Month: May 2015

What Do We Mean When We Talk About Enterprise App Development?

May 28, 2015
 
Dan Katcher

Demystifying Enterprise App Development

Enterprise apps are specialized software designed to address the complex needs of large organizations. These applications are built to be robust, scalable, and secure, aligning with key business strategies and processes.

Enterprise app development is not just a buzzword; it’s a strategic approach to technology that can significantly impact your business’s long-term growth and efficiency. As leaders in the corporate world, understanding the nuances of this process is crucial for driving your company forward.

Why It Matters for Your Business

An effective enterprise app can transform your business operations, providing a platform for enhanced efficiency, deeper insights, and stronger customer engagement. It’s a tool that aligns with and accelerates your business objectives.

Aligning App Development with Business Goals

Central to the development process is ensuring that the app aligns with your strategic business goals. Whether it’s improving internal communication, streamlining operations, or enhancing customer interactions, the app should be a direct contributor to your strategic objectives.

Key Considerations in Development

  1. Scalability: Essential for handling growth in user numbers and data volume without losing performance.
  2. Security and Compliance: Paramount in protecting sensitive data and adhering to industry and legal standards.
  3. Integration: The app must integrate seamlessly with your existing technology, including your marketing stack, to ensure cohesive operations across departments.

Incorporating the Marketing Stack

A critical aspect often overlooked in enterprise app development is the integration with the marketing stack. Your app should work in tandem with tools like CRM systems, analytics platforms, and digital marketing software to provide a comprehensive view of your customer interactions and enable targeted marketing strategies.

The Development Process

  1. User-Centric Design: An intuitive user experience is key to high adoption rates and effective utilization.
  2. Agile Methodology: Allows for flexibility, faster response to market changes, and continuous improvement.
  3. Technology Choices: Selecting the right technology stack is crucial for current needs and future growth.
  4. Data-Driven Insights: Harnessing data for actionable business intelligence is a fundamental value of enterprise apps.

Measuring Success

The success of an enterprise app should be measured by its integration into business processes, its impact on efficiency, and its contribution to the bottom line. Metrics like user adoption rates, operational improvements, and ROI are key indicators.

Future Trends and Growth

Emerging technologies such as AI, machine learning, and IoT will play a pivotal role in the evolution of enterprise apps. These technologies offer opportunities for predictive analytics, automation, and smarter decision-making, which are essential for sustained growth and competitive advantage.

The Role of Leadership in Enterprise App Development

As executives, your involvement is critical in shaping the vision and strategy for app development. This includes ensuring the app aligns with business goals, facilitating collaboration between IT and other departments, particularly marketing, and effectively managing resources.

Long-Term Growth and Enterprise Apps

For long-term growth, an enterprise app must not only address current business needs but also be adaptable to future market trends and changes in consumer behavior. This adaptability ensures that your business remains agile and competitive in a rapidly evolving digital landscape.

The Strategic Importance of Marketing in App Development

Integrating your app with the marketing stack is not just about data collection; it’s about leveraging that data to create personalized customer experiences, optimize marketing campaigns, and drive sales. A well-integrated app provides invaluable insights into customer behavior, preferences, and trends, enabling more strategic marketing decisions.

Building a Roadmap for Success

Developing a clear roadmap for your enterprise app is vital. This involves:

  1. Identifying Key Objectives: Clearly define what you want to achieve with your app.
  2. Aligning with Business Processes: Ensure the app enhances, not hinders, your existing processes.
  3. Engaging Stakeholders: Get buy-in from all relevant departments, especially those directly impacted by the app.
  4. Continuous Feedback and Improvement: Regularly gather user feedback and make necessary adjustments.

Final Thoughts

In conclusion, enterprise app development is a strategic endeavor that extends beyond the realm of IT. It involves leveraging technology to meet business challenges, drive growth, and maintain a competitive edge. For C-level executives, understanding and effectively guiding this process is key to harnessing the full potential of enterprise apps in achieving long-term business success.

