.vdocuments.net/reader034/viewer/2022042907/58b89c771a28abc06d8b462b/html5/thumbnails/7.jpg)
• We believe: mobile will be the primary technology platform for everyone.
• We want: to play a role in serving that audience with applications that are both elegant and useful.
ODW Mission Statement
![Page 8: Starting a Lean Mobile App Business](https://reader034.vdocuments.net/reader034/viewer/2022042907/58b89c771a28abc06d8b462b/html5/thumbnails/8.jpg)
Internet+ & Mobile+
• Traditional businesses are transforming• Making use of Smartphone’s geolocation function• Best examples: Uber, Airbnb, OpenRice
![Page 9: Starting a Lean Mobile App Business](https://reader034.vdocuments.net/reader034/viewer/2022042907/58b89c771a28abc06d8b462b/html5/thumbnails/9.jpg)
Time Spent on Mobile
• Everyone is competing for the users’ time• The best channel to reach your users is via mobile• No matter what business you do, important to have mobile strategy
![Page 10: Starting a Lean Mobile App Business](https://reader034.vdocuments.net/reader034/viewer/2022042907/58b89c771a28abc06d8b462b/html5/thumbnails/10.jpg)
Mobile is 20 Years Old
• Mobile started off as a basic communication tool and without internet• Smartphones = mini computer• 60% world population is still using Feature Phone
![Page 11: Starting a Lean Mobile App Business](https://reader034.vdocuments.net/reader034/viewer/2022042907/58b89c771a28abc06d8b462b/html5/thumbnails/11.jpg)
Mobile Advertising Growth
• Mobile advertising is more effective to get to your customers
![Page 12: Starting a Lean Mobile App Business](https://reader034.vdocuments.net/reader034/viewer/2022042907/58b89c771a28abc06d8b462b/html5/thumbnails/12.jpg)
SO-LO-MO
![Page 13: Starting a Lean Mobile App Business](https://reader034.vdocuments.net/reader034/viewer/2022042907/58b89c771a28abc06d8b462b/html5/thumbnails/13.jpg)
Mobile Payment Takes Off
• Enabling businesses to do more transaction seamlessly• Sales turnover from mobile will exceed website and offline
![Page 14: Starting a Lean Mobile App Business](https://reader034.vdocuments.net/reader034/viewer/2022042907/58b89c771a28abc06d8b462b/html5/thumbnails/14.jpg)
• 8 years of iPhones, 11 models, many colours.
• Just on iOS App Store, 1.5 million apps
More Competition
![Page 15: Starting a Lean Mobile App Business](https://reader034.vdocuments.net/reader034/viewer/2022042907/58b89c771a28abc06d8b462b/html5/thumbnails/15.jpg)
Basics:Building Your First Mobile App
![Page 16: Starting a Lean Mobile App Business](https://reader034.vdocuments.net/reader034/viewer/2022042907/58b89c771a28abc06d8b462b/html5/thumbnails/16.jpg)
App Development Process
1. Imagine your app
2. Plan it all out
3. Build it!
![Page 17: Starting a Lean Mobile App Business](https://reader034.vdocuments.net/reader034/viewer/2022042907/58b89c771a28abc06d8b462b/html5/thumbnails/17.jpg)
Imagine
Every app start off as just an idea.
Things to consider:• App Name, Icon, Description, Screenshots• Goal & Mission, Problem & Solution, Unique Selling Point• App Type, Luxury or Necessity• Market, Category & Subcategory, Size, Competition,
Location, Platform, Language• Compliance with App Store Rules• Usage, Frequency and Duration• Business Model, Value Creation & Profitability
![Page 18: Starting a Lean Mobile App Business](https://reader034.vdocuments.net/reader034/viewer/2022042907/58b89c771a28abc06d8b462b/html5/thumbnails/18.jpg)
Smartphone OS
![Page 19: Starting a Lean Mobile App Business](https://reader034.vdocuments.net/reader034/viewer/2022042907/58b89c771a28abc06d8b462b/html5/thumbnails/19.jpg)
Android vs iOS
Android iOS
![Page 20: Starting a Lean Mobile App Business](https://reader034.vdocuments.net/reader034/viewer/2022042907/58b89c771a28abc06d8b462b/html5/thumbnails/20.jpg)
Platform Monetization
![Page 21: Starting a Lean Mobile App Business](https://reader034.vdocuments.net/reader034/viewer/2022042907/58b89c771a28abc06d8b462b/html5/thumbnails/21.jpg)
Native App vs. HTML5Native Apps Web/ HTML5
Customer LoyaltyHigh
(repeat customers)Low
(provide information)
UI/ UX RequirementHigh
(give limited and important info) Low
InternetOnline & Offline
(can load instantly) Online
Development timeLonger Shorter
CostsHigher
(annual maintenance) Lower
![Page 22: Starting a Lean Mobile App Business](https://reader034.vdocuments.net/reader034/viewer/2022042907/58b89c771a28abc06d8b462b/html5/thumbnails/22.jpg)
Target Users
• Who are your target users?• Why not release your app globally?
