Challenges for App Developers

Po Chi Wu, Ph.D.Adjunct ProfessorSchool of Bus. & Mgt.School of EngineeringHKUST

How will your app get noticed?

• What is the aim of the app?

• Who is my target user group?

• What functionality will the app

have?

• How novel is the app?

• What is the market opportunity?

• How will the app make money?

• What is the Unique Value

Proposition?

Screen real estate

• On what devices will the app run?

• What conditions will the OS

impose?

• What kinds of bugs are likely to

occur?

• Test, test, test.

• Responsive Design methodology

Interactivity

• How can the app respond to the user’s actions?

• How might you integrate device sensors?

• What might be a comprehensive app/user

experience?

• How can you integrate tangible interactions,

e.g., shaking?

KISS Principle

• How can your app be self-explanatory?

• How can explanations be simple & clear to user?

• What are native UI elements in each OS

(familiar to users)?

• How will those UI elements influence your

choice of icons?

Performance vs battery life

• Integrate the development team at

prototyping stage

• Device backward compatibility

• Test, test, test.

Mobile content management

• Bandwidth challenge for reliable delivery of rich

content

• App stores, e.g., Google Play, require new versions to

update

Connecting with the user

• How will your app make a positive first

impression?

• What impressions do your competitors’ apps

make?

• What do users like – find interesting?

• The devil is in the details.

• Ask, ask, ask.

Promoting & marketing

• Success = 90% marketing + 10% development

• What are useful tools and platforms that simplify

your efforts?

• Seek professional help?

App store lack of transparency

• What is the market size for specific categories of

apps?

• Which categories of apps are trending globally?

• Trust your gut?

• Research, research, research.