Mobile Applications Development - Lecture 2 Designing for Context Developing a Mobile Strategy Types of Mobile Applications This presentation has been developed in the context of the Mobile Applications Development course at the Computer Science Department of the University of L’Aquila (Italy). http://www.di.univaq.it/malavolta

1. Mobile Context and
Strategies
Ivano Malavolta
ivano.malavolta@univaq.it
http://www.di.univaq.it/malavolta

2. Roadmap
• Designing for Context
• Developing a Mobile Strategy
• Types of Mobile Applications

3. from the previous lecture…

4. Designing for the Context

5. Two kinds of context
Context
with a big “C”
VS
context
with a little “c”

6. Context VS context by example
• The app works in a specific context depending on
the current location of the user
• The app gives Context by providing additional info

7. Context VS context by example
Context who is here?
VS
context where I am
Context answers users’
questions
VS
https://foursquare.com
context is a fact

8. Context with a big “C”
How users will derive value from something
they are currently doing
For example:
• info on restaurants
• rate places
• GPS navigator
http://www.oink.com

9. Context with a big “C”
The information provided by the app gives Context
A better understanding of what this moment in
time means to the user
Recurrent targets:
people, places, things, situations, ideas

10. context with a little “c”
The mode, medium and environment in which
we perform our tasks
There are 3 different types of context:
1. Physical context
2. Media context
3. Modal context

11. context with a little “c”
Physical context
where I am
http://bit.ly/wXGpNA
http://bit.ly/yoBk7d

12. context with a little “c”
Physical context
In which environment I am
• at home
• on a bus car
• in the streets VS
• in my office train
• in a shop
http://www.textndrive.com
http://www.whatsapp.com

13. context with a little “c”
Media context
The device I am using
• Connectivity
• Screen size
• Camera
• etc …
http://www.facebook.com

14. context with a little “c”
Modal context
My present state of mind
what I am doing right now
How I feel right now
http://www.runens.com
http://photostatsapp.com/
http://babypad.mezmedia.com

15. …again on “big C” VS “little c”
I only care I only care
about… about…
Context context
user Developer
(you)

16. …again on “big C” VS “little c”
Your users do not care about physicality, media,
or modes…
They simply care about the app perceived value:
Context

17. …again on “big C” VS “little c”
Good Design means making the context
transparent to the user
We have to create apps that anticipate and
solve problems with little or no action from
the user

18. The Mobile golden rule
If you can unlock the state of
mind of your users and start
context,
thinking in their context
understanding how a mobile experience will
add value to their lives you will have the
lives,
ever-elusive…
KILLER
APP

19. How can I apply the golden rule?
Think of your app in the different contexts
• Who is your user? Business man, teenager, mum…
• What is happening? Are they hanging out with friends?
• When will he interact? @home? @work? waiting for the bus?
interact?
• Where is he? Public/private space, inside/outside, day/night
• Why will he use your app? How do you give Context?
• How is he using his mobile device? Is the device held in the
hand? Portrait or landscape?

20. Examples
http://www.soundhound.com

21. Examples 2
http://www.endomondo.com

22. Examples 3
http://www.instagr.am

23. Roadmap
• Designing for Context
• Developing a Mobile Strategy
• Types of Mobile Applications

24. Developing a Mobile Strategy
Mobile Strategy =
how much it will cost you to develope your app?
How much time
time?
How much effort
effort?
How much money
money?

25. Busting the first myth
Mobile design and
development is not cheap!
cheap!
http://www.slideshare.net/fling/native-v-hybrid-v-web

26. Busting the first myth
http://www.slideshare.net/fling/native-v-hybrid-v-web

27. Busting the first myth
You have to sum this price for each platform
you want to support
Even with
Phonegap!
http://www.slideshare.net/fling/native-v-hybrid-v-web

28. The new rules for a mobile strategy
Remember, mobile is a new medium
different rules
Don’t try to follow “traditional rules” since mobile has
its own peculiarities:
• context,
• location, user mood
• device fragmentation
• unique UI rules
• ...

