8 Tips for Developing a Successful Mobile App: Samsung Developers Conference 2013

Anyone can make an app. It doesn’t matter if you are a rock star developer, first time developer or a non-technical tech geek. However, developing a successful app is a different story. You might need an ability to foresee trends a creative and analytical mindset and an eye for innovative design.

If you need information on how to acquire above qualities, this article is not for you. This article is more about simple things you can do to make a successful app (including the non-technical geek), not who you are. However, if you do have the qualities and skills to be a successful app developer and want more in-depths knowledge, Samsung Developers Conference (SDC 2013) is where you want to be. (I think the registration is still open, check it out.)

Anyway, generally, developing an app could be broken down into 5 stages: Planning, Designing, Implementation, Testing and Deployment. Here are some tips on each stage.

#1 Know Your Motivation and Focus

The most obvious reason for developing an app is to make money. However, you might be developing an app just to show off your programming skills, to solve problems, to win a contest or to graduate. No matter what your reason is, you need to have a clear picture of your goal to stay focus. Write it down and stick it on the wall in front of your computer.

#2 Know the Economics and Consents

Successful apps have successful number of app users, because it meets their needs. So what do you get in return for meeting their needs? Obviously, if it is a paid app, you are getting money in return. However, for other apps, you may be collecting information about how your app is being used, such as restaurant reviews, interactive games where the customers play with or against each other, and so forth. Before collecting information from your customers, it is important to explain how that information is used, and to get their consent. This shouldn’t be overlooked. After all, no one wants to spend time or money on court!

#3 Know Thyself… and Thy Tools & Resources

Fortunately (or unfortunately), there are many available development tools and resources, which mean you have lots of homework to do. For example, you need to know the specs of your target device(s), the different inputs available such as touch screen, keyboard (if any), pen or stylus, voice, camera, or other sources of information that the device can receive. Are you going to port your app to more than one mobile computing platform? Where and how would your app get access to information? How does the device connect to the outside world; WiFi, phone carrier, Bluetooth, NFC? You should take into consideration how long it will take you to develop your app, what other people, such as a graphic designer, you will have to help. And of course you should think about your own strengths and take advantage of them.

#4 Make a Storyboard

You are a genius so you have the grand master plan all inside your head, however, knowing what you want and seeing what you want is very different. Visualization is very important to see the big pictures and the detail. Draw a storyboard! Your storyboard should include all the screens you app will show, the different functions available at each screen, and the resources required for each function. This creates a visual map of how your app works, so you can more easily spot any problems or details that need to be filled in. Be as detailed as possible, because it will prevent problems later on; think about the user experience, including number of keystrokes, which features will be used most often, and so forth. More importantly, it will also make it easier to explain your app to someone else, maybe someone important!

#5 Make it Different

If you making an app that aggregates news, why would anyone download or purchase your app over already established news apps? Differentiation is the key to a successful app. But how?

Good graphics! How your graphics look on different devices will strongly affect how many downloads you can get. Do your best to ensure that your graphics are defined in such a way to look good on as many of them as possible.

Sound effects and music! After “does it work?” functionality, it is about the “look and feel” (and sound). It is often a deciding factor when a customer selects and app to download, and in what kind of review it receives.

#6 Ensure Compatibility

Finally after the designing and laying the foundation of the next big app, you will pick a platform form to build the rest. When picking a platform, you need to make sure all the key operational functions are compatible with the platform. Perform a feasibility test! Ensure your target device and target OS are a compatible with the concept and its functions.

This involves finding the API’s required for the test code and applying them in a simulation. It might save time and effort, when testing to use example code, available from a number of sources, including the SDK, the installation folder or online sites. Of course, when using open source materials, make sure the codes license policy allows your particular use scenario to avoid potential liability in future.

#7 Over Testing Can’t Hurt You

If you app doesn’t work on some devices, then expect negative feedback from those device owners. An app should be thoroughly tested on as many different devices and situations as possible, for example, check how the user interface looks on each device in portrait and landscape orientation. There are three ways to test your app:

The Android Emulator is a virtual mobile device emulator that runs on your computer.

Depending on your location, you may be able to access Samsung’s Remote Test Lab (RTL) online. Samsung’s Remote Test Lab allows you to reserve and deploy your application to a physical device over the internet to remotely test its performance on a wide range of physical Samsung devices.

And of course the best way to test your app is to do it on an actual device.

#8 Something Like the Second Letter of the Greek Alphabet

Nothing bugs users and developers more than bugs. One strategy to minimize the potential chaos is to release your app to a more limited market at first, collect feedback, and improve your app before doing a “worldwide release” across many markets.

For example, Samsung reviews and certifies every app before posting it to Samsung Apps, and then it is available to customers using Samsung devices. This gives you an opportunity to collect feedback and make fixes or improvements to your app based on that feedback, so that when you are ready to release your app to other markets, you can have a much higher level of confidence, and expect positive feedbacks!

Reference/Original Post: http://developer.samsung.com/Development-Overview