Road Map to an App How to Create Mobile Applications

Road Map to an App How to Create Mobile ApplicationsCredit Shutter_M/Shutterstock The need for a mobile presence is growing increasingly important for todays businesses.Mobile applications are one option businesses have when trying to connect with customers and clients on their smartphones and tablets. Recent research revealed that the average time people spend using mobile apps has increased 21 percent in last year and that 85 percent of consumers prefer using mobile apps to mobile websites.Andrew Gazdecki, CEO of Bizness Apps, a do-it-yourself (DIY) service that lets entrepreneurs build their own apps, said mobile apps are unique because the consumer chooses to download them. This is clear sign that the customers have an interest in your products or services, he said.Mobile apps are one of the best ways to increase customer loyalty, engagement, commerce, scheduling and communication, Gazdecki told Business berichterstattung Daily.Before jumping right in to the process and building an app, the first question you need to answer is whether doing so will benefit your customers, said Michael LaVista, the founder and CEO of Caxy, a Web application development firm that specializes in mobile app development.If a business can make ordering easier with an app, or allow checking on status with an app, or deliver something customers want through an app, then its worth investing in, LaVista said. Having an app to have an app isnt worth it on its own.Nicholas Acua, co-founder of the mobile development firm Ebbex, agreed that you dont just build an app because you see everyone else doing it.That is the completely the wrong way of thinking about it, Acua said. If your business is going to create an app, it has to bring value for your customers.If you do have an idea for a mobile app that your customers would find useful, you have two ways in which you can create it use a DIY online service or hire a digital firm or consultant to develop it for yo u.Its notlage that one is better than the other, Acua said. It all depends on what you want to build.Do-it-yourself servicesSmall businesses can use a variety of online services to create mobile apps on their own. These platforms provide entrepreneurs with the tools to create and publish mobile apps.Whats especially appealing about these types of services is that you dont need any tech or coding experience to use them. These services provide everything you need, including step-by-step instructions on how to design an app that best suits your needs. How to Choose a DIY Mobile App Maker While most DIY mobile app services allow you to build apps for both iOS and Android devices, many of the services also provide the tools to create apps for Windows phones and BlackBerrys.Two other major benefits of using DIY services are how quickly apps can be built and how little they cost. It typically takes less than an hour to build an app with these services. Most of the services dienstgrad a mon thly fees, which can range anywhere from $1 to a couple hundred dollars, depending on the type of app you build. The monthly charge includes the cost of hosting the app each month and of making sure it gets placed properly in the app stores of your choosing.The major downside to these services is that you cant build a fully custom app for a unique purpose, Gazdecki said.For example, if your business is a social network or youre looking to create a game, youd need to look into custom development, he said.Magaly Chocano, founder of app creator SwebApps, said the creation process should begin with entrepreneurs defining their goals. Businesses need to ask themselves whether the app will be an extension of a product or a tool for their consumers to stay connected, she said.Once the business determines the level of complexity they are seeking, then you can decide whether a build-your-own platform suffices or if you need to have a custom app built, Chocano said.But, in general, DIY servic es are a great way to enter the mobile space, Chocano said.It allows you to take a peek at what you can do without too much expense, she said.Hire a developerIf you need a mora sophisticated mobile app that offers users more functionality, youll likely need to hire a development firm to do the bulk of the work.Developers will work with you to determine what kind of app will best fit your needs, and then will do all of the work designing and building it.Depending on the complexity of the app being built, it often makes more sense to hire an experienced development firm or consultant.Unless your company is a software company, youre probably much better at making widgets, delivering services or something else, LaVista said. Working with a firm that understands software and understands mobile will get you to market faster and more successfully than trying to figure out a brand new business on your own.Hiring a developer to do the work for you does come with a significant cost. Mobile-ap p firms and consultants can cost anywhere from a few thousand dollars to as much as hundreds of thousands of dollars.Custom apps are likely to cost $25,000 at the low end and go up quickly with more features, LaVista said.The price really depends on how luxurious you want your app to be, Acua said.We liken it to buying a car, Acua said of the different price levels, noting that you can get, for example, a Toyota, Kia or Mercedes. leid all apps are created equal.When hiring a development firm, you also need to consider the length of time it takes to complete a project. These projects are not quickly turned around in a matter of weeks, and these types of firms or consultants can take anywhere from a couple months to longer than a year to finish a custom mobile app.One real plus of having an expert build your mobile app is that such professionals typically work on the project long after the initial launch. The likelihood that a mobile app will be perfect once upon its initial release i s slim. Mobile development firms typically work with