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Why Do Mobile Projects Fail?
- 2. Why do mobile projects fail? Presentation & Discussion Matthew Langham Indiginox GmbH Warning: There is no source code in this presentation!
- 3. Short answer • Because it’s harder than it looks!
- 4. http://www.flickr.com/photos/cameronparkins/3220496811/ • Thanks and have a good journey home....
- 5. Matthew Langham • Co-Founder - Indiginox GmbH • Independent enterprise consultant for Mobile strategies • Mobile project management for Mobile operator and corporate customers • Mobile development • Author & Speaker • [email protected] • @silentpenguin or @indiginox
- 6. Goal • Pin needles into the map of mobile project development to provide you with some “focus points” •
- 7. Why do mobile projects fail? • Of course - for the same reasons other IT projects fail ... • Too little stakeholder involvement • Poor or unrealistic requirements • Unrealistic time scales • Scope creep over the development period • No management of change control • Quality assurance
- 8. But most often .. • “No matter what they tell you, it's always a people problem.” • Gerald Weinberg (The secrets of consulting)
- 9. • Eric Schmidt (Google) said: “Mobile First!” • I say: “Think First!”
- 10. Mobile projects present additional challenges • Challenges affect the different phases of a project • Conception • Implementation & Testing • Deployment • Business
- 11. • The biggest mistakes are made before a line of code is written
- 12. Conception http://www.flickr.com/photos/mukluk/174688752
- 13. Do you know what you’re doing? • Starting the project without understanding what you are dealing with can be deadly • “We’ve bought 500 iPads - and now we need an app!” • “We need a native app for iPhone, iPad, Android, BlackBerry - oh - and Windows Phone” • “Have you thought about a cross-platform Web app?” • “huh”? • “Our budget is xyz € and we need two apps that work on both iOS and Android finished by the 1st of December - can you do it? We haven’t completed the requirements list but we know someone who knows someone who did a prototype in 5 days”
- 14. Are you sure? • Functional requirements from people who don’t understand the technology • “Build a mobile widget that is just like ‘need for speed’” • “Build an Android Facebook home-screen widget for this low cost device that is just as fast as the native app on my high-end device” • “I want the App store to launch with 1.000 Apps!”
- 15. The challenge • How can we educate all project stakeholders so that they know enough about the technology to make informed decisions?
- 17. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Handshake_(Workshop_Cologne_%2706).jpeg
- 18. Technology “ripening” • Operating systems for mobile devices are often released too early • Very short release cycles during device and system development • Often several times a week • Functionality comes and goes depending on the release • Example: Changing the browser rendering engine during device development • “iOS devs: is it just me or is iOS5 getting even more buggy with each beta release?“ - kevinrose (01.09.2011)
- 19. Technology influence • Vendors and operators influence what goes into the device (and operators own the network) • Don’t make assumptions! • The underlying operating system plays a major role for your application • Even if you’re designing a Web app
- 20. Who’s leading Who? • Mobile technology is still developing very rapidly • Make sure your project won’t be obsolete by the time it’s finished • Plan iterations to make sure you keep up with new developments • Did you develop for WebOS? • Today, software innovation outpaces network innovation by at least a factor of five: application developers often reach market in only three to six months, while operators take 18-24 months to launch a new service. • Mobile-Developer_Econonomics_2011 (VisionMobile)
- 21. Technology cracks • Fragmentation will remain the problem • And I don’t just mean Android... • e.g. Mobile browsers or BlackBerry operating systems
- 22. Choosing resources • “Developers, Developers, Developers!” • “Readily available” mobile development is still relatively new • Downloadable SDK • Accessible devices • Testing via simulators • It’s difficult to find an all-rounder • iOS, Android and BlackBerry please
- 23. Choosing resources • Google releases first “early look” Android SDK • November 2007 • Apple released the first beta version of the native iOS SDK • March 2008 • So, don’t go looking for the mobile developer with 10 years of Android development expertise! • And also don’t trust anyone that experienced • Choose motivated and technically savvy resources with “mobile” experience and an eye for the challenges
- 25. Choosing resources • Does your developer really know mobile? • “They don’t seem to grasp that one must understand the native environment you’re working in before going ahead and writing a program to run within it.” • Andy Firth - http://altdevblogaday.com/2011/08/06/demise-low- level-programmer/
- 26. Choosing resources • Developers are increasingly experimenting with more and more platforms • Developers use on average 3.2 platforms concurrently based on a sample of 850+ online respondents. This represents a 15% increase from last year’s figure, indicating how developers are more willing to experiment with new platforms and actively transitioning to new ones • Mobile-Developer_Economics_2011 (VisionMobile)
- 27. Choosing resources • But it’s not just developers... • Great application user interface design • Not every UI designer knows mobile • Photoshop is not a mobile development tool! • Find designers who understand the technology implications • resolution, screen size • touch vs. non-touch • mobile vs. tablet • browser vs. app flow • You attended the sessions on these topics - right?
