This document summarizes a presentation about developing mobile apps. It discusses defining what the app will do, assembling a team of product managers, designers, developers and testers, and estimating the time and cost of development. Key points include creating an "app manifesto" to define the app's purpose, estimating 1 day of work per screen, and factors that affect cost like skills of the engineers, platforms supported, and features included. Developing a simple app with key features only is recommended over trying to do too much at once.

1. CONVERSION THURSDAY - APRIL 28TH 2016
MOBILE APPS
WHAT, HOW & HOW MUCHJOAN MARTIN | @JOAN_MH

2. ME, MYSELF & I
My name is Joan Martin.
I'm the Mobile Team Lead @ Mobile Jazz.
Mobile Software Engineer since 2009.
I like to travel and remote work.
I live in the mountains.

3. WHAT IS THIS
TALK ABOUT?

4. ▸ WHAT: Defining what a Mobile App is.
▸ HOW: Who and how to develop a Mobile App.
▸ HOW MUCH: Estimating the development of a Mobile App.

5. Let's get started.

6. WHAT

7. We are creating a Mobile App

8. Not a website

9. Nor a giraffe

10. Mobile Apps solves one very specific need.

11. Define an App Manifesto: What do your app do?

12. The app manifesto will help the whole team define the development
path, orientating all decisions to the key features.

13. HOW

14. We need a team

15. THE TEAM
▸ Product Team
▸ Design Team
▸ Development Team
▸ Testing Team

16. The product team will define the WHAT of your mobile app.

17. Excellent mobile designers are key to develop an app.

18. Find skilled engineers with experience.

19. The app developers/engineers do not execute reliable testing.

20. Have someone testing builds.

21. HOW MUCH

22. THINGS WE MUST HAVE
▸ Product definition
▸ Wireframes / list of use cases
▸ Desired platforms
▸ Backend documentation

23. THINGS ALSO TO CONSIDER

24. ▸ Social integrations?
▸ Push notifications?
▸ Supported languages
▸ Supported OS versions
▸ Tablet vs Smartphone

25. What about offline support?

26. Don't expect offline support by default.
You must define what your app needs.

27. CREATING AN ESTIMATION

28. MEASUREMENT UNITS
days of work as main unit (1 day = 8 hours)
minimum value of 0.25 days (2 hours)

29. ESTIMATION BY WIREFRAMES
Each screen/wireframe must contain (at least) an estimation for:
▸ UI Layout
▸ Business logic

30. Usually, nothing takes less than:
▸ 0.5 days for UI Layout
▸ 0.5 days for business logic
[1 day per screen]

31. ADDITIONAL COMPONENTS
▸ Project setup 2 days
▸ Testing +15%
▸ Bug fixing +20%
▸ Project Management +20%
▸ Release 1 day

32. Android takes up to 1.5x the iOS estimation.

33. EXAMPLE OF APP
1. Login + Register
2. Feed + New Post
3. Profile
4. 1 Push Not. for new posts in feed
5. Offline Support

34. APP ESTIMATION (1/3)
▸ Project setup: 2.5 days
▸ Push Notifications: 0.5 days
▸ Network requests : 1 day
▸ Offline: 1 day

35. APP ESTIMATION (2/3)
▸ 5 screens: 5w*1.5d/w = 7.5 days
▸ Testing 10%: 0.75 days
▸ Bug fixing 10%: 0.75 days
▸ Project Management 20%: 1.5 day
▸ Release: 1 day

36. APP ESTIMATION (3/3)
Total: 16.5 days
▸ iOS estimation: 16.5 days.
▸ Android estimation (1.25x): 20.6 days.
Total: 37.1 days

37. NOT INCLUDED IN ESTIMATION
▸ Backend development / validation / testing
▸ Designs nor assets cutting
▸ Testing phase
▸ New features
▸ Maintenance or upgrades

38. Is good to have a time frame, but how much it is?

39. How much is your rate per hour?

40. WRONG QUESTION.

41. The project is already estimated.
You cannot make it happen in less time!

42. ▸ A skilled engineer will do it faster, at a higher price/hour.
▸ An amateur engineer will do it slower, at a lower price/hour.
DO THE MATH!

43. Total estimation: 37.1 days
▸ Skilled engineer 120€/h x 25 days : 24.000 €
▸ Amateur engineer 60€/h x 50 days : 24.000 €

44. ... BUT I WANT IT CHEAPER!

45. ▸ A bad engineer will do it faster, at a lower price/hour.
60€/h x 25 days : 12.000€

46. WHERE IS THE TRICK?

47. ▸ Poor offline support (or none)
▸ Bad adaptation for different screen sizes.
▸ Bad support for old and new OS versions.
▸ Not scalable (poor software architecture)
▸ Poor professional relationship

48. KEY LEARNINGS

49. 1 - Define an App Manifesto: What do your app do?

50. 2 - Have a Mobile (iOS/Android) UX/UI expert.

51. 3 - Find an experienced engineering team you feel comfortable with.

52. 4 - Develop an app that implements only the key features.
EVERYTHING ELSE CAN WAIT.

53. 5 - If it's too expensive, simplify your app.

54. 6 - Hire me.

55. THANK YOU!

56. CONTACT | ME
twitter | @joan_mh
web | vilanovi.com
email | gmail@vilanovi.com