As we look forward, the integration of enterprise apps with emerging technologies and marketing strategies will be crucial. It’s about creating a dynamic ecosystem where technology not only supports but also propels your business objectives. Your leadership in this domain can set the stage for transformation and innovation, driving your organization towards sustained growth and success.

So, if you don’t know where to get started with a blueprint for your app, Rocket Farm Studios can take the pressure off.

Schedule a consultation today.

Does my enterprise really need to start using mobile apps?

 
Dan Katcher

Yes yes yes yes yes. In the same way that the Internet changed the way businesses operated in the 1990s, mobile technology is reshaping business again today. Already, workers depend on their smartphones; 70 percent check their mobile devices within an hour of getting up, according to Leslie Perlow of Harvard Business School. Consumers and employees increasingly expect seamless mobile capabilities, so a business that wants to thrive will need a strategy to provide them.

So, if you don’t know where to get started with a blueprint for your app, Rocket Farm Studios can take the pressure off.

Schedule a consultation today.

iPhone app development is the same as iPad app development, right?

 
Dan Katcher

Nope. The first question you need to ask yourself about your app concept is this: When and where will my imagined customer be using this app? Our phones are more likely to be constantly by our sides than a tablet is, so the iPhone is the best home for apps intended to be used on the go: connecting to new people, capturing moments, spontaneously looking up products, prices, reviews.

So, if you don’t know where to get started with a blueprint for your app, Rocket Farm Studios can take the pressure off.

Schedule a consultation today.

Get a little testy.

 
Dan Katcher

Get a little testy. OK, get a lot testy. The importance of testing your app, re-testing, and then, for good measure, testing one more time cannot be overstated. Work with your developers to create an ongoing plan for testing throughout the development process.

So, if you don’t know where to get started with a blueprint for your app, Rocket Farm Studios can take the pressure off.

Schedule a consultation today.

Love your app.

 
Dan Katcher

If your users are going to open your app, love your app, crave your app, the invisible, underlying processes must be flawless. Start by carefully thinking through the ways users will interact with your iPhone app, the tasks they should be able to do, the menus they will pass through to complete these specific actions. Flowcharts may not be sexy (though we know a people who might disagree) but they are essential to creating a seamless final product.

So, if you don’t know where to get started with a blueprint for your app, Rocket Farm Studios can take the pressure off.

Schedule a consultation today.

5 Reasons to Start Developing Apps for Google Cardboard

May 27, 2015
 
Ashley Rondeau

Back during their 2014 I/O developers conference, Google surprised us with an ostensibly low-tech product at such a high-tech event: Google Cardboard. Never heard of it? Don’t worry, you will. It’s a growing obsession within both Google and circles of app developers aiming to bring virtual reality to anyone who has an Android device. Let’s dive in to see why more app developers should be keeping the device in their 3D sights in the coming years.

1. It’s virtual reality, which means it’s fun!

We got our hands on the most basic level of Google Cardboard:
Cardboard 1
Cardboard 2
That clears up why it’s called Google Cardboard, right? It’s just a cardboard headset you fold around a smartphone and this one cost about $12. It comes with a “clickable” magnet on one side (which acts as an input method) and a NFC chip to detect when your phone is resting inside of the case. All in all, it’s nothing much to look at. But it sure is fun.
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Source: TechCrunch
Obviously it’s hard to show off what it looks like (head here for an approximation of what you’d see), but it is surprising just how immersive a 3D experience you can have strapping a phone inches from your face. From a virtual concert to driving a Volvo to rock climbing (which did make palms sweaty believe it or not), Google Cardboard’s current stable of apps are tremendously fun to play with. For less than the price of a couple beers, you have a pretty good — even great — virtual reality experience.

