10 key points for building the best app ever

10key tips for building the best app ever
an app for your business: from concept to delivery

Why?
The best apps fill a real purpose and add value to the user.…
Understand why you want an app before you begin this journey. If the answer is “because apps are kickass cool” then you probably don’t really need one.
..

2. Get an idea
It’s easy to have ideas. The hard part is picking the right one and making it work.
Brainstorming, post-it notes stuck on walls, white boards or a walk in the park. It’s all good for sparking creative ideas. Look deep into the soul of your organisation and consider what it has of value that it can share.

3. Monetise
Get this wrong and your app bombs.
No matter if it is the next Angry Birds or a guide to carbon offsetting, think about monetising carefully. “Freemium” models using in app purchasing to access additional content work well, but apps promoting your organisation should be free, just like any other marketing collateral.

4. Make a model
Cereal boxes, glue and a lot of paint. This is Blue Peter 2.0
Physical build your app. Get wildly creative. Put in everything you want then take loads out. Share them, poke them, use them. If you love them, go to step 5. If you don’t, start again.

5. Wireframes
Building a user experience that works is a dark art.
From your model, build your requirements catalogue, from the requirements build wireframes. Every screen, every step of the user journey: it all begins here. Share them, test them, stay up late worrying about them. Whatever you do, don’t move forwards until they are right.

6. Design the UI
The UI (user interface) should be intuitive, simple and elegant.
It should also be on brand and relative to the functions of the app. Poor designs wont get used, wont get shared and wont get press for your organisation (unless it is bad press you need).
If in doubt, test it out on your Grandma………

7. Design your icon
This should be so beautiful that fairy princesses will want to wear it on their wings.
It may sound frivolous, but getting this right is critical. If the icon sucks, your app will be lost among hundreds of more attractive ones.

8. Code
Your also going to need to write some code.
Hack this and your app will ultimately suck, crash handsets and result in instant deletion and poor reviews. Get a pro and please don’t say I didn't’t warn you.if you decide to cut corners.

9. Analytics
Do you want to know if people actually use you app?
Do you want version 1.1 to be even better?
Apps are like the web, just cuter – Analyse activity and use it to make you app even better. Try Flurry for light, mobile sized analytics.

10. Test
It sounds obvious, but how many apps have you downloaded with issues that could have been avoided?
Don’t confine testing to you and your team. Find real people to give you real views. Don’t loose site of the end game now your committed to building the best app possible. This is a key phase, get it right.

10. Submit
It’s not over until the fat lady sings….
Or in this case, until the app store accepts your submission and green lights it for publication. There are horror stories, but if you follow the rules, and follow my advice you should be just fine.

Marketing
the bonus free slide you cant ignore
This is the critical factor that so many people forget.
It’s unlikely you will see any downloads unless you market your app. Everything from the description and screen shots to the press you get will play a part in download numbers. This has to be on-going, targeted marketing, just like any other product. It may sound obvious, but the better the marketing, the higher the downloads will be.

Digital
Marketing &
communication
For more on digital marketing: www.phillipjenkins.co.uk

10 key points for building the best app ever

by Phillip Jenkins on Sep 14, 2011

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10 key points for building the best app ever — Presentation Transcript