App Store Revenue
![Page 23: Starting a Lean Mobile App Business](https://reader034.vdocuments.net/reader034/viewer/2022042907/58b89c771a28abc06d8b462b/html5/thumbnails/23.jpg)
Planning
A. Requirement Analysis
• Research Competitors Apps
• Features: Qualifier vs Winner
• Unique Selling Point(s)
• Cost-benefit Analysis (Estimate)
![Page 24: Starting a Lean Mobile App Business](https://reader034.vdocuments.net/reader034/viewer/2022042907/58b89c771a28abc06d8b462b/html5/thumbnails/24.jpg)
PlanningB. High Level Design
• General requirement
• Functional specs
• Database (User & Content)
• Server requirement
• Cost-benefit Analysis (Quote)
![Page 25: Starting a Lean Mobile App Business](https://reader034.vdocuments.net/reader034/viewer/2022042907/58b89c771a28abc06d8b462b/html5/thumbnails/25.jpg)
Planning
C. Detailed Design
• Use wireframe and flow diagram
• Specify everything in details
• Test the mock-up with your potential users
• Cost-benefit Analysis (Contract)
![Page 26: Starting a Lean Mobile App Business](https://reader034.vdocuments.net/reader034/viewer/2022042907/58b89c771a28abc06d8b462b/html5/thumbnails/26.jpg)
Wireframe Diagram
![Page 27: Starting a Lean Mobile App Business](https://reader034.vdocuments.net/reader034/viewer/2022042907/58b89c771a28abc06d8b462b/html5/thumbnails/27.jpg)
Principle 1: Useful• Who are the users?
• What do the users need & want?
• What does the App offer?
• Why do we provide the feature?
• How useful is the feature?
• Which are the top 3 features needed/ wanted by user?
• Which features need IAP? How much? Value to users?
![Page 28: Starting a Lean Mobile App Business](https://reader034.vdocuments.net/reader034/viewer/2022042907/58b89c771a28abc06d8b462b/html5/thumbnails/28.jpg)
Principle 2: Elegant• Simple to use?
• The less button the better
• The less clicks required from user the better
• The less login barrier the better
• Save users' time?
• Intuitive - user understand how to use instantly
• The options/buttons are grouped appropriately
• Better method than others to deliver the same function
![Page 29: Starting a Lean Mobile App Business](https://reader034.vdocuments.net/reader034/viewer/2022042907/58b89c771a28abc06d8b462b/html5/thumbnails/29.jpg)
Planning Tips1. Onboarding experience
• Impression matters. You only have one chance! 99% effort is no good.
2. Give people a reason to come back
• Favorites/ Provide useful info/ Special Offers/ Social networking/ Newsletter
3. Sharing from Mobile
• actions that can show users' pride, achievement and content
• integration with social media streams: Facebook/ WeChat/ WhatsApp/ Twitter
• add reviews and star rating function
4. Content Strategy
![Page 30: Starting a Lean Mobile App Business](https://reader034.vdocuments.net/reader034/viewer/2022042907/58b89c771a28abc06d8b462b/html5/thumbnails/30.jpg)
Building
• Repeat testing.
• Make your app as lean as possible
• Avoid changing scope unless necessary
• App Store Marketing (App Name, Description, Keywords)
• Testflight
![Page 31: Starting a Lean Mobile App Business](https://reader034.vdocuments.net/reader034/viewer/2022042907/58b89c771a28abc06d8b462b/html5/thumbnails/31.jpg)
Outsourcing (1)• Easily cost HK$300k and 4 months plus to build a complex top tier app.
• Spread your costs by doing the essential functions first
• Functionality that should be faster and cheaper:
• Same info for all users
• Content filtered by location
• Locally stored / hardcoded
• One way sync that needs a backend, like places /events
• External feeds
![Page 32: Starting a Lean Mobile App Business](https://reader034.vdocuments.net/reader034/viewer/2022042907/58b89c771a28abc06d8b462b/html5/thumbnails/32.jpg)
Outsourcing (2)
• Functionality that’s expensive
• 2 way interaction, like comments and user interactions.
• Integrations with your database
• User accounts, personalization,
• Augmented reality, games etc.
