There are many causes we can create tools for, but if no one is using what we make, it's not a real solution.

1. Building things that matter
Changing lives with technology

2. #matterhack
Tag the backchannel with #matterhack

3. About me
Entrepreneur/Designer/Hacker
Founder at Pure Blue
Focus on behavior design and healthcare

4. First… thanks!
Thank you to this community. Because of you, I’ve been
able to provide for my family and pursue my passion.

5. Quick survey
How many are building your own app?
How many are building apps for clients?

6. Find a problem and solve it
We are uniquely positioned to solve problems
with the tools we already have.

7. Obesity
Contributor to diabetes, heart disease, stroke
and cancer
- http://www.cdc.gov/obesity/data/adult.html

8. $190 Billion Dollar Problem
$190 billion in direct medical costs
$14 billion in children alone
- http://www.healthycommunitieshealthyfuture.org/learn-the-facts/economic-costs-of-obesity/

9. Go for a Walk
Walking regularly has HUGE health benefits.
Build a walking game that’s not lame. Heck, build 20!

10. There are MANY problems
that need our help
Mental health, poverty, education, social justice, the
environment, wounded warriors and many more

11. If no one uses it,
It’s not a solution
User adoption is the key

13. Nothing about me
without me.
Through the Patient’s Eyes
Salzburg, Seminar • Session 356 • 1998
GET USERS!

14. What’s the problem?
Do I have this right?
Read Running Lean by Ash Maurya
Build Google Forms

15. What’s the solution?
How can we solve your problem
More Google Forms
Listen…

16. Build User Advocates
Users that will be honest and stick around

18. Pretend
Use tools that facilitate your imagination
Paper and Pencil
Google Drawing
Balsamiq

20. Iterate
Do it again AFTER you get feedback
How fast can you iterate?

21. Make it accessible
PDF, SaaS, HTML
Make it easy on your users

22. Make it fast
If it’s slow you’ve created new problems

24. Create
Use tools that encourage progress
Django templates
Twitter Bootstrap
Gumby
Foundation

25. Kill photoshop
Stop using 2D mockups for contextual experience
Touch
Movement
How it feels

26. If I can’t touch it,
it doesn’t exist
“Watch” your user touch your idea
Heap Analytics
Kissmetrics

28. Use Templates
and Django Flatpages
Don’t reinvent the wheel
Keep it simple so you can respond

29. Using Angular
(or Ember, or …)
You’re building your app
Test everything
Use JSON

31. Ship It
Iterate with data
Don’t forget users

32. Why I use
Django Rest Framework
Alternative methods for CRUD

34. Github
Let users submit tickets

35. Google forms
Free and easy feedback

36. Django-Feedback
Get more than what users know how to tell you

38. Keep it simple
Use one service for data
Use another for feedback

40. Special offer
Sign up for newsletter with email
I’ll send you Problem and Solution Templates
http://davemerwin.com/email-signup/

41. Discussion

42. Thanks
Twitter: @davemerwin | Blog: davemerwin.com
Github: davemerwin | Email: dave@purebluedesign.com