- 28. Choosing resources • Find experienced mobile project managers, designers, developers and testers who can lead the team and act as mentors
- 30. Before we begin • Storyboard the application using mockups • Use a tool like Balsamiq • Test out your concepts with a target audience
- 32. Before we begin • Design the application with an understanding of the technology you’re targeting for • “Well it looked fine on an iPhone...” - • “But we were targeting a BlackBerry with OS 5” • Did you remember not just to design for portrait mode?
- 33. Before we begin • Make your design “intelligent” • Use things like CSS media queries to be responsive • Computers aren’t the only piece of hardware with a web browser anymore • Look at “Mobile First” and add other layers as needed • Make sure your application is designed to look as though it is doing something • Mobile networks can be slow - so pretend they’re not and cache if you can!
- 34. Before we begin • A single bad screen can cost millions of dollars in lost revenue and brand value • You get only one chance to make a first impression •
- 35. Mobile UI Performance • http://www.smashingmagazine.com/2011/07/18/seven-guidelines-for-designing-high-performance-mobile-user- experiences/
- 36. Mobile Browsers • “I thought everyone used WebKit now” • Yes, well, not quite - around 55% • And they are all different! • http://www.quirksmode.org/webkit_mobile.html
- 37. Did you pick the right technology? • Web Apps vs. Native Apps
- 38. Web Apps vs Native Apps • Web Apps • Advantages • Developers only need know-how in HTML, JavaScript and CSS • A single application can run on a variety of devices • Libraries available to make customization easier (e.g. SenchaTouch, jQuery Mobile ) • Applications can be customized for individual resolutions and orientation if needed (landscape vs. portrait) • HTML5 and browser implementations are becoming increasingly standardized • Deployment to a Web Server instead of app store, updates are immediately available
- 39. Web Apps vs Native Apps • WebApps • Disadvantages • Browser != Browser • User interaction / interface can be limited compared to a native application • Performance of things like transitions, animations can be poorer • Integration of device specific technologies (camera, GPS) is lacking • Evaluate using something like PhoneGap • Enabling “native” look and feel (like swipe on iOS) may mean including several different libraries • Discoverability (how do customers find your app)
- 40. Web Apps vs Native Apps • Native Apps • Advantages • Performance on specific devices • e.g. Angry Birds on HTC Wildfire • Usability, Design can be implemented specifically for a device • Integration of things like camera, GPS, device notifications • Integrated development tools (design, test, simulator) • Discoverability through app store • Sell apps for $$$
- 41. Web Apps vs Native Apps • Native Apps • Disadvantages • Loss of customer retention through app store model • Apps need to be developed for individual platforms (higher skill level) • Deployment of apps for a targeted audience (e.g. enterprise) is difficult • Updates via store (iOS) take longer • App store “owner” can refuse your app
- 42. Web Apps on Steroids • Phone Gap • Provides access to native functionality for Web Apps •
- 43. No silver bullet! • Don’t let anyone tell you it’s “either or” • It should always be a well-informed use-case based decision
- 44. What type of App? http://www.zokem.com/2011/03/youtube-top-installed-app-facebook-leads-in-unique-users/
- 45. Testing • Testing a mobile application is time consuming • Simulators are available • Often part of the SDK (e.g. iOS) • HTML 5 - Ripple - http://ripple.tinyhippos.com/ • Testing on actual devices is mandatory! • Make sure you test on the correct OS version • Also consider services such as DeviceAnywhere.com
- 46. Testing • Make sure you know which device your boss / customer is using - and test first on that one
- 47. Testing
- 48. Engaging Mobile developers • Getting others to increase the value of your offering by building an application eco-system around your core business • Provide APIs into your data (REST based) • Provide a signup-service for applications (signup, get key etc.) • Provide an SDK including a sample application • Provide support (e.g. via a google news group) • Highlight good applications on a showcase Web-site / & go to conferences • Make sure communication is 2-way • Make sure you have a channel from the outside into your company
- 49. Deployment http://www.flickr.com/photos/isawnyu/4566381520
- 50. Deployment • Deploying an app into an App store takes time and effort • Plan for signing (if required) • Plan for the acceptance period (dependent on App store) • Plan for iterations as you need to update assets such as screenshots, descriptions (multi-language anyone?) • Is the App store set up to support the devices you wrote the app for • If the App store is available in different countries - have you tested with foreign sim-cards? Do you know what the limitations of those countries are?
