ZigZagging around in mobile app development - explore the major pitfalls in mobile app development- As technology is increasingly shifting towards “Mobile first, Desktop Second” approach, building a successful app is not anymore a “nice-to-have”. However, bringing the mouse pointers to finger taps is quite complex. Let’s explore the major pitfalls in mobile app development and how to avoid them in order to build a great app.

1. Zigzagging around in mobile app
development
explore the major pitfalls in mobile app development

2. about me
2
+Francesca Cuda
@FrancyCuda

3. “Mobile will overtake fixed Internet access”
3

4. eBay Inc. confidential
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5. Come up with a mobile first strategy
5

6. The unforgiving user
Quick to download – Quick to delete
74%downloaded apps are only opened once
40% deleted after the first use
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7. 5 pitfalls in mobile app
development
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8. Build only features, ignore user experience
8
1
- Mobile is not just another screen
- Approach of replicating desktop feature in mobile app results in
cumbersome and unintuitive UX
- Clarify your target audience and its motivation – listen to the users and their
pain points

9. • Simplify the process
• App should be quick and easy to learn
• Focus on delighting the users instead of frustrating them
• Map out wireframes and user journeys (ask outside of the techno geek
team!)
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Build only features, ignore user experience1

10. Gumtree experience in Dec 2012 – 2 stars in the Google play store
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Build only features, ignore user experience1

11. Gumtree experience in Dec 2014 – 4.5 stars
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Build only features, ignore user experience1

12. 12
Rely on post-launch crashes2
71% of mobile users delete the app because of a crash

13. 13
Rely on post-launch crashes2
- Testing should not be something that you do between development and
launch
- Tests need to be automated
- Tests need to be done on multiple area

14. 14
Rely on post-launch crashes2
Gumtree example

15. 15
Rely on post-launch crashes2
Gumtree example

16. 16
Not testing real user on real devices3
0%
percentage of your app users that use emulator to run your app

17. 17
Not testing real user on real devices3
TESTING CATEGORY REAL DEVICE
User interaction Fingers on a screen
Real occurring events Battery
consumption/charging/interrupts
Overall performance Easy, fast, realistic
Hardware - chipset Able to test LE-silicon with low clock-
frequency rate
Hardware - display Different density, color and quality of
the display
Hardware - memory Able to test on high/low end device
Hardware - sensor Able to test accelerometers, geo-
location, and push notification
Software – OS version OS customization (OEM)
Manufacturer skin
Network Slow connection

18. 18
Not testing real user on real devices3

19. 19
Test only functionalities…forget about performance4
Performance directly affects the user experience; a bad performing app can show
latency issues, not loaded images or out of memory errors
Techniques:
- Screen overdraw
- Hierarchy viewer
- Traceview and dmtracedump
- Tracking allocation of memory

20. 20
Test only functionalities…forget about performance4

21. 21
Test only functionalities…forget about performance4
BEFORE AFTER
ACTION
Analysis and
improvement of UI
rendering time.
RESULT
Measure time
93.19%
Layout time
92.6%
Draw time
73.17%

22. 22
Test only functionalities…forget about performance4
ACTION: Flattened UI by removing and optimize layers
RESULT : From 17 layers per SRP item to 10 layers per item
From 35 layers per SRP page to 21 layers

23. 23
Test only functionalities…forget about performance4
ACTION: Optimize read/write operation with local cache content (better cleanup process, review
data structure and storage process)
RESULT : Time execute operation for Search Result Page 68% after first optimization

24. 24
Why should I care about security on apps?5
Report for FireEye Mobile Security - July 2014

25. - When storing data…prefer internal storage and encryption
- Minimize the number of permissions your app requests
- Perform input validation to prevent script injection
- Be extra-careful when using webview (setJavascriptEnabled())
- Prefer https over http
- Do you like logs?
25
Why should I care about security on apps?5
ProGuard
http://proguard.sourceforge.net/
Nogotofail
https://github.com/google/nogotofail

26. 26
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27. To recap…
• Consider the user experience and not just the functionalities
• Invest in pre-launch testing
• Test with real users on real devices
• Test for performance
• Care about security
• Pay attention to user feedback
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28. Thank you!
28
+Francesca Cuda
@FrancyCuda
Download the app
http://goo.gl/uCFE9j