Building MobileApplications

THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO

Understanding Strategy, Design and

Effective Execution

Main Benefits of Mobile Apps

Finding your Development Team

Choosing the Right Type of Mobile Application

Plan, Prototype, Design, Build, Launch

Have a Marketing Strategy

Summary

About Us

page 1

page 2-3

page 4-5

page 6-7

page 8

page 9

page 10

Table of Contents

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

© Copyright 2015 Barefoot Solutions. All Rights Reserved

From startups to enterprise companies and everything in between,

companies are finding that having a mobile application can drastically improve manycritical aspects of sales, customer satisfaction and efficiency. Companies are quicklyleveraging the rapidly rising popularity of mobile apps and utilizing this technology toimprove areas such as:

Internal processesHow clients access your productCustomer engagementBrand awareness

Mobile users spend the large majority of their time in apps instead of the mobile web. In2013, 80% of mobile usage time was spent in apps, and in 2014 that percentage rose to86%. This demonstrates the simple fact that if companies do not offer native applications fortheir customers, partners, vendors, and employees, they are leaving money on the table.

As a business owner, C-level executive or manager of any kind, you are aware of thesignificance of being accessible. Meeting clients where they are - on their phone - is oftenthe fastest and most efficient way to turn a profit and ensure your business continues to grow.Not only that, but your employees and colleagues become more efficient when they areprovided with tools that allow them to track their progress, communicate with each other andcollaborate on projects. The top companies of the world use mobile technology to theiradvantage -

�

�

�

�

and so should you.

Main Benefits of Mobile Apps

“The question isn’t

‘why should I invest

in mobile’ but

‘ should I invest

in mobile?’ ”

how

GoogleVP Performance Media

Jason Spero via Google Mobile

Playbook

1

01|

INTRODUCTION

Mobile apps encourage brand recognition, build loyalty, and increase sell-through

Most startups don’t have, or don’t have the budget for, an in-house developer or development team.Enterprise companies don’t normally have in-house developers because it is a group of people witha highly specialized skillset and even higher salary requirements.

Finding the right fit foryour company can be an especially difficult decision. We’ll try to make it easier.

There are multiple capable digital agencies with talented creative people in every major city. Withexpertise in design, branding, development and advertising, it’s definitely not a bad choice for ahigh quality product. However, you’re typically paying a premium (sometimes more than 100%) forthe design and branding while the agency will often need to subcontract the heavy technical anddevelopment lifting to another specialized shop. While you’ll get the royal treatment, you’re usuallypaying for it.

Full disclosure, we’re in this category. The development shop is an established, specialized mobiledevelopment shop with a dedicated team. While you’re not going to have conference room drinksor red carpet treatment, you’ll have a specialized team of account managers, project managers,designers and developers. Typically, development shops have very specialized and refinedprocesses for planning, designing, building and launching apps that are more efficient andpracticed than the larger agencies. This is why agencies often subcontract projects to the morespecialized development teams. While a shop may not be the strongest in the branding, design ormarketing of your app, you’ll get higher quality development at a significantly lower price.

There are usually 4 tiers of development expertise out there.

The Agency

The Dev Shop

Finding Your Development Team2

02|

Develop a mobile strategy and find the people who can make it happen

CHALLENGES

The Contractor/Freelancer

The Overseas Option

The benefits of hiring a contractor to work in-house or a freelancer are many - but so are the risks. Theability to work closely with a developer and have more control over the process is an attractive optionfor many. Additionally, if you get the right person with a great skill set and affordable rates, it can bequite cost effective. However there is the risk of hiring someone who may not be specialized enough.Apps typically need more skillsets than just one person can offer, which can include neededspecialization in iOS, Android, Web API, UI/UX Design, and Graphic Design. They will typically beexcellent at only one of those. There’s also the issue that often times individual developers lack theefficient processes for building apps, which can cost time and money, removing the original costsavings. Even worse is the danger of that person deciding to move on to another employer or project,which is not uncommon. Picking up on someone’s incomplete project is a difficult task for even the mostskilled freelancers.

