The Move to Mobile

Kathleen Caldwell, Pine Tree Legal Assistance Abhijeet Chavan, Urban InsightGwen Daniels, Illinois Legal Aid OnlineLiz Keith, Pro Bono Net

2012 TIG Conference

Road Map

1. How are clients using mobile phones?2. What is a mobile strategy -- and why do you

need one?3. Optimizing mobile content 4. Mobile apps 5. SMS / text messaging 6. Q&A

Defining “mobile” • Mobile websites – Websites with layout, content, and design optimized for

browsing on mobile devices.

• Mobile “apps” – Downloadable applications that run on a smartphone or mobile device.

• SMS/text messaging – Text messages to/from a mobile phone. Limited to 160 characters.

• Other mobile strategies - multi-media messaging (MMS), mobile advertising, integrated voice response (IVR)

So long, landlines

• Which state has the most cell-phone only households?

A. MississippiB. IowaC. California

Phossil / Flickr

So long, landlines

In 10 states, at least 30% of adults rely solely on cell phones

• Mississippi • Arkansas• Colorado• Idaho• Kentucky• Nebraska• North Dakota • Oklahoma • Oregon • Texas

Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Wireless Substitution, 2009

Cell Phone & Smartphone Adoption by Household Income

What % of adults in households with incomes less than $10,000 have cell phones?

a. 52%b. 66%c. 74%d. 81%

What % of adults in households with incomes less than $10,000 have smartphones?

a. 18%b. 21%c. 28%d. 34%

Cell Phone & Smartphone Adoption by Household Income

What % of adults in households with incomes less than $10,000 have cell phones?

c. 74%

What % of adults in households with incomes less than $10,000 have smartphones?

b. 21%

Source: Pew Internet & American Life Project, 35% of American adults own a smartphone 2011

Going mobile

• What % of web traffic came from mobile devices in 2011?

A. 3%B. 7%C. 15%

Source: Pew Internet & American Life Project, 35% of American adults own a smartphone 2011

Smartphone ownership

How are people using their devices?

Source: Pew Internet & American Life Project, Americans and their cell phones 2011

How are people using their devices?

Total U.S. Mobile Subscribers (Smartphone & Non-Smartphone) Ages 13+Source: comScore MobiLens

“25% of Smartphone owners are Mobile-only

Users”

How are people using their devices?

“Smartphone owners under the age of 30, non-white smartphone users, and smartphone owners with

relatively low income and education levels are particularly likely to say that they mostly go online

using their phone.”

Source: Pew Internet & American Life Project, 35% of American adults own a smartphone 2011

Developing a Developing a Mobile StrategyMobile Strategy

Mobile LawHelpMobile LawHelp

Project Background

2011 TIG to Montana Legal Services Association, with project partners Colorado Legal Services, Northwest Justice Project and Pro Bono Net

Montana: large, rural state 560 miles E to W, 320 miles N to S

Few private lawyers in rural areas to assist; “no” rural pro bono lawyers

MLSA: few offices and staff - 6 “offices”

MontanaLawHelp.org!

Partners looked at client usage of mobile devices for finding online information

• Do client use mobile devices for online legal information?

• What types of mobile devices are they using?

Client surveysPartner staff anecdotal data

Clients use smartphones to access online information

Partners agreed that building with a focus on smartphones was appropriate

• Pro Bono Net: technological design and development

• MLSA/CLS/NJP: content template development

Development approach

• Development consistence of two pieces– The Core Web Application Delivery– The Content Delivery (example, resources and

Organization from LawHelp)• In the LawHelp CMS, admins will have the option to tag

and configure content for display on the mobile version• Developing mobile-specific resource templates• Available to all 27 LawHelp states after a pilot stage in

MT this spring

Design Previews

Open AdvocateOpen Advocate

Mobile AppsMobile Apps

Why Mobile Apps?

