Urban Engine Podcast #19: Mobile App Development and Solutions
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In the Urban Engine podcast, we discuss entrepreneurship and success. We interview local entrepreneurs in Alabama and the South, discuss how to succeed, and how to propel your idea forward.
In episode #19 of the podcast, the team is joined by Michael Carroll, Lacey Reinoehl, and Jarrod Parkes to discuss mobile app development and solutions. The conversation discusses common options and features in app design, and covers the importance of determining scope of work and managing
expectations with the customer desiring the app
SUMMARY
Since the introduction of the iPhone in 2007 and Android in 2008, smartphone
applications have quickly become an essential part of our daily lives. Options for an
app are either native (iOS and Android have 97%+ of the global market share) or
non-native. An app developer works with a customer to determine how best to add
value via the creation of the app with regards to required functionality (native apps
enable more real-time interaction with smartphone sensors like GPS, the camera,
etc.) within the limits of the budget available for the project. Ideally, the customer
spends time before reaching out to the app developer to clearly define the purpose
of the app and mock up a draft design and functionality (in Keynote, PowerPoint, or
various app mockup tools). The customer should clearly explain the viability of the
project to convince the developer to take on the challenge. The app developer will
work with the customer to further refine the minimum viable product and set
realistic expectations about milestones, costs (both up-front development and long-
term maintenance), and level of support provided by the developer. The end result
should be a meaningful app that adds value and achieves what cannot be done with
any other existing app today.
Links
Lacey Reinoehl’s company:
https://zaroslabs.com/
Jarrod Parkes:
https://jarrodparkes.com/
React Native (JavaScript framework that can ease porting apps to iOS + Android):
https://github.com/facebook/react-native
App mockup tools:
https://hackernoon.com/the-votes-are-in-the-top-7-wireframing-mockup-tools-for-
mobile-app-pros-134cd1d9af0a
Global market share of smartphone OS options:
http://gs.statcounter.com/os-market-share/mobile/worldwide
Books:
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Sprint: How to Solve Big Problems and Test New Ideas in Just Five Days
https://www.amazon.com/Sprint-Solve-Problems-Test-Ideas/dp/150112174X
-
The Lean Startup
https://www.amazon.com/Lean-Startup-Entrepreneurs-Continuous-
Innovation/dp/0307887898
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Don’t Make Me Think
https://www.amazon.com/Dont-Make-Think-Revisited-Usability/dp/0321965515