clients, usually for an added cost, after an app is up and zustromning to see whats working and what is not. Once that is determined, the firm will go back and make changes so you can release an updated version that better fits your customers needs.When hiring a developer, there are several things you should consider. First and foremost, check out the companies the developer has worked with in the past.A reference check really says it all, LaVista said. It tells you what a company is like to work with.You also want to look for a firm or consultant that is going to spend time up front learning about your business and customers. Acua advised shying away from firms that quickly say they can do what you want, without first understanding what you really need.If they dont seek to understand what your objective is, then run away, Acua said.You also want to consider pricing when hiring a developer. While everyone aims to get the best pric e possible, sometimes being quoted a cost that is well below everyone elses offer can be a red flag.If its really cheap, its too good to be true, Acua said.You should also take into account what type of mobile apps the firm has created in the past, how those mobile apps look and operate, the type of payment plan the company requires, if the firm will work on updates after the launch, and whether they will provide you with the source code after finishing the project.Types of applicationsThe apps most people are familiar with are business-to-customer applications. These include apps that are mobile versions of a company website, apps that influence interaction between a business and customers, or fun apps that draw attention to a businesss brand.A mobile application is not a scattered absatzwirtschaft ploy, Gazdecki said. Its rather a platform that allows a business owner to cultivate existing relationships and turn regular customers into brand advocates.In addition to business-to-con sumer applications, some businesses create apps solely for internal use among their employees. These types of apps can be used to help boost productivity or increase communication.Regardless of the way you choose to develop your app or what its used for, it is important to remember that an app isnt just something you launch and then never touch again.Acua said that companies too often underestimate what owning an app takes beyond development.Do you have the staff, time and resources to see it through? he asked. It its successful, it takes on a life of its own.This story was originally published in 2010 and updated August 26, 2015. Additional reporting by Brian Anthony Hernandez. Chad Brooks Chad Brooks is a Chicago-based writer and editor with nearly 20 years in media. A 1998 journalism graduate of Indiana University, Chad began his career with Business News Daily in 2011 as a freelance writer. In 2014, he joined the staff full time as a senior writer. Before Business News Daily, Chad spent nearly a decade as a staff reporter for the Daily Herald in suburban Chicago, covering a wide array of topics including local and state government, crime, the legal system and education. Chad has also worked on the other side of the media industry, promoting small businesses throughout the United States for two years in a public relations role. His first book, How to abflug a Home-Based App Development Business, was published in 2014. He lives with his wife and daughter in the Chicago suburbs. 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53 Fun Ice Breakers to Help You Kick off a Successful Meeting

53 Fun Ice Breakers to Help You Kick off a Successful Meeting Kicking off a staff meeting withcreative ice breakersand gruppe building activities does mora than, well, break the ice. It can be inclusive for new gruppe members, offer a bit of levity before a tense meeting, help coworkers to see each other as something other than just people who share the same amtsstube space, and is generally fun (if not taken too seriously). Remember,colleagues who laugh together, work better together. Ice breakers may even give you better insight into the sekretariat hermit, or a more nuanced understanding of your boss. The trick is finding inventive conversation starters that serve the team leaders mission, yet dont take too much time away from the meeting itself.Need a good meeting icebreaker or two for your next conference room shindig? Here are some suggestionsBreakers for Big GroupsThese simple questions will take up less time than a full-onice breaker game, especially if youve got a lot of peo ple to go through. But they will still offer an amusing peak into your colleagues palateWhat is your favorite ice cream flavor?What is your favorite food?What do you cook better than anyone else?What is your favorite candy bar?What would you want your last meal to be?What dish did your mom make better than any others?Breakers for Medium-Sized GroupsMaking small talk isnt always easy. But abit of sharing isnt a bad thing, provided it doesnt get out of hand. If you have a decent amount of people, but not too many that itll take up too much time, these are good questions to break the ice. These ice breaker questions may help you see your coworkers as actualhuman beings(and isnt that the goal of team building?)If you could choose your forever age, what would it be and why?Who is the fruchtwein influential partie in your life and why?Whats the one thing in life you wish you had handled differently?What was the best day of your life and why?Name one missed opportunity that might have chan ged your life.What was your favorite song in high school and what memory is associated with it?Whats the biggest challenge you currently face?Breakers for Small GroupsThese ice breaker questions are conversation starters that may tell you a little more about your coworker than you wanted to know. Or, perhaps these icebreakers will give you some great insight into who you cube-dwell with. You may even have an ah-ha moment or two. Theyre great for smallergroups who work a lot together and really should get to know each