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Usability audit of mobile applications
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Andrew Douglas

Companies often create their own mobile application, but it does not live up to expectations: users quickly delete the service, give low ratings in the marketplace, and the conversion falls every month. Wasted budget and resources seem to be in vain. A UX audit can cope with such a problem: professional developers, designers and marketers will objectively evaluate the interface, find errors and help make the service popular.

We at AppCraft have been developing mobile applications for more than 10 years and tell us what it is for and how the audit process goes.

What is the analysis of a mobile application for?

UX audit helps to find weaknesses that prevent a person from reaching the target action. For example, an online store has an inconvenient filter for searching for products, and the order button is too small and inconspicuous in color – this can cause a large churn of users at the selection stage.

During usability testing, each element is checked: buttons, search bars, personal account, navigation, data storage and security, screen structure, color schemes, etc. An objective and careful analysis will help to identify problematic and strengths, priority and unnecessary functions, technical errors and user friendliness.

Practical recommendations will increase user loyalty, add a competitive edge, and increase conversions.

When to apply for an audit

At the stage of prototyping. The most profitable approach from a financial and labor-intensive point of view. An audit in the process of prototyping will allow us to correct most of the errors and bring to the market the most convenient product with a minimum number of edits.

Before launching to the marketplace. A final usability check will help you re-check features and find bugs to avoid a wave of negative reviews after publication.

If you are not satisfied with the indicators. When the application is already launched, but gives a low conversion, works slowly and collects a lot of negative reviews, there is a reason to test the technical part and interface again.

Audit stages

An individual verification process is built for each service, but there are basic stages that each application goes through.

Data collection

At the first stage, interviews with the client about the existing problems and goals are carried out, after which a plan is drawn up to correct the errors.

Information is usually collected through analytics systems and / or focus group polls.

  • If analytics systems are integrated into the application, they study the metrics of interaction, engagement and conversion. The analysis will show how people move within the service, with which functions I interact most often and at what stage they leave.
  • To collect additional information or in the absence of systems, analysts organize focus groups with target users. The respondents are asked to use the app and study their user journey, ask questions and study motivation. A focus group helps to better know the target audience and find solutions to interface problems.

Technical analysis

Problems can be hidden in the code itself. For example, the developers admitted the vulnerability of the code for hacking, problems in the operation of the service and data exchange. Checking the quality of the code and auditing the security of the mobile application will help solve technical problems and improve the interface.

Usability testing

Experts evaluate how convenient it is to use the application: whether the content is clear, whether all the buttons are pressed, how quickly the pages load, and what barriers prevent reaching the target action.

Before contacting the specialists, you can check everything yourself using the questions from the checklist of the usability of the mobile application:

  • How logical is the user’s path. If the goal of the service is to get an order from a customer, it is necessary to build the correct sequence of screens, gradually guiding the person towards the purchase. An illogical page transition, unnecessary actions and an inconvenient interface can alienate a potential client. If there are many competitors on the market with more convenient services, people will simply go to them.
  • Are all elements clear and conveniently sized. Each button must adhere to the guidelines for Android, iPhone or Windows Phone platforms. For example, buttons for iOS smartphones must be at least 7 × 7 mm.
  • Whether a person can easily move between screens. If the interface does not have a button to return to the previous screen and back, or to easily navigate to the main page, usability will clearly suffer.
  • Is there a convenient filter in the search? If there are many positions of different types in the catalog, make it easier for a person to find the desired position.
  • Whether the information is retained after exiting the application. The interface will be more user-friendly if customers automatically save items in the cart after adding or data after technical failures. If you have to re-fill your shopping cart every time you exit, there is a chance you might lose a potential customer.

Design analysis

Outdated style, too invisible elements or unreadable fonts can also create problems in communication with users. During validation, professional designers and technicians examine each element and conduct A / B testing to provide evidence-based conclusions.