2. It’s VR for the masses, and it’s a huge mass.

When most people think cutting-edge VR these days, the name Oculus Rift comes to mind and indeed it is a great device. But it also costs $350 at the moment for the development kit, not to mention the additional cost of controllers, games, etc. Meanwhile, an estimated 1 billion Android devices will ship this year alone, and an additional $12 cardboard headset won’t break the bank once you already have a phone.

With such a vast, immediate audience, this is akin to the difference between Call of Duty and Angry Birds. Once Google Cardboard starts infiltrating the masses, it is likely to become the de facto VR device for the majority of the world. And, where the money will be headed. In fact, the main Google Cardboard app has been downloaded between 1 and 5 million times, and steadily increasing. If you have an interest in developing VR apps, now’s the time to get into the pool.

3. Google is making it a priority.

Google might have a recent history of giving up on some of its products (we’re looking at you Google Glass), but that doesn’t seem to be the case with Google Cardboard. The head of design for Google Search, Jon Wiley, was just recently named the principal designer for Google Cardboard. Additionally, there are reports that many engineers have been hired to make Android a friendly environment for virtual reality, and Google also launched a new certification system (Works with Google Cardboard) to get independent developers in-line with their vision of the product.

Cardboard 3And if there’s one thing Google does well is to know what the hot trends are. Oculus Rift received huge buzz, and now Samsung and HTC are entering into the fray with their own dedicated VR devices. Google’s not about to be left behind here, especially with their giant footprint in the mobile space with Android. We can expect to see Cardboard make a big splash in the coming year, and app developers would be wise to start exploring it as a potential platform for the next big mobile hit.

4. It’s training wheels for better hardware.

This article shows the current landscape of VR wear with Google Cardboard and Oculus Rift at opposite ends of the spectrum. Obviously a $12 cardboard case can’t compete, but this is just the start of Google’s foray into VR. While Google keeps to it’s anti-Apple philosophy for its gadgets (ie. cheaper products with a massive audience vs. premium products with a niche audience), it would be foolish not to expect iterations that bring more features and more functionality for a higher price.

Already, 3rd party hardware developers are providing better Cardboard experiences for those who are willing to pay more. Down the line, Google will debut a serious contender building off this prototype that will have the potential to become the standard VR gear for Android households. If Oculus aims to be the Alienware gaming system to the elite, Google is aiming to be the Nintendo Wii for the masses who want an affordable VR way to watch movies, play games, take virtual tours, and more. We’re just a couple generations away, so now’s really the time for aspiring 3D developers to start tinkering with dev kits!

5. It’s the next big thing.

You probably need to try it before you believe us. Using a $12 piece of folded “smart” cardboard, we rode a virtual roller coaster, watched our own videos at IMAX size (complete with surround sound via headphones), viewed an immersive and interactive short film where turning your head changes your experience, toured the Louvre, flew over Chicago, and much more. It’s a whole new level of entertainment and the best part is that most people already have a device in their pockets that can provide it.

It’s not the articles mentioning Google’s investment into VR or the partnerships Google is started to forge using the technology, it’s just that Google Cardboard is a really fun little toy that both children and adults will get a kick out of. Remember all those movies from the 80s and 90s promising virtual reality? Well, it’s sort of here now, and it works much better than you might expect. This is going to be the next big thing, and it’s a whole new playground for app developers to make their mark. We’re excited. Are you?
To learn more about what Rocket Farm Studios can do for your mobile app projects, click below.
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So, if you don’t know where to get started with a blueprint for your app, Rocket Farm Studios can take the pressure off.

Schedule a consultation today.

Mobile Development: A step ahead of the user.

May 19, 2015
 
Dan Katcher

When it comes to mobile you have to engage users early and make consistent feedback-oriented improvements to stay in front. We’re not your old school, waterfall style app development company. Instead, we create a high level iteration plan, strap on our turbo jet packs, and launch with our feet first. Who said pigs don’t fly? At Rocket Farm Studios, we’ve certainly proved that wrong. Our projects serve to impress, both technically and artistically.