For the budget-conscious, there are many options for app development overseas. While there are somegreat development teams working around the world, there are also many hidden costs and risksassociated with outsourcing. Time differences and language barriers add significant time to anyproject, as well as cultural differences that can degrade your design, content and the user experience(UX) of the app. On top of this is you have to be very skilled at communicating the desired UI/UX, asyou typically just get back whatever it is that you asked for. If you’re willing to put in the time,management and risk to develop your app overseas, you can definitely save money with this option.

Finding Your Development Team (cont.)2

03|

CHALLENGES

Choosing the Right Type of Mobile App3

04|

Applications are a must-have for business

As technology advances, so will the different platforms and choices for

developing a mobile app.

Native applications

Cross-platform

It’s important to understand the differences so you can askyourself the right questions.

What operating systems do I want the app to run on - iOS? Android? Both?

Deciding on the operating system is a big initial decision. While there are options, usingbudget, market share or your preferred enterprise platform will help the planning.The nextlogical next question for most people in this stage of planning is determining what type oftechnology you’ll need.

The choices are:

are coded in the particular language of each platform. This allowsfor a higher quality user experience and better functionality. The more demanding andcomplex the app, the more need for it to be native.

(or hybrid) apps are great for simple applications. Basically, you’re codingthe app once and “wrapping” it using another application to translate it to the otherplatforms. While this strategy is less expensive, it severely restricts the overall functionality anddegrades the user experience of the app.

CHALLENGES

Performance

Security

Automation

Choosing The Right Type of Mobile App (cont.)3

05|

Mobile web apps are not an app running on a phone alone, but will always run on aphone’s browser. With advances in Javascript and HTML5, Mobile Web apps are gettingsophisticated pretty quickly. However, they are very limited as they can’t use most of thephone’s power and functionality. For someone who just wants their website to be easilyreadable on mobile devices, this is a good option.

A standalone app can run on a phone without communicating with other apps or a centralserver. If you want to be able to have user registration or communicate with other apps andintegrate with other websites, you’ll typically need a database, web service, and admin panelto help maintain the information.

Whichever option you choose, you’ll need to make a decision to enable your app tocommunicate with other websites.

Another question you will need to ask is if the app will be standalone or if it

should communicate with other websites or apps?

OF MOBILE DEVICETIME IS SPENT

IN APPS

Flurry 2

86%

CHALLENGES

If you remember one thing from this whitepaper, remember this: “Do very few things, very, verywell.” Ask yourself, what is the Minimum Viable Product (MVP), or essential functionality of theapplication? Build a list of ‘must have’ and ‘nice to have’ items. It’s always more cost effective toadd more functionality later than to take away a feature when you realize your user base doesn’twant or need it. Keep it simple, listen to your users and evolve the app.

The first step in planning is to put together a requirements document. This is an essential step tomake decisions on platforms, integrations, functionality and workflow. It’s also important to conveya detailed user story to help everyone understand the overall vision of the app.

Building a prototype, a functional wireframe or blueprint of the mobile app, is another critical step.This is where the UX expert shines. Planning out the most intuitive workflow, layout and screenelements is a very involved process and can make or break the success of a mobile app.

Taking the approved strategy from the prototype, we move to graphic design. Design can make orbreak an app, and it’s especially important to keep the UX from the prototype phase intact. Thiscan be challenging to do while incorporating the workflow and branding with screen designs,logos, and icons. An added complication is having the app remain current with design standardsset by Apple or Google. They set these standards to look consistent with the overall design of theoperating system and other apps. An example is material design, a new design standard Androidcame out with for the new "Lollipop" update. Just remember that if you don't stay current with yourapp, you'll look outdated pretty quickly.

Plan

Prototype

Design

Plan, Prototype, Design, Build, Launch4

06|

START

PLAN

PROTOTYPE

DESIGN

DEVELOPMENT

LAUNCH

>> >> >>>>

>>

>>

>>

Mobile apps improve user engagement

SOLUTIONS

Development

Launch

This is where the actual framework and coding is put into motion. There are several steps hereincluding database design and logic, app programming, coding integrations, testing, QA (QualityAssurance), debugging and more. This is where the development team passes or fails in thecreation of an application.

Launching an application involves several steps. These steps include app store setup, marketing,optimization as well as further testing along the way. Having a strong launch plan and marketingplan is critical for the success of the app.