Report presentation

After collecting information and conducting tests, the team draws up all the data in a single document and presents it to the customer. Usually the report is divided into directions: technical part, usability, design and content, and at the end they present a technical task that will help the customer to eliminate the shortcomings.

Our team has been developing mobile applications since 2011 and knows what potential customers need. We develop services for banking, corporate social networks, instant messengers and online stores, so we can conduct a UX audit for any company and improve your application.

To learn more and order an audit, fill out the form below. We will contact you shortly.

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Creation of mobile applications for banks: functions, development stages and trends 2021

The development of mobile applications in the financial sector is one of the most popular directions in 2021. According to Insider Intelligence, 89% of banking users use mobile banking – mostly Millennials and Generation X between 20 and 55. The mobile application allows you to completely replace or reduce the load on bank branches, reduce the cost of renting premises and staff, and increase customer loyalty.

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Creation of mobile applications for banks: functions, development stages and trends 2021
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Andrew Douglas

The development of mobile applications in the financial sector is one of the most popular directions in 2021. According to Insider Intelligence, 89% of banking users use mobile banking – mostly Millennials and Generation X between 20 and 55. The mobile application allows you to completely replace or reduce the load on bank branches, reduce the cost of renting premises and staff, and increase customer loyalty.

What tasks does the banking application solve?

Automates processes and saves budget. With the help of the online service, a person can apply for a loan or receive a debit card, download the necessary certificates or ask a question to the chat bot without the participation of bank employees. Thus, the application avoids the factor of human error and saves money on training and maintenance of employees.

Increases loyalty. The opportunity to get any banking service at any time without leaving home gives a good competitive advantage and keeps customers among regular users.

Provides an additional platform for marketing and analytics. In the application, you can inform about new services and changes in work, hold promotions and contests, create a separate loyalty program and send push notifications with an individual offer to each client. The service also provides detailed analytics of user actions: what channels they come from, what functions they use most often, what they spend money on, etc.

Mobile Banking Features

In the process of creating mobile applications for a bank, basic functions with basic banking services are added to the basis and, depending on the preferences of the target audience, additional options are introduced.

The main

  • user authentication and authorization
  • setting up a personal account
  • support chat
  • linking bank cards
  • viewing card and account balances, expense history
  • setting a limit on spending
  • contactless payment
  • money transfers to other cards and accounts
  • replenishment of a mobile phone and housing and communal services
  • currency exchange
  • purchase and sale of securities
  • issuance of account statements, bank details
  • card blocking and unblocking
  • push notifications

Additional

  • budget statistics
  • system of bonuses and cashback for purchases through the application
  • payment by QR code
  • voice menu
  • creating a family account

Trends in the banking application market

Big data

Big Data is a large amount of data that is processed by automated tools and used to collect statistics, make predictions, and make decisions. With Big Data, the bank can analyze customer behavior, create personalized offers and make decisions on loan applications. Companies that learn how to properly sort and manage data will be able to offer better solutions to users.

Complete ecosystems

In recent years, large banks have begun to concentrate entire ecosystems around themselves with proven consumer services. For example, in the Tinkoff bank application, in addition to basic functions, you can buy movie tickets, book a hotel or sign up for an excursion and get cashback. A person does not need to additionally register on each site and fill in the card number: the data is automatically transmitted through the application.

Voice control

The function is actively moving from everyday tasks to banking products. Otkritie Bank and Citibank were the first to add voice control to the application, the rest of the companies are only developing their voice direction. In the future, this will allow you to find the necessary documents in the service, determine the nearest ATM, answer customers’ frequently asked questions and set up regular payments.

Family Products

Opening an account for several people in Russia was legally allowed only in 2018, so products for each family member are just beginning to develop. For example, Tinkoff, Raiffeisenbank and Alfa-Bank have family accounts in applications. Now the market lacks a separate application for children with an educational approach and a separate set of services.

Augmented reality

The technology is still used in a targeted manner and mainly for marketing, but it has a good perspective. For example, VTB mortgage lending clients are offered a virtual tour of a property, and a virtual consultant explains the basics of investing in an app.

