Are you planning to roll out an awesome mobile app this year? Congratulations! Almost one-quarter of businesses are doing the same thing. That means yours has to be pretty spectacular or it won’t stand out from the rest. Here are some tips to assure that your business app achieves the realm of greatness.
1. Beauty is in the Eye of the Beholder
What’s pretty to the fashionistsa isn’t necessarily attractive to the hardcore business professional or the avid outdoor lover. Know your audience and cater to their tastes.
You’ll see a lot of advice to “build an attractive app”. But what does that mean? A beautiful app for the iPhone user isn’t the same as what it is for the Android folks. Similarly, fans of the Aéropostale clothing line won’t be attracted to the same look or UI as the Merrill Lynch crowd. Be sure your app is designed with your end users’ personality and taste in mind.
2. Don’t Sweat Code Reuse for the UI
There is also a ‘rule of thumb’ about 100% code reuse. While that’s a fine goal for the logic portion of the app, the same rule shouldn’t have to be applied to the UI. It hamstrings your design endeavours too much. Let your developers have free reign when it comes to designing the looks and interaction portion of the app.
3. Think Both Form & Function
A pretty app is essential, but it only takes you so far. The app also has to be intuitive, responsive, easy to use, and easy to navigate. How easy is it for the user to find the most frequently sought information? How easy is it for them to get help if they need it? Don’t let a gorgeous design be an excuse for a sloppy user experience.
4. Enable an Offline Experience
Depending on the type and purpose of the app, you will want to make at least some of the functionality available even when there is no Internet connection available. Determine what data can be stored on the device to empower a decent user experience without connectivity.
5. Build a Sharing Mechanism into the App
Your satisfied users can be one of the most powerful parts of your marketing campaign. Give them a way to share the app with others. You can often reach audiences this way that you could never hope to connect with otherwise.
6. Don’t Overlook the Potential of Breaking into Smaller Markets
Breaking into the Top 25 in the UK or US is indeed an honour, but that isn’t the only way to achieve a successful app launch. Don’t overlook the potential for breaking into the Top 25 in the smaller markets, such as those in South America and Asia. This is a great way to get noticed in the larger markets, and a darn good way to rack up lots of users for less money.
7. Test with a Wide Assortment of User Skill Levels
When testing a new app development project, it’s important to test with users of varying skill levels to make sure that your UI is just as valuable for your tech newbie as it is for the tech geek. Test with users of all skill levels, educational levels, and backgrounds to be sure your UI works for everyone.
8. Test on a Variety of Devices
Don’t overlook tablet users. If you expect many of your users to want to use your app on their tablets, you will need to test a good selection of these with your app, as well. A tablet experience is quite different than even the largest smartphones.
This doesn’t just mean to test on both the iPhone and an Android device. Be sure to test on a wide selection of Android devices, from the Galaxy S4 Mini to the gigantic Nexus 6P and everything in between.
With some careful planning at the start, your app can be a winner upon release. Are you ready to get started on your business’ app development? Contact us at Glance to get started today!
