Are you sinking in the sea of Connected Home Products? Let’s plug the leak(s).
Falling behind in the Connected Home regatta?
Maybe you launched your app too soon, hoping things would work out — and now your users are disappointed. Maybe you hit a pre-launch technical snag that derailed everything, and you’re back to square one. Maybe you launched with what you thought was an array of dazzling features — but people don’t love it and they’re not engaging the way you thought they would.
At Blue Rocket, we specialize in designing and engineering great apps and experiences for the Connected Home. Here are three likely sources that could be contributing to your leaky ship.
Not enough focus on core features.
Pare your product back to the smallest set of features that proves its core value. Don’t know what your core features are? Ask people how they currently use your product. Or if you’re trying to prioritize features you haven’t launched yet, ask people how they would use it. Not if they like it, or if they would recommend it, but rather how does this feature fit into their lives?
Hone your core features until everything works beautifully. Aim for simple. Knock it out of the park. Then, release additional features over time. Thoughtfully. See how each individual feature is received. Apply your learning when planning which feature to launch next.
Subpar unboxing experience.
The moment when your product “wakes up” for the first time and connects to your user’s app should feel like magic. It should be effortless and delightful. The app and device should pair without a hiccup. This moment sets the tone for everything that follows, and it’s your chance to give your user a quick win — and make it feel like a success. Does your setup feel like that? If not, make it better.
Do what you do best. Hire the rest.
Are you ready to juggle the needs of your IT team against conflicting guidelines from your brand team? Are you ready to coordinate with offshore manufacturers? Or cloud partners? Are you ready to plan for the long haul while dealing with the short term?
DIY has its place. But with so many pieces in the Connected Home ecosystem, it’s impossible for a single person to know everything, and you’re unlikely to have someone on-staff capable of fulfilling each of the required roles. So we recommend finding a technical partner. Someone who’s been in the trenches and can tell you where the mines are hidden. Someone who knows their business, so you can focus on yours.
Blue Rocket is a mobile product development company based in San Francisco. Through strategy, design, and engineering, we help great companies build powerful digital experiences — the right way. Find us at www.bluerocket.us.
