The document discusses what makes a great mobile app and provides tips for ideating and developing new app concepts. It states that great apps solve problems, boost productivity, provide entertainment, deliver timely content, integrate seamlessly with other platforms, have stunning design, and are instantly usable. It then provides guidance on brainstorming ideas by finding problems, researching popular apps and trends, sketching out user flows, considering emerging technologies, and determining platform choice and monetization strategy. The key steps are to start with a problem or opportunity, research the market, and create a meaningful experience for the target audience.

1. What makes an
App Great?

2. GreatApps
Solves a Problem
Eliminates or limits frustrations to
make life easier
Example: maps, clock, calendar,
calculator

3. GreatApps
Boosts Productivity
Saves time and enables you to
conveniently get info or complete
tasks
Example: mobile banking apps

4. GreatApps
Entertaining
Fun, entertaining, addictive --
games, video, humor
Example: Angry Birds and Candy
Crush

5. GreatApps
Timeliness
Delivery of interesting contentvia
messaging and/or dynamicfeeds
Example: Flipboard, Twitter

6. GreatApps
Seamless Integration
Integrates seamlessly with other
platforms
Example: Sharing content to Twitter,
Facebook, DropBox

7. GreatApps
Stunning Design
Intuitive and engaginguser
experience/interface
Example: Flink, Paper, Yahoo
Weather

8. GreatApps
Instant Usability
Make it “ fast and easy” to sign-up,
build a profile, and/or get the user
deeply engaged in the appexperience.
Example: Instagram, SnapChat,
Fancy

9. Step 1
Ideation

10. by: Marc Fischer | GD75 Mobile App Design
Brainstorming
and daydreaming...

11. by: Marc Fischer | GD75 Mobile App Design
Find a Problem
Become aware of a challenge,
problem, or opportunity

12. Brainstorming
Best ideas comes from awareness
- Pay attention to what irritates you
- What frustrates your friends and family
- How can an app alleviate these pain points?
- How would you improve an existing App?

13. App Stores
Research the app stores
- Which apps are “Topping the Charts”.
- Why are they so popular?
- How did they get to the top?

14. by: Marc Fischer | GD75 Mobile App Design smc.marcfischer.me

15. by: Marc Fischer | GD75 Mobile App Design
Brainstorming
Research
- what’s popular?
- what’s trending?
- category leaders?
- editors pick
smc.marcfischer.me

16. App Stores
Download the most popular apps
- What makes them successful?
- What do you like or dislike?
- What do you think can be improved upon?

17. Categories
Download the top apps in your category
- Who are the category leaders?
- What app categories are trending?
- Who are the editors promoting?

18. Categories (iOS)

19. Brainstorming
Talk through your ideas...
- Bounce ideas off your friends
- Bounce ideas off your family
- Bounce ideas off complete strangers
- Seek mentors and get professional feedback

20. Brainstorming
Rank your ideas
- Is it too complex and costly?
- Do you have the skill-set to execute?
- Does competition exist?
- Are you PASSIONATE for it?

21. by: Marc Fischer | GD75 Mobile App Design
Imagination
Use your creative skills to
think of solutions

22. Audience Personas
If you build it, who will come?
- Who is your target audience?
- What is their background, technical ability,
location, language, etc.?
- How can you create a meaningful experience
optimized for the users?

23. Features +Functions
Determine core features and functions
- List desired features and functions in detail
(camera, user sign-up, GPS, etc.)
- Prioritize the list in order of importance?
- What features and functions can users live
without?

24. User Flow
Sketch it out, let it flow
- How will your users interact with the app?
- After a customer downloads the app, how
will they navigate from page to page?
- Create depictions of the app’s visual
layout with basic sketches or wireframes
- Seek constructive criticism!

25. Create Unique
Technology

26. Emerging Tech
Spark the Revolution
Emerging technologies -- innovations which
represent progressive developments within a
field for competitive advantage
Source
: Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/
New_technologies

27. by: Marc Fischer | GD75 Mobile App Design
Emerging Tech
Banking - Banks = Bitcoin

28. Artificial
Intelligence
Virtual Reality
3D Printing
NewTech

29. Trailblazing
What if you idea doesn't exist?
- Does the absence of competitors mean there
is NOT a viable market need?
- Have others tried and failed?
- Is it too ambitious and complex?
- Is it too costly and time intensive?

30. TheApp World
Crowded Marketplace
It’s hard to stick-out and be unique in a big
crowd..
+ 1.6 million apps and counting
+ 1000 new apps submitted daily

31. or...
Make it Better

32. Converging Tech
Building Upon Existing Tech
Convergence refer to separate technologies such
as voice (and telephony features), data (and
productivity applications) and video that now
share resources and interact with each other,
creating new efficiencies.
Source
: Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/
New_technologies

33. by: Marc Fischer | GD75 Mobile App Design
Emerging TechWatch + Smartphone =
Smartwatch
smc.marcfischer.me

34. Make it Better
How to make an existing app better?
- Find a common problem, create a better
solution
- Model the success of others
- Match ideas with your skills, interests,
experience, and passion

35. Compete
Does your idea already exist?
- Are there other potential markets?
- Could you provide a better user experience?
- Is there a unique way to monetize?

36. What’s Trending
Consider growth trends
- Location based services
- Bluetooth connected devices
- Mobile commerce
- Mobile video
- Object recognition
- Internet of Things

37. Platform Choice
What will youbuild?
- iPhone app
- iPad app
- Webapp
- Android app
- Cross-platform

38. Considerations
Doesthe mobile app require the use of any
special device features?
- Camera
- Camera’s flash
- Accelerometer
- Bluetooth

39. Considerations
What programming languagesdo
you already know?
How important is speedand
performance?
Budget constraints - native is
more expensive
Does the mobile appneed
Internet-access?
What is the monetization strategy?

40. Recap
• Great Apps startfrom humble beginnings
• Ideas are everywhere youlook
• Research, research, research
• Pursue projects that you can bePASSIONATE about
• Test it before you build it
• Analyze the playingfield
• Plan, design, build, get feedback, change, grow