Development stages

The AppCraft development studio is attentive to every step: it helps us to accurately determine the client’s needs and create the desired application functionality.

Consulting and analytics

Before starting the development, we conduct interviews with a client, immerse ourselves in business goals, study the audience and communication channels, analyze competitors – this will help to correctly position ourselves with clients.

Preparation of technical specifications

We write down the project goals, interface and security requirements, functionality, development stages, team composition and budget. We sign a contract and start development.

Prototyping

We reproduce the basic logic, structure and functionality of the future application. Typically, the prototype is created in the form of screens at each stage of the user journey. It is not yet a finished product, but it helps to test its functionality in order to fix bugs and improve the user experience at the initial stage.

UX / UI design development

The UX designer builds the logic of interaction between the pages: registration and authorization screens, filling in data, personal account, shopping cart, purchase payment, order tracking, etc.

The UI designer develops the appearance of the future service in accordance with the terms of reference and the client’s corporate style. He selects a color scheme, fonts, renders icons, buttons, push notifications, sliders, etc. After approval, the prototype is sent back for review to correct the shortcomings.

Backend and frontend development

Front-end programmers develop the client interface and platform logic, and back-end developers create a server for storing and exchanging information.

Testing

To test the features, people who have not participated in other stages of development are involved – they must be impartial and with a fresh eye to evaluate every page, button and push notification. To do this, you can involve a professional QA team with their own test plan, list of features and desired behavior. In the process, they test functionality, performance and design. For additional confidence, a focus group is attracted with people who use the application for the first time.

Publication and revision

After launching in the marketplace in the Google Play Store and Apple App Store, you will have access to detailed statistics: which sections are the most popular and which ones are not very popular, how many people completed targeted actions, which pages should be modified, etc. code revision and technical support.

Order the development of an application for a bank can be in AppCraft. We are ready to turn your idea into a full-fledged product that will help maintain communication with customers and increase profits. We deal with all stages of development from analytics to release, help with promotion and provide prompt technical support. For 10 years, we have created several of our own projects and more than 200 mobile applications – banking systems, instant messengers, corporate solutions, e-commerce and social networks.

Contact us via the form to discuss the details and find out the exact price.

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Mobile applications: types and principles of work
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Andrew Douglas

According to eMarketer, people spend more and more time on their phones, and the trend will only grow in the near future – according to forecasts, in 2022 people will sit on smartphones for 4 hours a day, and 88% of this time will be spent in applications. In this article, we analyze the types of mobile applications, how they work and how they differ from websites.

A mobile application is software that can be downloaded to a smartphone or tablet. It all started with simple games on push-button phones, but modern products can cover almost any need: pay taxes, make an appointment with a doctor, find vacancies on demand or a couple for the evening, order food and book a hotel.

If you plan to release your own application, we at AppCraft are ready to develop it and help with marketing – our team has been developing mobile services for more than 10 years and has created more than 200 projects for business. In the meantime, we’ll tell you what applications are and how they work.

Types of mobile applications

By business goals

Internal use

  • Services that optimize the work of employees within the company: corporate social networks and instant messengers, virtual office, cloud storage, etc.

As a marketing tool

  • Loyalty programs: discount aggregators, bonus cards and cashback systems for regular customers.
  • Online business services: programs for making appointments with a doctor, booking tours, hotels, etc. with the ability to conduct banking transactions.

In these cases, the application is used as a tool for implementing a marketing strategy – its interface allows you to send push notifications and reminders encouraging the audience to take advantage of a discount, buy a product, book a room or make an appointment with a doctor.

By appointment

Gaming

Logic tasks, races, quests, quizzes, shooters, children, adults and family games – the possibilities of modern development are almost endless and allow you to create both a simple and a complex multistage virtual reality system.

For e-commerce and service industries

Here we collect everything that helps the company to reach as many potential audience as possible: programs for ordering a taxi, making an appointment with a beautician, buying tickets to the cinema, etc.

