conversion thursday mobile apps - joan martin
TRANSCRIPT
CONVERSION THURSDAY - APRIL 28TH 2016
MOBILE APPSWHAT, HOW & HOW MUCH
JOAN MARTIN | @JOAN_MH
ME, MYSELF & IMy name is Joan Martin.
I'm the Mobile Team Lead @ Mobile Jazz.Mobile Software Engineer since 2009.
I like to travel and remote work.I live in the mountains.
WHAT IS THIS TALK ABOUT?
▸ WHAT: Defining what a Mobile App is.▸ HOW: Who and how to develop a Mobile App.
▸ HOW MUCH: Estimating the development of a Mobile App.
Let's get started.
WHAT
We are creating a Mobile App
Not a website
Nor a giraffe
Mobile Apps solves one very specific need.
Define an App Manifesto: What do your app do?
The app manifesto will help the whole team define the development path, orientating all decisions to the key features.
HOW
We need a team
THE TEAM▸ Product Team▸ Design Team
▸ Development Team▸ Testing Team
The product team will define the WHAT of your mobile app.
Excellent mobile designers are key to develop an app.
Find skilled engineers with experience.
The app developers/engineers do not execute reliable testing.
Have someone testing builds.
HOW MUCH
THINGS WE MUST HAVE▸ Product definition
▸ Wireframes / list of use cases▸ Desired platforms
▸ Backend documentation
THINGS ALSO TO CONSIDER
▸ Social integrations?▸ Push notifications?▸ Supported languages▸ Supported OS versions▸ Tablet vs Smartphone
What about offline support?
Don't expect offline support by default. You must define what your app needs.
CREATING AN ESTIMATION
MEASUREMENT UNITSdays of work as main unit (1 day = 8 hours)
minimum value of 0.25 days (2 hours)
ESTIMATION BY WIREFRAMESEach screen/wireframe must contain (at least) an estimation for:
▸ UI Layout▸ Business logic
Usually, nothing takes less than:▸ 0.5 days for UI Layout▸ 0.5 days for business logic
[1 day per screen]
ADDITIONAL COMPONENTS▸ Project setup 2 days▸ Testing +15%▸ Bug fixing +20%
▸ Project Management +20%▸ Release 1 day
Android takes up to 1.5x the iOS estimation.
EXAMPLE OF APP1. Login + Register2. Feed + New Post
3. Profile4. 1 Push Not. for new posts in feed
5. Offline Support
APP ESTIMATION (1/3)
▸ Project setup: 2.5 days▸ Push Notifications: 0.5 days▸ Network requests : 1 day
▸ Offline: 1 day
APP ESTIMATION (2/3)
▸ 5 screens: 5w*1.5d/w = 7.5 days▸ Testing 10%: 0.75 days▸ Bug fixing 10%: 0.75 days
▸ Project Management 20%: 1.5 day▸ Release: 1 day
APP ESTIMATION (3/3)
Total: 16.5 days▸ iOS estimation: 16.5 days.
▸ Android estimation (1.25x): 20.6 days.
Total: 37.1 days
NOT INCLUDED IN ESTIMATION
▸ Backend development / validation / testing▸ Designs nor assets cutting
▸ Testing phase▸ New features
▸ Maintenance or upgrades
Is good to have a time frame, but how much it is?
How much is your rate per hour?
WRONG QUESTION.
The project is already estimated.
You cannot make it happen in less time!
▸ A skilled engineer will do it faster, at a higher price/hour.▸ An amateur engineer will do it slower, at a lower price/hour.
DO THE MATH!
Total estimation: 37.1 days▸ Skilled engineer 120€/h x 25 days : 24.000 €▸ Amateur engineer 60€/h x 50 days : 24.000 €
... BUT I WANT IT CHEAPER!
▸ A bad engineer will do it faster, at a lower price/hour.
60€/h x 25 days : 12.000€
WHERE IS THE TRICK?
▸ Poor offline support (or none)▸ Bad adaptation for different screen sizes.▸ Bad support for old and new OS versions.▸ Not scalable (poor software architecture)
▸ Poor professional relationship
KEY LEARNINGS
1 - Define an App Manifesto: What do your app do?
2 - Have a Mobile (iOS/Android) UX/UI expert.
3 - Find an experienced engineering team you feel comfortable with.
4 - Develop an app that implements only the key features.
EVERYTHING ELSE CAN WAIT.
5 - If it's too expensive, simplify your app.
6 - Hire me.
THANK YOU!
