lessons learnt from building app store-featured apps
TRANSCRIPT
Building App Store-Featured Apps
Lessons learnt
David Ng, Product & Growth at
Mini App Products
LabelboxGif.cam Spentable
Get started with MVP
You can find many MVP...on Product Hunt
MVP != an App
AirbnbFirst version
MVP != an appMVP = a product with just enough features to gather
validated learning about the product
App Store-featured apps...are usually good apps
App Store-featured apps...are usually good apps
but we usually want to build them fast
Elements of Good Apps
• Solve a core problem
• Good UI / UX - follow iOS Human Interface Guidelines
• Catch up with the latest tech
Elements of Fast Apps
• Minimal features
• Use ready made components, such as libraries, services
Elements of Good Apps
• Solve a core problem
• Good UI / UX - follow iOS Human Interface Guidelines
• Catch up with the latest tech
What is the one thing we want to solve?
Solve a core problem
• If a feature is not aligned with the problem, cut it from MVP.
What is the one problem to solve?
Must have vs Could have
Must have vs Could have
• Take Photo
• Add filter
• Upload Photo
• Like & comment
• Hash Tag
• Edit post
• Take videos
• Chat
Elements of Good Apps
• Solve a core problem
• Good UI / UX - follow iOS Human Interface Guidelines
• Catch up with the latest tech
iOS Human Interface Guidelines
Design your app like Jony Ive
Elements of Good Apps
• Solve a core problem
• Good UI / UX - follow iOS Human Interface Guidelines
• Catch up with the latest tech
Catch up with the latest tech
• Stay up to the latest trend
• Apple loves to feature apps that includes new techs
• Stay up late for WWDC
WatchOS2WWDC 2015
Spentable for WatchOS2May 2015
Catch up with the latest tech
• What is the upcoming tech?
• Apple pay, GPS in Watch, Duo Camera app on iPhone7 plus...
• Add them to your existing app, will make your app has a higher chance to get featured
Element of Fast Apps
• Minimal features
• Use ready-made components, such as libraries, services
Element of Fast Apps
• Minimal features
• Use ready-made components, such as libraries, services
Minimal Features
• You are already doing it if you "solve the one problem"
• Again: If a feature is not aligned with the problem, cut it from MVP.
Element of Fast Apps
• Minimal features
• Use ready-made components, such as libraries, services
Use ready-made components
• Open-source libraries
• External services (e.g. SMS, Maps)
• Backend-as-a-Service
Backend-as-a-Service
• User signup / login system
• Push notifications
• Storage on the cloud
• No need to write server code
Use ready-made components
• Save lots of time
• Test out more ideas in a shorter time.
• Have a faster iteration.
• Good for individual developers and startups. Enterprises use BaaS too.
Best practices
• Ask permissions when needed only
Bonus
Asking permissions
• Sounds legit
FoursquareOh, it sounds even more legit with explanations
LayoutIt’s even nicer waiting for
user needs it
Asana iOSHey, that's a little bit too
aggressive to ask on the first screen we meet.
https://www.useronboard.com/how-asana-onboards-new-users/
Lesson
Push Notification can be crucial for bringing people back, but the
abrupt nature of request might be sacrificing a
lot of approvals.
Conclusion: Lessons learnt from building App Store-featured apps
• Solve the "one problem"
• Start with MVP - the minimal experience
• Good UI / UX - iOS Human Interface Guidelines
• New tech has greater chance to get featured
Please feel free to ask any question.
Thank you