Content

They help users to quickly receive relevant content: news from publications and newspapers, blogs with useful articles on psychology, exchanges with exchange rates and stock prices, tasks for language courses.

Social network

Services that help communicate via smartphone and tablet: VKontakte, Instagram, Facebook, Gmail, etc.

By the specifics of work

Native

These are projects that are created for a specific platform, written in its native language and provide all the available capabilities of a smartphone: camera, contact list, GPS, health and sleep data, etc. Services for Android are most often written in Java, for iOS – Swift or objective-С.

Pros: high speed and performance, the ability to implement the maximum set of functions, an intuitive interface, the ability to work without the Internet, a reliable level of security, support from marketplaces.

Cons: high cost and long development process, expensive maintenance.

Mobile web apps

It can be called a site adapted to any phone. The web service can be set as a bookmark in the browser and used regardless of the platform, without downloading to the phone and without wasting memory.

Pros: simple and inexpensive creation process, no need to go through moderation and publish in every marketplace, easy access for users.

Cons: Internet connection required, limited interface, poor performance and speed, push notifications cannot be sent.

Cross-platform

Universal services that are created for two platforms at once: iOS and Android and combine the features of web and mobile applications.

Pros: low cost and high release speed, cross-platform, offline updates.

Cons: the speed is lower than that of the native ones, incorrect work in the case of a bad Internet, limited visual capabilities.

How mobile apps work

How do they differ from websites

Mobile services are more difficult and more expensive to create, but they allow high-quality interaction with users – their costs quickly pay off and help build a loyal audience.

  • Notifications. Through the application, you can send push notifications and reminders, even if the person does not open the service, perform functions in the background and without an Internet connection.
  • Prompt feedback from the company via chat and technical support.
  • Individual service. It is possible to use geolocation, a person’s biological rhythm, data on interests and queries in search engines to offer an individual service: call a car to the house, create a diet and exercise regimen, offer the necessary analyzes taking into account medical history, or find a suitable pair according to interests.
  • It is more convenient to use: the application interface is adapted to user actions and has a clear structure with buttons.
  • Detailed analytics. With the help of statistics in the application, you can analyze the behavior of the target audience, draw up a more detailed portrait of the client and select effective marketing strategies.

Architecture

There are two main blocks here: front-end and back-end parts. They act as a split system and interact with each other, transferring information and ensuring the smooth operation of the product.

Back-end the part is not visible to users, but it is on it that the entire logic of the site rests, data is processed and reactions are sent. Backend developers ensure the correct functioning of the interface, force each button to transfer a person to the desired page, make payments through banking systems and collect data.

Front-end provides the look and feel of the interface that users interact with. These are the design of pages, buttons, push notifications and other graphic elements, a map of the user’s journey and interaction with functions.

In which programming languages ​​are they created

Java

Most of the Android apps in the Google Play Market are written on it.

Java is used for development for Android, cross-platform and hybrid interfaces, but in the latter two cases, you will need to use other languages ​​to take into account the specifics of each operating system.

Kotlin

It was created to overcome the shortcomings of Java and is used to write code for almost all new services on Android.

Objective C

It began to be used in the 80s of the 20th century. It was built on top of C and Smalltalk, and in 2008 Apple released the iPhone SDK 2.0, allowing you to create programs for iOS. At first it was considered an add-on to C, but when NextStep and Apple licensed it, Objective C became the official language of all iOS interfaces.

Swift

Swift has not only adopted all the advantages of Objective C, but also has been endowed with new features that make it easier to write and implement code.

Rust

Rust began in 2006 by developer Graydon Hoare, who wanted to combine the speed of C ++ with the robustness of Haskell. In 2009, Mozilla joined him, and a year later he was presented at the Mozilla Summit. Rust is now one of the most popular among developers. Used to create native and web applications on Android, iOS, Linux, Windows and Unix.

