what makes an app great?
TRANSCRIPT
What makes an App Great?
Great Apps
Solves a Problem Eliminates or limits frustrations to make life easier
Example: maps, clock, calendar, calculator
Great Apps
Boosts Productivity Saves time and enables you to conveniently get info or complete tasks
Example: mobile banking apps
Great Apps
Entertaining Fun, entertaining, addictive -- games, video, humor
Example: Angry Birds and Candy Crush
Great Apps
Timeliness Delivery of interesting content via messaging and/or dynamic feeds Example: Flipboard, Twitter
Great Apps
Seamless Integration Integrates seamlessly with other platforms
Example: Sharing content to Twitter, Facebook, DropBox
Great Apps
Stunning Design Intuitive and engaging user experience/interface
Example: Flink, Paper, Yahoo Weather
Great Apps
Instant Usability Make it “ fast and easy” to sign-up, build a profile, and/or get the user deeply engaged in the app experience.
Example: Instagram, SnapChat, Fancy
Step 1Ideation
by: Marc Fischer | GD 75 Mobile App Design
Brainstormingand daydreaming...
by: Marc Fischer | GD 75 Mobile App Design
Find a ProblemBecome aware of a challenge,
problem, or opportunity
Brainstorming
Best ideas comes from awareness - Payattentiontowhatirritates you- Whatfrustratesyourfriendsandfamily- Howcananappalleviatethesepainpoints?- Howwouldyouimprove anexistingApp?
App Stores
Research the app stores
- Whichappsare“Topping theCharts”.- Whyaretheysopopular?- Howdidtheygettothetop?
by: Marc Fischer | GD 75 Mobile App Design smc.marcfischer.me
by: Marc Fischer | GD 75 Mobile App Design
Brainstorming
Research - what’s popular? - what’s trending?
- category leaders? - editors pick
smc.marcfischer.me
App Stores
Download the most popular apps
- Whatmakesthemsuccessful?- Whatdoyoulikeordislike?- Whatdoyouthinkcanbeimprovedupon?
Categories
Download the top apps in your category - Whoarethecategoryleaders?- Whatappcategoriesaretrending?- Whoaretheeditorspromoting?
Categories (iOS)
Brainstorming
Talk through your ideas... - Bounceideasoffyourfriends- Bounceideasoffyourfamily- Bounceideasoffcompletestrangers- Seekmentors andgetprofessional feedback
Brainstorming
Rank your ideas - Isittoocomplexandcostly?- Doyouhavetheskill-settoexecute?- Doescompetitionexist?- AreyouPASSIONATE forit?
by: Marc Fischer | GD 75 Mobile App Design
ImaginationUse your creative skills to
think of solutions
Audience Personas
If you build it, who will come? - Whoisyourtargetaudience?- Whatistheirbackground,technicalability,
location,language,etc.?- How can you create a meaningful experience
optimized for the users?
Features + Functions
Determine core features and functions - Listdesiredfeaturesandfunctionsindetail
(camera,usersign-up,GPS, etc.)- Prioritizethelistinorderofimportance?- Whatfeaturesandfunctionscanuserslive
without?
User Flow
Sketch it out, let it flow - Howwillyourusersinteractwiththeapp?- Afteracustomerdownloadstheapp,how
will they navigate from page topage?- Createdepictionsoftheapp’svisual
layout with basic sketches or wireframes- Seekconstructive criticism!
Create UniqueTechnology
Emerging Tech
Spark the Revolution
Emergingtechnologies--innovationswhich represent progressivedevelopmentswithina fieldforcompetitiveadvantage
Source: Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/
New_technologies
by: Marc Fischer | GD 75 Mobile App Design
Emerging TechBanking - Banks = Bitcoin
ArtificialIntelligence
Virtual Reality
3D Printing
New Tech
Trailblazing
What if you idea doesn't exist? - Does the absence of competitors mean there
is NOT a viable market need?- Haveotherstriedandfailed?- Isittooambitiousandcomplex?- Isittoocostlyandtimeintensive?
The App World
Crowded Marketplace It’shardtostick-outandbeuniqueinabig crowd..
+1.6millionappsandcounting+1000newappssubmitteddaily
or...Make it Better
Converging Tech
Building Upon Existing Tech Convergence refer to separate technologies such as voice (and telephony features), data (and productivity applications) and video that now share resources and interact with each other, creating new efficiencies.
Source: Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/
New_technologies
by: Marc Fischer | GD 75 Mobile App Design
Emerging TechWatch + Smartphone = Smartwatch
smc.marcfischer.me
Make it Better
How to make an existing app better?
- Findacommonproblem,createabetter solution
- Modelthesuccessofothers- Matchideaswithyourskills,interests,
experience,andpassion
Compete
Does your idea already exist?
- Arethereotherpotentialmarkets?- Couldyouprovideabetteruserexperience?- Isthereauniquewaytomonetize?
What’s Trending
Consider growth trends - Locationbasedservices- Bluetoothconnecteddevices- Mobilecommerce- Mobilevideo- Objectrecognition- InternetofThings
Platform Choice
What will you build?
- iPhone app - iPad app - Web app - Android app - Cross-platform
Considerations
Does the mobile app require the use of any special device features?
- Camera - Camera’s flash - Accelerometer - Bluetooth
ConsiderationsWhat programming languages do you already know?
How important is speed and performance?
Budget constraints - native is more expensive
Does the mobile app need Internet-access?
What is the monetization strategy?
Recap
• Great Apps start from humble beginnings • Ideas are everywhere you look • Research, research, research • Pursue projects that you can be PASSIONATE about • Test it before you build it • Analyze the playing field
• Plan, design, build, get feedback, change, grow