•Exponential growth in smartphone use

•Opens up access to native phone features like contacts, GPS, maps apps, accelerometer, network states

•Opens up another way to reach users via App stores

•Depending on the app, can support offline modes

How We Did It

•Start with content and other data in the statewide website platform

•Build a mobile interface using CSS, JavaScript, and HTML5, with jQuery Mobile

•Bridge the two using JSON to transfer data in and out

•Use PhoneGap to connect via JavaScript to native functionality

•Add PhoneAnalytics to interact with Google Analytics

•Wrap in a native app wrapper

•Sign and submit the app

Illinois Legal Aid App

60505

Illinois Pro Bono App

Legal Aid News AppUses Custom Google News

feeds to create custom

newspaper for legal aid news

Legal Aid Finder App

•Allows users to find a local legal aid office by state

Content Considerations

•Work with what you have

•Simple, short is ideal for mobile

Content Considerations

•May need to restructure existing content

•A mobile app isn't the same as a mobile web site; it doesn't have to have all your content

•Some formats (HotDocs) don't work on mobile

•Some formats (Flash and video) require extra work to make mobile-ready

Tech considerations

•Think about how the app integrates with other systems: Analytics, feedback, content management, website

•Plan if and how you will support offline users

•Plan for ongoing support

•Review the app developer guidelines

Lessons Learned

• Identify the purpose of the app, what content it will use as early in the process possible

•Pay attention to the landscape-what was true when we started wasn't when we ended

•There is no such thing as cross-platform apps; each platform has its quirks

•Mobile devices are a lot slower than computers

•Test on a real device as early as possible

•Plan for the launch

Mobile app vs. Mobile website

Cost Comparisons

App development Website Development

100 – 200 hours 10-20 hours

$10,000 - $20,000 $1,000-$2,000

Volume of content vs. Specific function

Mobile App Mobile web

“We can satisfy 80% of traffic with 25-30 pieces of our content.”

Deliver a large portion of your content.

“Do one thing well.”

Need to do some reconfiguration to satisfy smaller devices.

Developer Considerations

• App frameworks where HTML was 10 years ago

•New versions of Android and iOS since ILAO app went on Apple shelves in October 2011

•Technology behind mobile websites much more developed and stable

Apps vs. WebSummary

Mobile Apps Mobile WebsitesOff-line access Less expensive to develop

Only way to access native phone functionality

Older, therefore, more developer-friendly development environment

Newest and coolest Can accommodate more content

Resources• http://www.phonegap.com-provides connection between JavaScript

and native phone functions

• http://www.jquerymobile.com-provides user interface framework

• http://developer.apple.com-Apple's developer portal; $99 per year

• http://www.android.com/developers-Android developer portal; $25 to publish

• http://www.illinoislegalaid.org/apps

• http://www.illinoisprobono.org/apps

• http://itunes.apple.com/app/id482957565?mt=8 -Legal Aid News

CitizenshipWorks.orgCitizenshipWorks.orgSMS Pilot and Mobile AppSMS Pilot and Mobile App

CitizenshipWorks.org

National Immigration Legal Services Directory

► Users can text a keyword, e.g. “CitizenshipWorks,” to a short code to subscribe.

► Then text their zip and address to get info about nearest provider

► Information provided will use data from the Immigration Legal Services Directory and include a link to Citizenshipworks.org

► Campaign can be tied to specific outreach activities – e.g. ad on bus can use a different keyword, or a keyword in different language

CitizenshipWorks SMS Pilot

► Ongoing messaging and segmenting can help track user’s needs and progress

► Pilot is using the Mobile Commons M-Data platform (http://www.mobilecommons.com)

► PBN is developing an interface between the Immigration Legal Services Directory and Mobile Commons platform to provide up-to-date data

► Funded by the Knight Foundation

► Launching in spring 2012 in English and Spanish in targeted cities

CitizenshipWorks SMS Pilot

► Mobile application to provide access to the CitizenshipWorks Immigration Legal Services Directory and information about the naturalization process, e.g., Q&A piece to test user’s familiarity with the civics questions or practice English.

► Launching mid-2012 in English and Spanish

► Funded the Knight Foundation

► Contact Matthew Burnett, IAN Director, to learn more: mburnett@immigrationadvocates.org

CitizenshipWorks Mobile App

ResourcesResources• Pew Internet & American Life Project http://pewinternet.org• comScore Digital Omnivores,

http://www.comScore.com/DigitalOmnivores • LSNTAP’s Mobile Web Guide

http://lsntap.org/Mobile_Web_Developer_Intro• Mobile Active - http://www.mobileactive.org• Mobile Commons - http://www.mobilecommons.com• Technology Initiative Grants (TIG) – http://tig.lsc.gov

Please Submit Your Session Evaluation

http://svy.mk/TIGEval from your laptop, smartphone, or tablet

Session Title:The Move to Mobile:

Mobile Web, Native Apps and Mobile Strategies

Or Enter This Session Code:MMMW

(You can also still submit a paper evaluation.)