other well.If you woke up tomorrow as an animal, which one would it be and why?What were the characteristics of the best boss you ever had and why?What talent do you have that you wish you could use in the office?How are you underutilized in your department?Whats your best secret for getting through a tough Monday?What famous person could take your place in the office?If money werent a consideration, what new skill or hobby would you pick up?What are the five essential qualities of a work culture that makes you feel engaged?What are you going to do when you retire?Breakers for Very Small, Intimate GroupsWed suggest employing these more personal questions only if your office has a particularly share-friendly culture. Theyre great for really intimate groups who work together on pretty much everything and should know eachother inside and out. Otherwise, theres a good chance you could generate a few raised eyebrows with these.Why did you choose the name you did for your child?If there is a heaven, who would you most like to call there?What do you do when you feel fear?Which childhood book did you never forget?When did you first feel like an adult?Who is your personal muse?Whats your favorite thing about yourself?Who is your hero and why?Share a personal fact no one would ever guess about you.Breakers for EveryoneThese breakers are just pure fun. Theymay work to lighten the mood and break tension before an important meeting. A slightly obvious, but imp ortant, reminder you should be laughingwithyour colleagues, notatthem. Play nice, peopleAre you known for making a pitch-perfect animal noise, and could you give it a try?Would you rather be President of the United States or a rock star?What is your favorite guilty pleasure TV Show?What famous person might you have been in a prior life and why?Which famous person would you never want to meet?What is the weirdest thing in your purse or pocket and why do you carry it?If you could only vacation in one location for the rest of your life, where would it be and why?Have you ever won a trophy or medal, and what for?Would you prefer to travel forward in time, or back?Now that weve gone over some different kinds of icebreaker questions you can use for kicking meetings off, lets take it the next level of true team building fun ice breaker gamesYoull need to divvy up your colleagues into groups for these how many to a group is dependent on the size of your office, of course, but anywhere from 5-10 people in each group is suggested. The point of an ice breaker activity is to generate intimacy and camaraderie, and this is more easily done in smaller, more manageable groups.Ice Breaker GamesHere are some funny conversation starters in the form of games.1. Common CourtesyThis game, played in groups, is all about determining which group has the most things in common. Obvious, banal things like body parts and gender, for instance arent allowed. Each team will have to get creative, and get to talking, to learn 10 things all participants share in common before the other teams do (or before the clock runs out). At the end of game, each team will reveal their commonalities to the larger group.2. Which Would You RatherHave each group sit in a circle, identify a point person within each group, and hand that person a list of the following Which Would You Rather icebreaker questions (plus some of your own, too). For the next 10 or so minutes, let them take it from thereWould you rat her Have to listen to Nickleback or Maroon 5 for the rest of your life?Would you rather Live in a penthouse in a big city or in a haus on the beach?Would you rather Always have to say every single thing you think, or never be able to speak again?Would you rather Have the hiccups for your rest of your life, or always feel like you have to sneeze (without actually sneezing)?Would you rather Be famous when youre alive but forgotten after you die, or unknown when youre alive but famous for forever after?Would you rather Be able to see the future, or be able to re-do the past?Would you rather Be swelteringly hot, or be artically cold?Would you rather Be able to fly, or be able to breathe underwater?Would you rather Be able to fly anywhere for free anytime you wanted, or have your tab permanently covered at all restaurants?3. Hidden Talent ShowIn this ice breaker activity, participants have to not only divulge their secret talent, but demonstrate it, too, in a 30-second, speed-round talen t show. Not only is it simple and a great icebreaker, but its bound to bring out the humor of those on your team, too.4. WhodunitGet some post-it notes, and have each person in the group write down one thing theyve done in life that most people wouldnt necessarily guess. Then, put the paper in a hat and shuffle it up. Pass the hat around, have each person draw a post-it note and try to guess which group member did that thing (is the title of this ice-breaker game making more sense now?). Let the revelatory conversation begin5. Candy Crushin ItFor this fun icebreaker game, youll need a big bowl of multi-colored MMs. Assign any one of the aforementioned questions to a particular color (itll probably help if you write down the question-color correlations for everyone to see, too). Then, go around in a circle and have people draw out their candy/question. Hopefully there arent any major germaphobes in your office though if there are, that could also serve as an ice breaker too, in a wa yAll of these should certainly work as meeting icebreakers, but they have to be used wisely and in a controlled way there shouldnt be any crying involved with ice breakers. But a few laughs, some clues into your boss and coworkers psyches, and a little fun can be just the ticket to instant team building and a better, more collaborative staff meeting. And afterward, it might make life a little better back at the cube-farm, as well--Donna is a freelance writer with a particular interest in the issues, struggles, loves, and dreams of women. She writes all about it on her blog, alovelyinconsequence.blogspot.com.