- 51. War of the App stores • App Stores today: 121 (August 2011, Wiconnector) • But growth is slowing! • And quite a few will disappear again • Whitelabel solutions (from companies such as Appia) mean that the variety of App stores will increase • e.g. Appia powers the new Opera app store
- 52. War of the App stores • Which one? • Reach • Billing process • How attractive is the app store (i.e. volumes) • How good is the revenue share and overall revenue • How easy is it to upload an app
- 53. Not just an App store • Complex infrastructures • Upload platform • Shop / Discovery platform • Recommendation platform • Search Engine • Download platform • Routing gateways • Billing system • Reporting system • SAP
- 54. Business http://www.flickr.com/photos/59937401@N07/5474437939
- 55. “Your cell phone has more computing power than all of NASA in 1969. NASA launched a man to the moon. We launched a bird into pigs.” (via Twitter)
- 56. Hot sellers • Angry Birds • Over 250 million downloads total (June 11) • 80% of owners do updates • 30 million downloads on Android (March 11) • $1 million / month through ad revenue on Android • Advantage - turnover through whole app lifecycle (including free updates) • iOS - Sold for a price - only monetization on initial purchase • Now additional monetization through in-app purchase - Mighty Eagle • Costs € 0,79 and has been downloaded over 2.000.000 times • ... and then ... cuddly toys, movie tie-in (“Rio”), TV series .. • So it was easy .... right?
- 57. Hot sellers • Angry Birds .. not quite so simple.. • Rovios 52nd title • Titles written for companies such as EA, Digital Chocolate • Initially spent € 100.000 to develop Angry Birds • When it was released in December 2009 in the English speaking App Store - it was a flop! • Tough to break into that market from the get-go • Rovio tried to get a following in the smaller markets • Sweden, Denmark and Greece • Then published via Chillingo and with Apple’s help featuring the app on the UK App Store - launched new versions in February 2010 • And the rest is history
- 58. Hot sellers • What makes Angry Birds successful? • Simple to play - difficult to master • Constant rewards in the game • Active continuous relationship with the customer • Regular updates for free and new versions with a theme (halloween etc.) • Cared about feedback from the customers • Phoenix bird that ignites the structure was a suggestion from a customer • Rovio were able to create a “buzz” around the game
- 59. Before you get too excited
- 60. Before you get too excited • The average smartphone user in a study added just 2.5 new apps per month. • 37 percent of users added no new apps at all. http://www.wirelessintelligence.com - Study was based on an analysis of more than 2,100 smartphone users (iPhone, Android, BlackBerry and Symbian) in the US and UK during January 2011
- 61. Keep track of your users • App Analytics • Track app users, sessions, platforms, demographics, ... • Solutions • Flurry.com • Localytics.com • Google Analytics • Let Facebook do the work
- 62. It’s just business • “Mobile apps aren’t a get rich quick scheme where you can be oblivious to best practice. “ • “Usual business rules apply and there are extra mobile rules for the unwary.” • Simon Judge
- 63. Mobile in the enterprise • Consumerization of the enterprise • Employees expect the same seamless experience with mobilized enterprise applications as they have with the ones they use privately • This is further enhanced by “bring your own device” policies • Porting an enterprise application UI to a mobile device can be challenging • Additional enterprise challenges • Resistance to change • Legacy systems, data security, personal data .... • Limited peer sharing of experience or “best practices”
- 64. Thanks for staying to the end! “Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try Again. Fail again. Fail better” - Samuel Beckett [email protected] photo on slide 1 (c) Frank Köhntopp - used with permission - http://www.flickr.com/photos/koehntopp/
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