29. Rule #1
Forget what you think you know
Mobile is an ever-evolving area
today you are already outdated
• Forget what you think you know about mobile
– It is most likely incorrect
• Don’t try to emulate other projects
– Focus on what is right for your user, not what is right for
someone else’s user
• Start at the beginning
– Provide new perspectives, and breathe life into the project
right from the start

30. Rule #2
Believe what you see, not what you read
• Don’t trust any report, fact, or figure that 1-2 years old
– It is most likely wrong
• Go to your users and ask them questions in person
– Don’t try to simply validate your ideas
• Record everything
– Your own users’ worlds will help you in focussing on their need
• Don’t forget to innovate
– Try new things, be bold, and don’t be afraid to fail.
• Have a contingency plan
– If your plan fails to meet expectations, try to reuse what
you’ve learned or done on something else

31. Rule #3
Constraints never come first
• Avoid talking about constraints at an early-stage
brainstorming session
– Refer back to Rule #1 and forget what you think you know
• there will always be constraints in mobile, accept it!
• Focus on strategy first, what they user needs, and lay
down the features
– Then, if the constraints become an issue, fall back to the
user goals
• There is always an alternative

32. Rule #4
Focus on context, goals and needs
needs
user
goals
actions
context

33. Rule #4
Focus on context, goals and needs
1. Defining the users’ context is the first thing to do
– without it, you don’t have a mobile strategy, you have only a
plan of action
2. Uncover the users’ goals
– and then try and understand how the users’ context alters
their goals
3. With goals understood, figure out the tasks the users
want to perform
4. Look for ways to filter content by context
– for example: location, media, and model.

34. Rule #5
You can’t support everything
• Don’t try to support everything
– Start with the devices that best represent your core customer
• The most popular might not always be the best device for
your project
• Check your server logs for the devices accessing your
site
– These are the first devices to target
• Go to a mobile phones store and do a little market
research to find out the recommended devices for your
target customer

35. Rule #6
Don’t convert, create
Great mobile products are created, never ported!
• Understand your user and his context
– Having an idea of how and when users will access your content
will aid in understanding how to best create a tailored mobile
experience
• Mobile is a unique medium

36. Rule #6 - example

37. Rule #7
Keep it simple
People want to use mobile devices in a simple way
• Simplicity fewer problems
• Easier to iterate and evolve your app
• Don’t try to create a desktop software on a mobile!
• Adding feature after feature is an easy trap to fall in
• Build the experience around your users’ main need and
nothing else

38. Roadmap
• Designing for Context
• Developing a Mobile Strategy
• Types of Mobile Applications
– Mobile Application Medium Type
– Mobile Application Context

39. Types of Mobile Applications
In the following we will talk about:
• Mobile Application Medium Types
– the technology presenting the content to the
user
• ex. SMS, native app, web app …
• Mobile Application Context
– the type of experience provided to the user
• ex. utility, informative, productivity …

40. Mobile app medium types
The technology presenting the content to the user
SMS
Mobile Websites
Mobile Web Widgets
Mobile Web Apps
Native Apps
Games

41. Mobile app medium types: SMS
The user sends an SMS to a 5-digit code and then he
can get:
• textual information
• a link to premium content
• a service
Most common use: ringtones and wallpapers
http://smstweet.com/

42. Mobile app medium types: SMS
PROS
• they work on any mobile device nearly instantaneously
• useful for sending timely alerts to the user
• they can be incorporated into any web or mobile app
• simple to set up and manage
CONS
• limited to 160 characters
• limited text-based experience
• can be very expensive

43. Mobile app medium types: Mobile
Websites
A website designed for Mobile devices
It is NOT about viewing on a mobile
device a website designed for
desktop browsers
Features:
– Simple architecture
– Simple navigation links
– Simple design
– Informational in nature
(typically, less interactive)

44. Mobile app medium types: Mobile
Websites
PROS
• easy to create, maintain, and publish
• you can use the same tools and techniques for desktop
sites
• nearly all mobile devices can view mobile websites
CONS
• devices fragmentation
• limited experience
• they can load pages slowly
– network latency