• Multiple languages done well
![Page 33: Starting a Lean Mobile App Business](https://reader034.vdocuments.net/reader034/viewer/2022042907/58b89c771a28abc06d8b462b/html5/thumbnails/33.jpg)
Outsourcing Pitfalls• Outsourcing to cheap countries
• Under quoting complex features
• Saving money on design
• Agencies & web people with limited mobile experience
• Changing your mind along the way
• Not budgeting for maintenance and upkeep
![Page 34: Starting a Lean Mobile App Business](https://reader034.vdocuments.net/reader034/viewer/2022042907/58b89c771a28abc06d8b462b/html5/thumbnails/34.jpg)
Common Metrics & Analytics
• Daily Active Users (DAU)
• Monthly Active Users (MAU)
• New Users
• Sticky Factor (DAU/MAU)
• Total Sessions
• Day 1 Retention
• Average Revenue Per DAU (ARPDAU)
• Paying Daily Active Users
• Average Revenue Per Paid DAU (ARPPDAU)
• Analytics: track what has been clicked. What users like to do etc.
![Page 35: Starting a Lean Mobile App Business](https://reader034.vdocuments.net/reader034/viewer/2022042907/58b89c771a28abc06d8b462b/html5/thumbnails/35.jpg)
Cost per Install
• A quick way to get users, but expensive.
Source: Fiksu
![Page 36: Starting a Lean Mobile App Business](https://reader034.vdocuments.net/reader034/viewer/2022042907/58b89c771a28abc06d8b462b/html5/thumbnails/36.jpg)
Tips and Tricks: Lean Mobile Strategies
![Page 37: Starting a Lean Mobile App Business](https://reader034.vdocuments.net/reader034/viewer/2022042907/58b89c771a28abc06d8b462b/html5/thumbnails/37.jpg)
What is Lean?
• Maximize customer value while minimizing waste.
• Simply, lean means creating more value for customers with fewer resources.
• Fewer doesn’t mean little or no resources!
![Page 38: Starting a Lean Mobile App Business](https://reader034.vdocuments.net/reader034/viewer/2022042907/58b89c771a28abc06d8b462b/html5/thumbnails/38.jpg)
Slowing-down of the mobile market?
![Page 39: Starting a Lean Mobile App Business](https://reader034.vdocuments.net/reader034/viewer/2022042907/58b89c771a28abc06d8b462b/html5/thumbnails/39.jpg)
Can it be avoided?
• Continuous maturity of the market is normal.
• “IT Doesn’t Matter” (Nicholas Carr - HBR 2003) on commoditisation of IT, started Cloud Computing.
• Just Crossing the Chasm is not enough.
• Keep Innovating and get on next big wave “early”. Wearable? VR/AR goggles? Robots? Automated Cars?
![Page 40: Starting a Lean Mobile App Business](https://reader034.vdocuments.net/reader034/viewer/2022042907/58b89c771a28abc06d8b462b/html5/thumbnails/40.jpg)
Which App market?
Wearable Strong Weak Weak
Mobile Phone Strong Strong Weak
Tablet Strong Average Average
Laptop Strong Weak Strong
Desktop Weak Weak Strong
Server/Enterprise Weak Weak Strong
?
![Page 41: Starting a Lean Mobile App Business](https://reader034.vdocuments.net/reader034/viewer/2022042907/58b89c771a28abc06d8b462b/html5/thumbnails/41.jpg)
• Many apps not fully localised. Missing revenue.
• Localisation is not just translation.
• Get native speakers to help.
• New languages are added to OS releases, follow them.
Strategy 1
![Page 42: Starting a Lean Mobile App Business](https://reader034.vdocuments.net/reader034/viewer/2022042907/58b89c771a28abc06d8b462b/html5/thumbnails/42.jpg)
• Don’t spam.
• Define your sector.
• Target right market segment with specific products.
• Microsoft and Google both have 50+ apps on Apple
App Store.
Strategy 2
![Page 43: Starting a Lean Mobile App Business](https://reader034.vdocuments.net/reader034/viewer/2022042907/58b89c771a28abc06d8b462b/html5/thumbnails/43.jpg)
• Apple Swift, Google Go, Facebook Hack and others.
• Designed for coding efficiency.
• Easy to learn.
• Active Open Source communities.
• Impressive adoption rate with Swift.
Strategy 3
![Page 44: Starting a Lean Mobile App Business](https://reader034.vdocuments.net/reader034/viewer/2022042907/58b89c771a28abc06d8b462b/html5/thumbnails/44.jpg)
• New market places to buy source code cheaply.
• Improving effectiveness of development teams.
• e.g. Chupamobile, Apptopia, Binpress, codecanyon…
• Github, Bitbucket, Stack Overflow - great sites for free
sample source code and Open Source projects.
