Developing a New Product: Start With Mobile

The mobile is taking over the usual desktops and laptops, the number of users accessing Internet from cellphones is increasing. Hence, we see most of the websites, have been made compatible for the mobile or have created their own mobile app.

The common approach I found in startups, recruitment starts with looking for developers to get started with ruby, Python or PHP, then comes in the Sys Admin and then starts the construction of a web app or site.

What’s the idea?

New age entrepreneurs very well know the importance of mobile, they can’t ignore it. If you are just building an information website or blog, you’ll just need to make it compatible for mobiles, that’s not a difficult task, there are service available like mobify and dudamobile. But if your idea is a web app, social network, news, media, SaaS or PaaS, then you clearly need a mobile app. Why am I pressing on initiating with mobile? Because it is more difficult than building the web app, and as an entrepreneur you know that eventually you’ll have to bring your app to the mobile turf, so why not tackle the hard part first.

Planning:

Planning the UX for your mobile app will be a tough challenge, the app needs to be easy to use, soothing, and fast. Also you need to plan for all mobile platforms, particularly the 3, iPhone, android and blackberry. The more platforms covered, the more will be the user base. Note, importantly, don’t rush, planning the UX, Designing, Development, Database, architecture, flow, is an arduous undertaking. Go steady, set every step firm, before taking the next.

Who’s needed in the crew:

The Sys Admin will surely be required in any case. Sys Admins play a crucial role in smooth functioning of your site or app on the web. They are the linchpin, between the developer, webmaster and the server. The Sys Admins I found in startups and mid sized firms, take care of web servers, database, the office network, OS issues as well as desktop and laptop issues. Some companies have special database admins to manage and take care of the database. But, yes, a Sys Admin will be needed.

Now, searching for developers to work on iPhone, Android and Blackberry platforms. I never found a single guy who works or has experience of working on all 3 platforms, there’s always separate developers for each one. So, you realize, the search and recruitment will be a work at the salt mines.

Mobile conquered:

When you are done with the mobile app, if you pause for a moment and think, most of the foundation, the critical and important parts, have been covered. The database, the architecture and servers, have been set. Now, planning for the web should be much easier.

Let me know what you think in the comments below.

photo source: byte