Our process: Release, review, repeat

At its infancy, an idea can take a variety of forms across the minds of many. To minimize the gap in which miscommunication may wreak havoc, we are known for our deep client collaboration. We work not to meet, but to exceed expectations, and assuring that you are involved from concept to completion is critical to our process. Be prepared, but not for marathons. We like to get places in short, powerful sprints.

  1. Put a release out – Ready, set, go! After one to two weeks of planning, it’s time for a test run.
  1. Get feedback – During our release period we like to get as much feedback as possible, from both clients and test users alike.
  1. Revisit the roadmap – With as much feedback as possible under our belts, we revisit our original roadmap to see how our release measures up to the original blueprint. No problem is too big or too small for us to swallow.
  1. Iterate – Just when you thought you could slow down, it’s time to start the process over again. Yeah, you read that correctly. The sprints aren’t over yet. We’re constantly looking to incorporate feedback into our work in order to stay abreast.

Now, what’s in store for the end you may ask? Fast forward 8 to 14 weeks. The final parts of the release involve preparing assets, submitting an app to the Google, Windows, or Apple store, generating marketing literature, and additional management support required to releasing an app into the wild.

Cross Platform Expertise: iOS, Android, Windows, HTML5 and more.

Whether developing for Apple’s iOS, the Android operating system, the Windows platform, or HTML5-based mobile sites, our professional team of developers co-exist under one roof. However, before we even reach the development process we conduct intensive research to pinpoint precisely which operating platforms are most suitable for your end users – whether they are clients, consumers, or employees. Here are just a few things you can expect from us:

  • Mobile game development
  • Enterprise mobile development
  • Commercial mobile development
  • Business mobile development
  • m-commerce development
  • SDK development
  • Mobile API and web services
  • And much more!

We’re even prepared for platforms that don’t exist yet – we’re just that good.

Get In Touch

So, if you don’t know where to get started with a blueprint for your app, Rocket Farm Studios can take the pressure off.

Schedule a consultation today.

Rocket Farm Studios. Exactly what our name implies.

May 18, 2015
 
Dan Katcher

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We’ve quickly become the go-to group for iOS apps, Android apps, and back-end architecture that are as smart as they are stylish. We’ve launched numerous top-20 apps in multiple categories. We work with Fortune 500 corporations, startups, and everything in between.
Our team has deep domain expertise in mobile strategy, creative vision and the ability to transform businesses through exceptional customer experience. But what sets us apart is the experience we also create for our clients. On strategy. On time. On budget. On and on.
If you have a passion for technology and want to propel your business to the next level, let us help launch your next rocket. Come see for yourself.
And if you’re curious about our logo, here is the true story of Rocket Pig.

So, if you don’t know where to get started with a blueprint for your app, Rocket Farm Studios can take the pressure off.

Schedule a consultation today.

The Secret Reason Why 78% of Small Businesses Don’t Have a Mobile App

May 13, 2015
 
Ashley Rondeau

You’d think by now we’ve achieved maximum saturation of mobile apps. After all, we have apps that can order a pizza at the press of a button to apps that can apparently translate what your dog is saying. The Apple App Store has over a million apps. How can there be room for any more?If you think this way, you’ll be surprised to hear that 78% of small businesses don’t have an app or mobile solution at all. 78%! Almost 4 out of 5 SMBs have no presence in the mobile world, and this is despite 71% of these businesses admitting that having one would positively impact their business.
So most SMBs know they should have a mobile app, but most still don’t. What’s the hurdle here?

