Date post: | 29-Nov-2014 |
Category: |
Technology |
Upload: | csbauerle |
View: | 251 times |
Download: | 2 times |
Chris BauerleDirector of Sales and Marketing
APPS 101: BUILDING APPSAPPS 101: BUILDING APPS
APPAPPRESEARCHRESEARCH
ASK QUESTIONSASK QUESTIONS
QUESTIONS: The ProductQUESTIONS: The Product• What is this app (elevator pitch)?– Application Definition Statement
A concrete declaration of an app’s main purpose and it’s intended
functionality
Application Definition StatementApplication Definition Statement
- iOS Human Interface Guidelines
QUESTIONS: The ProductQUESTIONS: The Product• What is this app (elevator pitch)?– Application Definition Statement
• What is its key functionality?• Why is it special?• Who is going to buy it?• Why do they need it?• What are my goals?
QUESTIONS: The QUESTIONS: The CompetitionCompetition
• How many similar apps are available?• What are the best-selling apps?• What are their features (content &
functionality)?• What makes them special (design,
content, functionality, longevity, name)?
• What do you have that they don’t?
QUESTIONS: The QUESTIONS: The CompetitionCompetition
• Of very similar apps, how would you rate your potential app?
• What functionality is required by the category?
QUESTIONS: PriceQUESTIONS: Price• What is the price range in the
category?• What is the relationship between
price and sales rank?• What factors impact price?
QUESTIONS: PriceQUESTIONS: Price• How many free apps are available?
Are they good?• Is freemium popular in the
category?
FOCUS GROUPSFOCUS GROUPS• Cheap and easy: TALK to the target
demographic (consumers of the type of app you are developing)
• Park your desires and beliefs• LISTEN – REALLY LISTEN
FOCUS GROUPS: TopicsFOCUS GROUPS: Topics• Ranking the competition– User experience– Design– Wish list
• Price – what is it worth?
FOCUS GROUPS: TopicsFOCUS GROUPS: Topics• Your app– Are your competitive
advantages real?– Do they desire your solution?– Is your functionality exciting?– Is your content desirable?– Why will the buy it instead of
the competition?
ITERATING APP ITERATING APP DEVELOPMENTDEVELOPMENT
• Pre-production adjustments based on feedback
• Modification of early prototypes• Gather feedback on early “builds”
and enhance your product• Listen to reviewers
SELECTING A SELECTING A DEVELOPERDEVELOPER
SELECTING A DEVELOPERSELECTING A DEVELOPER• Choosing a developer is largely
based on budget
SELECTING AN SELECTING AN ESTABLISHED DEVELOPERESTABLISHED DEVELOPER1. Find similar apps that you love2. Identify the “seller” in the app
metadata or click on “Developer Website.”
3. Send an email – compliments go a long way
CONSIDERATIONS FORCONSIDERATIONS FORESTABLISHED DEVELOPERSESTABLISHED DEVELOPERS• Who are their other clients?• What do their reference say –
sales, collaborative relationship, timeliness, willingness to adapt?
• What’s the cost?• What priority level will you be?• Is revenue share an option?
SELECTING A SMALL SELECTING A SMALL DEVELOPERDEVELOPER
• Use job boards such guru.com or elance.com
• LinkedIn searches yield smaller firms in specific locales
• Post a “job” – LinkedIn, CareerBuilder, Craigslist
CONSIDERATIONS FORCONSIDERATIONS FORSMALL DEVELOPERSSMALL DEVELOPERS
• The same criteria as large developers PLUS
• Legal agreements – source code, other IP, vendor terms
• Larger burden on reference checking
• Resources and knowledge for everything you need and more?
CONSIDERATIONS FORCONSIDERATIONS FORSMALL DEVELOPERSSMALL DEVELOPERS
• Full development lifecycle management vs. simply programming
• Will they be around for bug fixes and updates?
• Structure payment and contracts to insure you get what you need
A major consideration for working with developers is communication – are you both interpreting the requirements in the same way, are you clearly communicating the level of detail needed by the developer, have you agreed on communication
timelines? Strong communication is essential to success.
On CommunicationOn Communication
- Lynn Dilger, VP-Technology @ Sourcebooks
FINANCIAL FINANCIAL PLANNINGPLANNING
START WITH PRICESTART WITH PRICE• The market determines value – not
your costs• What do your competitors apps
cost?• “This is amazing – it has to be worth
more than 99 cents”• Prices can vary based on the
marketplace – Google, Nook, Amazon
CREATE A SALES CREATE A SALES FORECASTFORECAST
• How many do you expect to sell per month?– Why do you believe that?– Sources for aiding forecasting:• Your previous app sales data• Developer projections• Topappcharts.com
How much will it cost?How much will it cost?• How much does the development
cost?• How much does the design cost?• How much does the content cost –
either upfront or in royalties?• Ongoing updates and fixes• Creating and maintaining support
website
Now Build a P&LNow Build a P&L
The Development The Development ProcessProcess
DEVELOPMENT PROCESSDEVELOPMENT PROCESS• Finalize the Application
Development Statement• Select your development team(s)• Create wireframes• Create the visual design• The “build”
CREATING CREATING WIREFRAMESWIREFRAMES
What is a Wireframe?What is a Wireframe?
A very simple, sometimes hand-drawn
representation of the functionality and structure
of your app
No pictures, graphics, fancy fonts, colors
You’ve got to start with the customer experience and work back toward the
technology - not the other way around.
- Steve Jobs
WIRE FRAMESWIRE FRAMES
WIRE FRAMESWIRE FRAMES
WIRE FRAMESWIRE FRAMES
OPTIONS FOR CREATING OPTIONS FOR CREATING WIRE FRAMES?WIRE FRAMES?
• Draw them by hand• Use Microsoft Word or
freeware from the internet• Use paid software like
Balsamiq, Axure, or Adobe Creative Suite
NEXT STEPSNEXT STEPS• Visual Design• The “Build”• Metadata• Launch – uploads, marketing, etc.• Iteration
Chris BauerleDirector of Sales and Marketing
APPS 101: BUILDING APPSAPPS 101: BUILDING APPS