Traits of Awesome Mobile Apps For Architects
As the mobile users are more than ever, the whole focus of the developing world has shifted to mobile apps success. Multiple underdogs have competed and became market players without standing on the giant shoulders and sometimes even challenging established players on their niches.
Right now, businesses are spending millions for standing out from the public and becoming number#1 among their competitors. There is not a single ingredient, which decides success for an app but if your clients are loyal, in love and keep-on-coming-back, then you have achieved what is required.
Access multiple tasks for divided attention

If we come to the multiple aspects, games like subway-surfer/temple run can be accessed with a single hand and you don’t need any allot of attention for it. Users can enjoy from seamless jumping or skit. These make that app idea while traveling/waiting/cooking/reading or many others tasks that required little attention.
Mobile users are the most impatient compared to other platforms, which means slightest glitch/delay result in loss of audience and your competitor will take the advantage. Carefully analyzing average time (people will spend on the app) is crucial as this varies significantly from app to app. An uber app user may be spent 1 minute (in a day time for multiple rides) but at the same time, subway-surf users spent 30 minutes. So, for subway-surf, it is extremely important for a seamless experience.
Location of users is a complicit matter, if they are trying to access in public/crowded place then your app should provide assistance with low data rate. In short, your app should provide maximum functionality in the least amount of time.
1+1 is not equal to 2
Your installs should be high compared to your product competitors. If you got 100 installs in the first few days that will definitely result in more installs in the future known as the network effect. Absolutely, this is a complex formula but continuous stream of installs is a sign of big success in long term future.
Catchiness of the app

If it was 2009, you can imagine the lower competition. Even big players like Facebook was not interested in joining the mobile race. But right now, you are engaging in competition from left to right. First, you have to compete against people like you, then big corporation with huge budgets and entire teams dedicated to marketing and design. This left you with fewer chances of success and margin of failure is huge. But if you get the compelling factor of the game, you have completely succeeded. The simple example is the flappy bird, 97% people failed in first 20 tries, then eventually improve over 15 days period (on average). Another app named as ‘Ninja Spinki’ is launched by flappy birds makers has also got the same effect.
Surprise factor create perfect delight stream
When a new users start using your app, he is expecting things that make him delight in terms of surprise, easiness, and comfort. Every term is important in the previous sentence. Like if the user does not get the surprise factor, it will not turn on his mind switch. At the same time, it the feature is difficult to play with. It will also result in nothing but bad feeling about the app. And at last, it should offer some comfort. Comfort and delight are used separate( although both the keywords are same). This is because, you have to feel the need for the feature rather than a useless feature, which is creating confusion in the design and walk-through of the app.
A simple example is Talky app (which allows users to communicate), but they are offering new features every month. Like last time, they introduce a simple play game, if your partner is not available. It was a simple single tap game, which even a toddler can play.
Be-up-to-date with trends and user needs

Ever changing requirements are the core trends of mobile app development world. A more common example is Facebook messenger, they separate it from the main app. As more and more people were only going to FB to check messages from friends. Another example is Instagram sister apps, there are multiple that are serving different purposes. User needs are always changing and you have to have scalability feature in your application, which will keep your app users coming again and again in the future.
Keep in mind ‘The Social Factor’
Millennials are the main users of the mobile world and recognition is everything to them. They want their friends to know about ‘what they are doing and what is special about the app they are using’. They don’t like the closed box applications, which offer nothing in terms of social media interaction. This thing trigger network-effect (which I have discussed above). If you are tired of 8-ball or the candy-crush requests then you already have encountered this effect. Although, those publishers have overplayed with social media and recognized themselves as the mobile irritation still they are leading in the mobile world.
Differentiation between free vs paid users
Asking for money is not a bad thing, as you have spent time in designing and developing the app.
Monetization is a key to your app success. If your app does not offer any differentiable features to players, who are spending money. They will never come back to the app again. Most of the people love to play free, then some spent dimes and big money. You have to spend allot of time in the planning phase, in terms of monetization. Network effect in paid terms is less than free. But eventually, you are getting money (which should be your focus). Most of the apps are free to many features, but if you want to access all of them, then you have to pay big bucks.
Teams Vs Individuals
Always remembers, teams are weak as it’s the weakest link. It is especially true in the mobile development world. From planning to execution there are more than 15 steps involved in series and parallel configuration. So, your team should feel motivated and come up with best ideas that can serve the users in more positive and interactive way. Spend time with your team, motive them to bring things to the table, make sure they are always happy and rest they will help you to succeed. Offer them incentives in case your app is succeeded.
Performance is the key
Performance is everything and your app has to have everything that makes sure the performance. There are multiple aspects that the mobile app developers have to keep in mind and use of customized libraries is a key to the real time play. Most of the applications are targeted to global audiences, there are limitations when it comes to connectivity in developing vs developed. Average speed in the US and Europe is 30 Mbps, while it is 2 Mbps in most Asian and African countries.