Strategy 4
![Page 45: Starting a Lean Mobile App Business](https://reader034.vdocuments.net/reader034/viewer/2022042907/58b89c771a28abc06d8b462b/html5/thumbnails/45.jpg)
Beyond your own team
• Outsourcing
• Crowdsourcing
• In-sourcing
• Licensing Out & Partnerships
Strategy 5
![Page 46: Starting a Lean Mobile App Business](https://reader034.vdocuments.net/reader034/viewer/2022042907/58b89c771a28abc06d8b462b/html5/thumbnails/46.jpg)
Big, and Small, Data
• Make good use of Data Model and Decision
• Google's Big Data - Ad Mob, Trends, etc.
• A/B Testing
• Understanding Percentages
• Myths - Share percentages, 1-2 percent is tiny, etc.
• Using 80:20 Rule (Pareto Principle). Recursively.
Strategy 6
![Page 47: Starting a Lean Mobile App Business](https://reader034.vdocuments.net/reader034/viewer/2022042907/58b89c771a28abc06d8b462b/html5/thumbnails/47.jpg)
Be collaborative from Day 1
• Team Work
• Divide and Conquer, Reduce overlap
• Team Expansion
• 1-5, just a gang of people; you need many more to succeed.
Strategy 7
![Page 48: Starting a Lean Mobile App Business](https://reader034.vdocuments.net/reader034/viewer/2022042907/58b89c771a28abc06d8b462b/html5/thumbnails/48.jpg)
Replicate & Innovate
• Mix it well, replicate to save time, innovate on USPs.
• iOS First, then Android.
• Innovation is a repetitive process.
Strategy 8
![Page 49: Starting a Lean Mobile App Business](https://reader034.vdocuments.net/reader034/viewer/2022042907/58b89c771a28abc06d8b462b/html5/thumbnails/49.jpg)
Mind the Gap!
• SoLoMo, essence of mobile computing, but what’s the gap?
• Social is the only one left not well solved.
Strategy 9
![Page 50: Starting a Lean Mobile App Business](https://reader034.vdocuments.net/reader034/viewer/2022042907/58b89c771a28abc06d8b462b/html5/thumbnails/50.jpg)
Good Good Study
• Knowledge & Content Management
• Reading books
• 1000s of hours of hard work for a few dollars, and it takes hours to read
Strategy 10
![Page 51: Starting a Lean Mobile App Business](https://reader034.vdocuments.net/reader034/viewer/2022042907/58b89c771a28abc06d8b462b/html5/thumbnails/51.jpg)
Other Tips• Run a small experiment to test if people are
interested. Start with a basic app.
• Idea is just the beginning. Successful startup always lies in their execution.
• The only way to grow your business is to constantly be testing new ideas
• Lead with the problem, not your solution. Offer what is needed and wanted by the users.
![Page 52: Starting a Lean Mobile App Business](https://reader034.vdocuments.net/reader034/viewer/2022042907/58b89c771a28abc06d8b462b/html5/thumbnails/52.jpg)
What's next? How to grow it into something much bigger?
![Page 53: Starting a Lean Mobile App Business](https://reader034.vdocuments.net/reader034/viewer/2022042907/58b89c771a28abc06d8b462b/html5/thumbnails/53.jpg)
Software Incubation
![Page 54: Starting a Lean Mobile App Business](https://reader034.vdocuments.net/reader034/viewer/2022042907/58b89c771a28abc06d8b462b/html5/thumbnails/54.jpg)
Software Incubation• OnDemandWorld developed 450 apps with over 15
million users.
• Our source code and technology frameworks cover 85%+ of major features available on iOS. We can efficiently build any apps for ourselves and startups.
• Much more reliable than outsourcing
• Where suitable, we invest our services in exchange for equity in the startups
![Page 55: Starting a Lean Mobile App Business](https://reader034.vdocuments.net/reader034/viewer/2022042907/58b89c771a28abc06d8b462b/html5/thumbnails/55.jpg)
Technology FrameworksWe highlight some of the technology frameworks we developed and will be reusable in many situations:
• Usage Analytics
• Bug Tracking
• Social Marketing
• Notification
• Business Owner Modules
• Social Network Services
• Advertising
• In-App Purchase
• eCommerce (Apple Pay, PayPal, Credit Cards)
• iBeacon Hardware & Software
• Cloud Server
• QR Code
![Page 58: Starting a Lean Mobile App Business](https://reader034.vdocuments.net/reader034/viewer/2022042907/58b89c771a28abc06d8b462b/html5/thumbnails/58.jpg)
Thank you!
![Page 59: Starting a Lean Mobile App Business](https://reader034.vdocuments.net/reader034/viewer/2022042907/58b89c771a28abc06d8b462b/html5/thumbnails/59.jpg)