By Matthew Sorenson
Obtaining and communicating information on the go has become the norm in today's day and age. This cultural shift has contributed significantly to increased smartphone and tablet usage. It often seems that we cannot go even a day without our phones by our sides. Mobile application developers have leveraged this phenomenon through the development of apps that aim to make our lives easier in some way. With so many different consumer needs to be addressed, oftentimes the creation of these mobile apps is easier said than done.
The best part of the mobile development industry is that it is never stagnant or stale. Everyone seems to have an idea for an app and they think it’s almost a guarantee to become an immediate success. According to J.P. Lamp, VP of Operations at OhmzTech, Inc. (a mobile application developer based in Milwaukee, WI), "What many people fail to realize is that there are so many different aspects that have to be taken into account when creating an app. With so many different operating systems and phone sizes, a lot of planning needs to take place in order to ensure that the user has a great experience every time they use the app on different devices. This is a primary reason why web apps with responsive design have become so popular. They essentially allow the user to operate on any device with a web browser and scale the application to fit the screen the user is working from," Lamp states.
Another big challenge facing the industry deals with identifying and analyzing a target market. You can have the best developers on the face of the Earth, however, without a strong marketing team to back them, they are almost useless. A particular app may be aimed at addressing a need, but it must also add something of value to the target market. This requires a lot of preliminary research and constant evaluation of shifts in consumer preferences.
Lastly, the world of mobile application development is very fast-paced and deadline-driven and urgent business needs must be met in a timely manner. People working in this industry are challenged to think on their feet and be adaptable, ready to address any changes to the product that need to be made in response to any hardware issues. "This is one of my favorite aspects of working in the industry," says Lamp.
A need always has the potential to foster a great idea for a mobile application. However, it is important not to forget all of the careful planning that must take place in order to ensure the highest chance of success.
Images courtesy of KROMKRATHOG at FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Leave a comment!