This is based on episode #470 on UNTETHER.tv that featured Don.na co-founder Kevin Cheng. Don.na is a mobile app that acts are a personal assistant - making sure you aren't late for meetings by giving directions on when to leave and how to get there. This is a summary of a few of the key highlights of that episode including:
1. Why name the app Don.na?
2. The 3 trends that led to the creation of Don.na
3. An explanation of the important "to app" experience
4. Advice on focusing on the service, not the app
5. Advice on when to turn revenue on for your product.
You can watch the entire episode here: http://untether.tv/2013/episode-470-putting-context-and-donna-moss-in-your-pocket-with-donna-co-founder-kevin-cheng/
API Governance and Monetization - The evolution of API governance
5 Things on Mobile with Don.na co-founder Kevin Cheng
1. 5 things on Mobile
From Kevin Cheng, co-founder of DON.NA
Based on UNTETHER.tv episode #470:
Putting context and Donna Moss in your
pocket – with Donna co-founder Kevin
Cheng
2. About Donna
By learning your preferences over time Donna will
make you more prepared, productive and efficient.
Donna makes you look good. For example she’ll
schedule your meetings, recommend the best routes,
notify you when to leave (and if you need an umbrella!),
and she’ll alert attendees if you’re running late.
3. 1. Why name it “Donna”
1. To create an emotional
connection with the product.
Donna Moss
2. It empowers the app and sets
expectations by associating
the character of “Donna Moss”
with the outcome of using it.
4. 2. Three Trends THAT LED TO DONNA
1. The availability of APIs
2. Our personal information is more
structured and available online
3. The rise of mobile context - i.e. location,
speed, time and date, temperature,
distance etc.
5. 3. WHAT IS The “To app” experience
1. There is app overload. It often
takes 4-6 app interactions to
do what we want to do (i.e.
find an address, get directions,
get trafic, check a phone
number)
2. Donna acts as a filter and
comes to you with the right
information at the right time
instead of forcing you into the
app
6. 4. BUILD THE SERVICE, NOT THE APP
1. The app is the “canvas” to interact with
Donna today but will not be limited to
just this form.
2. To build something that creates a habit it
needs to engage with the user where the
user is and how the user wants.
7. 5. When do you turn revenue on
1. When the service is at a point that the
value is obvious to the user
2. When the user relies enough on the
service and that removing it would be
painful
3. When the company’s roadmap of
features is complete