Plan, Prototype, Design, Build, Launch (cont.)4

07|

>>

>>

Listen to yourusers. Ask for theirfeedback in your appand make sure youhave a strategy to askfor their review ratings- make sure you getreviews.

70% of consumers trustreviews online

TIP

The average American spends over 2 ½ hours a day on their mobile

phone. Put your brand in their hands daily via mobile app. - Flurry

SOLUTIONS

Your next hurdle will be getting users. This is the marketing piece that will ensure yourapp’s success. Regardless of which developer you go with or how beautiful the applicationis, it’s dead in the water without any users. You’ll need to get in the game quickly to helpyour rankings and develop a user base. There are many strategies to consider includingan effective launch page, app store optimization, search engine marketing, pay-per-install,social media and more.

Building a connection with your users, may they be internal employees or clients, is criticalfor the success of your launch. Providing an easy way for your users to interface with your

The ROI is Real

There’s no need to take our word for it, plenty of companies have seen the benefits of investing

in applications and earning a solid return.

Have A Marketing Strategy5

08|

How can businesses benefit from a solid mobile strategy

A winning app requiresa strategic end-to-enddevelopment plan.

Antengo

Best Stocks Now -

- raised$1M+ in venturecapital and now has500,000+ users

top 5 grossing Financeapps in iTunes

Recent Wins

What Barefoot offers: Upfront consulting on platform & scope with

unique prototyping software, built in UX and technically sophisticated

application development. Barefoot brings the high level of expertise

companies that don’t specialize in apps are missing.

BENEFITS

The need for a mobile strategy and application is more important than ever

Let us help you tap into the power of technology today!

. Your clients,prospects and employees can connect with you via this dynamic medium, and it’s critical to your businessto get started. The danger companies that don’t develop the mobile strategies and applications face aremany, including falling behind the competition, losing customers, and remaining unable to meet the needsof today’s dynamic mobile application space.

The mobile app sector continues to offer unprecedented opportunities for economic growth in the US.Given the communication services apps can provide, they have now become an essential part of how notonly businesses, but how economies work and function. From the most technologically advancedcompanies with systems and processes surrounding software innovation, to somewhat novice companieslike service companies providing technicians with tablets, applications are more accessible and necessarythan ever.

We hope this guide provided you with more understanding about applications and why they are socritical in today’s marketplace. They truly help you take your business to the next level, and demonstrate tousers the professionalism you intend to portray with the tools your audience demands.

It’s tough to know where to start. That’s why we are happy to offer you a FREE mobile strategyconsultation, to assess where you’re at, what your needs are, and how we can help. Even if we aren’t thebest fit, we can point you in the right direction so you can get started.

Invest In The Future

09

Achieving your best ROI

6

|

TOTAL APP STORESALES IN 2013

WERE

$26 BILLION

Gartner 3

© Copyright 2015, Barefoot Solutions, Inc. All Rights Reserved

SUMMARY

About Us

As a pioneer in mobile application development, Barefoot Solutions

has gained a reputation in the web and mobile development

industry for quality, efficiency, and UX expertise. This is largely due toour comprehensive breadth of experience, having developed one of the strongestmobile portfolios in Southern California and working with some of the most creativeminds across the country.

With our seasoned team of in-house user experience experts, graphic designers,developers and marketing experts, Barefoot Solutions has established impeccablesoftware development processes and standards, along with a full suite of services,encompassing every step of product development. We use the latest prototypingsoftware development methods along with state-of-the-art project management,design, development and communication tools. Barefoot Solutions consistentlydelivers quality web and mobile applications on-time and on-budget.

Working to Simplify Web and Mobile Apps

SOURCES

7

Visit

Send

Call

(

barefootsolutions.com

info@barefootsolutions.com

619) 870-0114

For Additional Information

Business Insider - Mobile Webvis App Usage Statsitics 2014businessinsider.com

Flurry - Key Trends for theMobile Industry to BeExamined at GartnerSymposium.flurry.com

Gartner - Five Year Report:It’s an App World - the WebJust Lives in It.

Social Times - 20 MarketingTrends and Predictions toConsider in 2014.

gartner.com

socialtimes.com

Flurry - Americans spend 162minutes on their mobiledevice per day, mostly withapps.flurry.com

1

2

3

4

5

SUMMARY