Delivering Data in a 3.5 Inch Screen

Using Mobile Apps to Deliver Data

 

I was at the parents monthly meeting for our Boy Scout Troop and we were discussing various upcoming events and announcements that we would send out as an e-mail to all the boys and families in the troop.  We already have a monthly newsletters, but we send out e-mail reminders for sign up deadlines and as the event date approaches.  One of the parent made a comment that rings true in today's mobile environment.  "Don't make your e-mail too long because if i can't read it on my phone, I won't read it."  That simple statement should be heeded by businesses and organizations everywhere.  Your e-mail audience no longer reads your communications on a computer with a large screen.  Now, you need to delivering the critical information and data so it can be displayed on a 3.5 inch screen.

Mobile devices. They’re not just for playing games and talking anymore.

The first thing that comes to most peoples’ mind when they hear “iPhone app” is Angry Birds.  Maybe Fruit Ninja or Temple Runner, but mostly Angry Birds and other games. The iPhone and other smart phones are often seen as a fun toy. My father-in-law views them as smaller game consoles for the kids to play games on instead of an Xbox.  Some people have broadened their view so they see a smart phone as a convenient tool for consumers, maybe something that helps you get directions or can track your calories throughout the day, but also has fun games, too.  The next step is for more and more companies are viewing smart phones as a powerful computer with access to enterprise data and corporate networks. And the good news is, times are a changing.  Increasingly companies are seeing mobile apps (iPhones, Androids, Blackberrys, Palms, and maybe soon Windows phones) as critical tools for delivering data to users that are unchained from their desks, up and about, and not schlepping laptops to the nearest Starbucks.

 

Do you want to be able to communicate with thousand and thousands of potential customers that have a computer in their pocket and a smart phone at their side?  Before designing that amazing mobile app, here are a few tips to keep in mind:

• It’s got to be fast. Processors on mobile devices are slower than those used by desktops and laptops. However, users are probably less, not more, patient. How many times have I waited for a map to re-calculate directions as I have sat at a stoplight wondering which way to turn.  It seems obvious, a mobile app by definition, is for someone who is moving and going places.  You’ll want to work with developers who can optimize your app for speed.  Speed is truly critical to the success and adoption of your app by end users.  Avoiding complex graphics that take a long time to load is a must.  As a simple test, if Angry Birds took three minutes to start the game, would you still play it

• Reflect both brands—yours, and the device’s. The Starbucks App would be just any other retail app unless it reflects the Starbucks brand.  It is important not merely to convey your brand for marketing, customer loyalty, etc, but to do so in a way the fits the overall look and feel of the specific mobile device. The "Back" button in an iPhone app is in the top left corner, menu control buttons are along the bottom of the app screen.  Making your app follow the standards of other apps reduces the learning curve of a new user, increases users’ comfort with the app, and helps increase the likelihood that they will use it frequently.

• Keep it intuitive.  From my own experience, if I cannot figure out how to use the app from looking at the screen or a two sentence instruction, I end up never using it and ultimately deleting it from my phone. I do not think I am alone.  Mobile users on the go have little patience for figuring out what to click.  People normally do not use "Help" menus on full screen computers, and there is less incentive to do so when the screen is 3.5 inches and the type is very small.

• Simple screens are a must.  Clean, un-cluttered screens are the key to a satisfying and effective user experience.  The most complex graphic should be limited to the splash screen when the App opens the first time.  The primary screen of the user interface should have essential fields only.

• Make buttons large.  Use big buttons and lists with values already entered for a user to choose from.  The less a user has to type to enter data and can simply click to choose their selection, the better the user experience will be.  It is important to keep buttons large enough to be easy to click, so users can work with the application and get results or enter data quickly and easily.

• It’s about functionality, not a sleek appearance. Style is important – but the bottom line is, utility is even more important. If there are really cool graphics or an amazing font that is great, but the user reviews and recommendations to friends are about whether the app worked and how easy it was to use.  

• Data transfer from web site is important. Mobile apps are becoming an extension of the corporate website and corporate network.  Significant effort must be taken in architecting and supporting Web services that enable import/export of data from your server to the mobile devices.  Windows and graphics should be sized correctly, data should be displayed in tables.  Remember, the data is still the same, but the delivery window is only 3.5 inches.