Using Mobile Apps to Deliver Data
Mobile devices. They’re not just for talking and playing cool games anymore.
The first thing that comes to most folks’ mind when they hear “iPhone app” is a fun toy or a convenient tool for consumers … something that helps you identify birds or turn off the lights while away from home. All good. But, wait … there’s more! Increasingly companies are seeing mobile apps (Androids, Blackberrys, Palms, etc., as well as iPhones) as crucial mechanisms for delivering data to users unchained from their desks, up and about, and not schlepping laptops.
Interested? Here are some tips to keep in mind:
- It’s got to be fast. Processors on mobile devices are slower than those used by desktops and laptops. But users are probably less, not more, patient. After all, almost by definition, they are on the go. You’ll want to work with programmers who can use a variety of techniques to optimize your app for speed.
- Simple screens are important. Keeping screens from becoming cluttered is key to a satisfying and effective user experience.
- Keep it intuitive. Users on the go have little patience for figuring out what to click.
- Make buttons large. It is important to keep buttons large enough to be easy to click, so users can work with the application efficiently.
- It’s about functionality, not attitude. Style is important – but at the end of the day, utility is even more important. Design elements such as type should be clear and easy to read.
- Reflect both brands—yours, and the device’s. It is important not merely to convey your brand, but to do so in a way the conforms with the mobile device’s overall look and feel. This maximizes users’ comfort with the app and helps increase the likelihood that they will use it frequently.
- Maintain security. Not all data transmitted via mobile devices needs to be secure – but when it does, it really does, due to the prevalence of wireless “sniffing” technologies that can scan transmissions and read and store data. For our clients, WebINTENSIVE has provided a variety of security measures. We have programmed systems to transmit data in an encrypted format to make it harder to “sniff.” And we have stored data on mobile devices in a way that is not immediately obvious for someone reading the corresponding files on the device. Our clients have found these and other approaches go a long way toward deterring unauthorized use of data.
- Design data transfer properly. Great care must be taken in architecting and supporting Web services that enable import/export of data from your server to the mobile devices.
