How often do we think that ‘coding’ is everything it takes to create a functionally high-performing app? Think again; yes, think again. Did we say ‘design thinking’ is the core of a great bespoke business mobile app? Don’t go any further. Almost every business, nowadays, are benefited by the awesomeness of bespoke apps. If you’re coordinating development efforts on the behest of your company, you must understand that ‘one size fits all’ or ‘off the shelf’ approach won’t take you anywhere.
Design thinking:
Design thinking is an innovative approach, in which issues are resolved outside of design or development environment, such as in social and business contexts.
Ask any technology evangelist, he/she will tell you that design thinking is the critical link missing in most mobile apps. Are we talking in superlatives? We don’t think so. Let’s say you have a visually eye-catchy app, but fails to solve the right problems and puts the end-user at the receiving end, who is nowhere to be seen in the entire scheme of design, build or testing process. Sounds basic? Look at the number of apps released almost every single day that had failed miserably to address or capture user problem. In practical terms, this means ensuring the actual end-users are made participants in the entire development lifecycle. The development team would also be required to work hand in hand with a User Experience (UX) specialist, keeping the end user in mind.
Keep on talking:
If you are an app owner keep talking with your primary participants – the users, of course, all throughout the project cycle. Some talk endlessly with the end users, also known as ‘feedback loop’ where user feedback is continuously collected and worshipped; there are others who do some talking with them at the start only to involve them later during the testing phase, no wonder creating serious disconnect in the actual development phase.
Also, once your app usage starts to grow, it can be increasingly complex to check the app for consistent performance and reliability. Now, performance gaps, if unidentified and left unchecked can leave you high and dry later on, denting your company’s bottom-line. At Abi-Tech, we ensure we hold the right conversations with our clients at the right time, never cutting off concerns from their core business process. This enables us to capture snags early on without having to patch up later.
Avoiding avoidance
Why do you need an app in the first place, as an app owner? The answer can be as simple as, “I want my customers to use it to their satisfaction”. Another possible answer could be: ‘I want my app to work for everyone’. Ease of use? Yes, if you avoid your users during the design phase you’ll be better off going for an off-the-shelf solution. The last thing you’d want your users to do is uninstall your app for good. Finally, look for consistency – it should extend into every facet of digital life – web, mobile and beyond.