so you think you can app?
TRANSCRIPT
So You Think You Can App: Getting from idea to market with limited resources
Clayton A Davis
Kinsey Reporter, Indiana University
April 6-8, 2014 San Francisco, CA
Annual Conference on Youth + Tech + Health
• Mobile survey platform to share, explore, and visualize anonymous data about sex
A Bit About Kinsey Reporter
• Mobile survey platform to share, explore, and visualize anonymous data about sex
• Reports are submitted via smartphone
A Bit About Kinsey Reporter
• Mobile survey platform to share, explore, and visualize anonymous data about sex
• Reports are submitted via smartphone • Survey topics range from sexual activity and flirting to
contraceptive side effects and unwanted experience
A Bit About Kinsey Reporter
• Mobile survey platform to share, explore, and visualize anonymous data about sex
• Reports are submitted via smartphone • Survey topics range from sexual activity and flirting to
contraceptive side effects and unwanted experience • Data can be downloaded from the website or explored
using our visualization tools
A Bit About Kinsey Reporter
• Mobile frontend • Android / iOS app
• Web frontend • Website
• Backend • Database
• Glue • Public and private APIs
The KR “App” is Really Four Parts…
• Mobile UX/UI designer • Mobile developer • Web UX/UI designer • Web developer • Database/API architect • Database administrator • Content (survey) designer • PR and Advertising
…And About Eight Jobs…
• Not funded by grants • Small budget • Zero full-time researchers • Very few RAs
• Small development team • The maximum was three
• Android, iOS, web/backend • Currently one. Just this guy.
…On Limited Resources
• Two PIs • Fil Menczer, Informatics • Julia Heiman, Kinsey Institute
• Collaboration with Kinsey Institute • Excellent technology support at IU
We Get by With a Little Help From our Friends
• Mobile UX/UI designer • Mobile developer • Web UX/UI designer • Web developer • Database/API architect • Database administrator • Content (survey) designer • PR and Advertising
The Jobs Again
3pillarglobal.com
• Spend time designing mobile interfaces before implementing them
• Do not skip this step • Users are quick to point out pain points in the interface
• You will get more feedback than you think • Use paper mockups if you need to
• Use common interface elements and metaphors
Mobile UX/UI Design
• Mobile UX/UI designer • Mobile developer • Web UX/UI designer • Web developer • Database/API architect • Database administrator • Content (survey) designer • PR and Advertising
The Jobs Again
Sparsolu3ons.com
• You probably don’t need a native app • Web/hybrid apps have many benefits:
• Many platforms, one codebase • Fewer developers needed!
• Required skills are more broadly useful • iOS uses Objective C, Android uses a Java SDK • Web/hybrid apps are written in HTML5 and Javascript
• Cost is decreased performance • “Premature optimization is the root of all evil” – Knuth
Mobile Development
• Mobile UX/UI designer • Mobile developer • Web UX/UI designer • Web developer • Database/API architect • Database administrator • Content (survey) designer • PR and Advertising
The Jobs Again
studio631.com
• Do as little “design” as possible • Logo • Color scheme • Interactive elements
• Leave the rest up to a web framework • Bootstrap • Foundation • Ink
Web UX/UI Design
• Mobile UX/UI designer • Mobile developer • Web UX/UI designer • Web developer • Database/API architect • Database administrator • Content (survey) designer • PR and Advertising
The Jobs Again
exposedata.com
• Use 3rd-party APIs when possible for rapid development
• Google Charts, Visualization API • Google Maps
Web Development
• Use 3rd-party APIs when possible for rapid development
• Google Charts, Visualization API • Google Maps
• But then migrate away from 3rd party APIs • They can change, leaving you stranded • D3.js is the current “gold standard” for interactive graphics
• Steep learning curve • Nvd3 is an easier-to-use wrapper for common visualizations
Web Development
• Use 3rd-party APIs when possible for rapid development
• Google Charts, Visualization API • Google Maps
• But then migrate away from 3rd party APIs • They can change, leaving you stranded • D3.js is the current “gold standard” for interactive graphics
• Steep learning curve • Nvd3 is an easier-to-use wrapper for common visualizations
• Eat your own dogfood
Web Development
• Mobile UX/UI designer • Mobile developer • Web UX/UI designer • Web developer • Database/API architect • Database administrator • Content (survey) designer • PR and Advertising
The Jobs Again
Reports Surveys
Ques3ons Tags
1:N
1:N
N:M
• Write your queries first • This should inform architecture decisions
• NOT the other way around! • Doing useful work quickly is more important than
theoretical “correctness” • But those rules exist for a reason
• You probably don’t have “big data” • SQL is a proven backend solution
Database/API Architecture
• Mobile UX/UI designer • Mobile developer • Web UX/UI designer • Web developer • Database/API architect • Database administrator • Content (survey) designer • PR and Advertising
The Jobs Again
• Outsource it if you can • Hosted database solutions abound
• Open-source databases are excellent • MySQL • PostgreSQL
Database Administration
• Mobile UX/UI designer • Mobile developer • Web UX/UI designer • Web developer • Database/API architect • Database administrator • Content (survey) designer • PR and Advertising
The Jobs Again
rulestoolsfools.com
• Beware of choice paralysis • Attention span, working memory are incredibly short • Max 5-7 choices at a time
• App stores and advertisers are total prudes • Any potentially objectionable keywords will get red-flagged • Usually no human oversight in the flagging process
Content Design
• Mobile UX/UI designer • Mobile developer • Web UX/UI designer • Web developer • Database/API architect • Database administrator • Content (survey) designer • PR and Advertising
The Jobs Again
brown-‐pr.com
• Citizen science is popular • People like to contribute • Social media is key for creating community dialog
• But social attention doesn’t last without sustained effort • Media coverage is a double-edged sword
• Gets you attention and mindshare • Can sometimes overstate controversy
• Targeting an audience is tricky • The most receptive audience might not be your target
PR and Advertising
• Mobile UX/UI designer • Mobile developer • Web UX/UI designer • Web developer • Database/API architect • Database administrator • Content (survey) designer • PR and Advertising
The Jobs
animacenter.org
• There are multiple jobs to be done, most in parallel • You will probably be understaffed • Knowing what tasks need to be done gives you time
• To find people to fill gaps in the team • To learn the skills needed to fill gaps
You’re Going to Wear Many Hats
animacenter.org
Acknowledgements Principal Investigators
Fil Menczer, SoIC & CNetS Julia Heiman, Kinsey Institute
Contact Kinsey Reporter kinseyreporter.org facebook.com/KinseyReporter
Clayton A Davis [email protected] clayadavis.net @clayadavis on Twitter