45. Mobile app medium types: Web Widget
Small web apps that cannot run by themselves, they
must run on top of “something else”
Known also as:
portlet, web part, gadget, badge,
module, webjit, capsule, snippet,
mini, flake
For example, Android has supported
widgets natively since April 30, 2009
http://bit.ly/yNvwEd

46. Mobile app medium types: Web Widget
PROS
• easy to create using basic HTML, CSS, JavaScript
• simple to deploy across multiple handsets
• They can directly access device features and offline use
CONS
• typically require a compatible widget platform to be
installed on the device
• require learning additional proprietary, non-standard
techniques

47. Mobile app medium types: Web App
Mobile apps that run on the mobile
web browser developed using
standard technologies
ex. HTML, CSS, Javascript
Differently from mobile websites,
they offer an “app-like” experience
ex. buttons, actions, real-time
data, no pages metaphor
http://touch.facebook.com

48. Mobile app medium types: Web App
PROS
• easy to create using basic HTML, CSS and JavaScript
• simple to deploy across multiple handsets
• better user experience and rich design
• content is accessible on any mobile web browser
CONS
• difficult to support across multiple devices.
• they don’t always support native application features
– offline mode, location, filesystem access, camera …

49. Mobile app medium types: Native Apps
Developed for a specific platform
Certified, sold and distributed via an
operator portal or an app store
It sits on top of the device platform
you can access all the device’s
features
need for certification
http://www.glancee.com/

50. Mobile app medium types: Native Apps
PROS
• best-in-class user experience, rich design and tapping
into device features and offline use
• relatively simple to develop for a single platform
• access to app stores (you can charge for your apps)
CONS
• developing for multiple device platforms is costly
• require certification and distribution from an app store
• you have to share revenue with platform vendors

51. Mobile app medium types: Games
Technically they are like native apps, however:
• they cannot be esasily developed with web technologies
– performance with vector graphics
• porting them to multiple platforms is a bit easier
– the graphic engine does not use device APIs
www.angrybirds.com

52. Mobile app medium types: Games
PROS
• simple and easy way to create an immersive experience
• can be ported to multiple devices relatively easily
CONS
• can be costly to develop as an original game title
• cannot easily be ported to the mobile web
www.angrybirds.com

53. Mobile app medium types: summary

54. Roadmap
• Designing for Context
• Developing a Mobile Strategy
• Types of Mobile Applications
– Mobile Application Medium Type
– Mobile Application Context

55. Mobile App Context
The type of experience provided to the user
Utility
Locale
Informative
Productivity
Immersive

56. Mobile App Context
Applications can be presented in different ways
es. taks-based utility, immersive experience, etc…
• Typically, it is best to choose one app context and
present it to the user
don’t mix app contexts!
contexts!
• TIP: if you really need to switch context within your app,
let the user choose when to switch

57. Mobile App Context: Utility
task-
• short, task-based scenarios
• minimal information from the user
• minimal design
ex.
calculator
alarm clock
weather forecast

58. Mobile App Context: Locale
• it provides info about “what’s around”
• recurrent feature: a map on which data is displayed
• goal of the user: to find additional
info about his present location
ex.
find friends around
find pubs around
get route directions
https://foursquare.com

59. Mobile App Context: Informative
• Goal: to provide information to the user
• Task of the user: to read and understand
– not necessarily to interact
• remember that user tasks are
short and can be interrupted
ex.
news
online directory
mobile commerce
https://www.pinterest.com

60. Mobile App Context: Productivity
• Meant to increase user’s sense of efficiency
• Users have a clear goal in mind
• Very structured (with folders)
– it gives a sense of order
• Follow a clear workflow
ex. mail, scanning, todo lists…
TIP:
TIP focus on the main task only, and
only after start adding other features
http://www.thegrizzlylabs.com/genius-scan/

61. Mobile App Context: Immersive
• immersive, full-screen app
full-
• meant to consume the user’s focus
user’s
ex.
games
media players
entertainment
TIP:
TIP you can use it as alternative to other app contexts
http://www.rockstargames.com/grandtheftauto3

62. Mobile App Context: Summary

63. References
Chapters 4-5-6