The Professed Reasons

According to the recent survey by Endurance, here is the list of reasons that SMB owners gave when asked why they didn’t have a mobile solution:
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Do these reasons strike you as odd? Fully half of those surveyed said that they didn’t know how to build a mobile app. We would have liked to know how many of them knew they could simply ask someone to build it for them. We’re guessing 100%? After all, how many SMBs know how to build a website from scratch? Or how to connect a phone line? Or do their own taxes? These things are outsourced, of course, and they get done. Why should “not knowing how” be any sort of barrier at all here? This is not a real excuse.
The next two reasons are more legitimate, but also strike us as odd. “Too busy,” is understandable to a point. It takes time and focus for a business to move into mobile. This infographic shows that it takes, on average, 18 weeks to build a native mobile app. But most of that is on the developer side. The customer has little to do with most of those 18 weeks, and in our experience, the customer only needs to put in a handful of hour-long meetings at the kick-off of the design process. In actuality, choosing to create an app for your company isn’t a time-intensive process. If it is, then app developers like us are not doing a good job.
“Too expensive,” is also understandable up to a point. SMBs are often strapped for cash and mobile sites are far down on the list of their investments. The cost of mobile apps vary wildly, ranging from $6000 to over $150,000 (you get what you pay for). But remember that 71% of SMBs say that an app would positively impact their business. Most know it’s worth the money, and there is plenty of research out there that shows that businesses will see positive ROI on their mobile apps; for example,30% of all e-commerce is expected to derive from mobile. Mobile done right is a sound investment.
So what’s the real hang up for SMBs?

The Secret Reason

The real, secret reason most SMBs don’t have mobile apps islaziness.
Too harsh? Call it inertia, then. Whatever you call it, it’s that SMBs don’t really want to put the effort in to something they already know they should do, and are feigning ignorance to put off putting in the brainwork. The analogy here is our own physical health: we know we should exercise. We all know this. Exercise leads to a healthier life, a longer life, and overall higher levels of happiness. In fact, just running 5 minutes a day is enough to reduce the risk of premature death by 30%. Yet we don’t do it. We don’t want to eat our vegetables. That’s why personal trainers have jobs: motivation is the key component to getting off the couch.
Likewise, SMBs know mobile isn’t going away and that if they want to capture the wallets of millennials, they need to be on mobile. It’s for the future health of their company. And they don’t need to learn how to make a mobile app as much as they don’t need to learn how to wire their office with ethernet. It’s an investment that doesn’t take much time, will eventually pay for itself, and is necessary to stay competitive…but it does take initiative. It needs to be a priority.
SMBs will come around. They have to or some other company will eat their lunch. But seeing the barren landscape of SMBs in mobile at the moment, the companies willing to put in the brainwork will have an edge by getting started now. No more excuses. Get up off your couch. Let’s get mobile!
For more insights into the mobile app industry, follow us on Twitter,Facebook, LinkedIn.

So, if you don’t know where to get started with a blueprint for your app, Rocket Farm Studios can take the pressure off.

Schedule a consultation today.

We Met the Woz and it Was Glorious

May 7, 2015
 
Dan Katcher

#IoT Hackathon! (The Conclusion!)

 It was a big week for us on the Farm.  First, we won the smart agriculture category of PTC’s ThingWorx Hackathon as noted in our previous post.  Then, we got to go onstage and meet the Woz himself!
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Yes – deep down we’re disappointed that we didn’t win the grand prize, but we are immensely grateful that we placed second overall!  All in all, it was a tremendous experience and we’re really thankful to PTC for putting on a great conference and a great, and fun, Hackathon. And to Steve Wozniak for being awesome and also signing our Red Sox baseball.IMG_6673
And then on Wednesday, our client Yankee Candle presented at LiveWorx (the conference that encompassed the Hackathon) and pre-announced their new division and product line calledScentSystems.  Yankee is focused on hotels and retail outlets and we’re thrilled to have helped them with both the backend IoT cloud work on PTC’s platform as well as the app design & development.  The Yankee Candle work is an amazing convergence of smart devices, cloud services, and mobile, and we’ll have more to say about our collaboration with this amazing company soon!  Stay tuned.

So, if you don’t know where to get started with a blueprint for your app, Rocket Farm Studios can take the pressure off.

Schedule a consultation today.