WITH#

Used primarily for Windows Mobile, but recently C # has learned to work on Mac, Linux, IoS and Android. Due to its convenient syntax, strict structuring and a large number of libraries and tools, you can write different types of interfaces on it and solve any problems with less time and resources.

When is it necessary for a business

If users use a phone more often than a computer. You can track statistics through Yandex.Metrica or Google Analytics. If more than 50% of customers visit your site via a smartphone, this is a sign for action: provide users with convenient conditions for ordering, before competitors do it.

There is a loyalty system. Replace plastic cards and paper coupons with stickers with a convenient online service (ideally, it will work even without the Internet). Offer customers an electronic bonus card with points, a discount for downloading the application, and a convenient personal account for tracking activity.

Competitors are already using the app. If the market has already begun to use mobile technologies, it is definitely not worth waiting for. Explore the offers of other companies, come up with additional features for your own product and start developing so as not to lose customers.

We need new sales tools. The service allows you to implement marketing campaigns: hold sweepstakes and promotions, talk about new products and services, remind you to register and offer individual conditions for each person.

Application creation – a complicated process, but in the hands of an experienced team, everything is created quickly without loss of quality and at every stage is tested on a real target audience.

The AppCraft team deals with all stages of development: from analytics to release, provides prompt code improvement and technical support.

Over 10 years of work, we have created several of our own projects and more than 200 applications – messengers, corporate social networks, systems for banking products and online stores. If you want to create your own mobile business application, we are ready to turn your idea into a functional and popular product.

Contact us via the form to discuss the details and find out the exact price.

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Development of mobile applications for iOS
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Andrew Douglas

According to the App Annie platform, iOS app users spend almost twice as much on the Apple App Store as Android users on the Google Play Store – in the last quarter of 2020, the Apple App Store earned $ 19 billion, and Google Play $ 10.3 billion. …

Apple owners are more solvent, which means that an application on IOS can bring more profit. If you want to attract new customers and make the buying process more convenient, the AppCraft team will develop a product from scratch that will take your business to the next level.

Development of a turnkey IOS mobile application – from 600 thousand rubles to several million rubles.

Who needs IOS app development?

Big business

It systematizes the work of all structures within the company and branches, automates interaction with customers and helps to quickly receive feedback, analyze the effectiveness of employees and eliminate costs.

Online stores

The application will attract buyers and increase the number of repeat sales, allow you to set up individual Push notifications for each user and create an effective loyalty system. The application can be integrated with CRM, enterprise management and accounting systems.

Startups

It will help you quickly attract the target audience and get the first profit, bypass competitors with the help of modern technologies and present your product to potential investors.

Why do you need to develop an application?

  • App Store users download more paid apps than Google Play, so a product with a paid download or in-software purchase will be a profitable investment in your project.
  • The target audience of IOS applications is people with above-average income who are actively buying new solutions on the market.
  • IOS applications allow you to implement a large number of useful functions for different requests.
  • Fast product development time: Apple devices are unified and have fewer versions than Android, so they take less time to build.

Appcraft studio has been developing applications for companies for more than 9 years, their further support and promotion in the App Store. We have assembled an experienced team of developers and marketers who will take into account the specifics of your business and make it convenient for your audience. We are based in Moscow and work with companies throughout Russia.

Order the development of a mobile application for IOS to increase the profit of your business.

Specificity of mobile applications on iOS

The first and main distinguishing feature of ios applications is that the number of devices is much smaller than the number of Android smartphones. This means that it should be easier to adapt the appearance of a mobile application to the current iPhones on the market.

At the same time, with the release of each new device and the update of the operating system, the vast majority of mobile applications need to be adapted to new conditions. App Store statistics show that iPhone users are eager to update to the latest version of the OS. Therefore, applications must comply with its requirements, for example, support the dark theme introduced in devices in 2019.

The diagrams below show that in one month since the presentation of iOS 13, 50% of users have updated to it… This looks especially interesting in comparison with the statistics that we provide in the article on development for Android.

Operating system update statistics on iOS devices as of October 15, 2019

At the same time, the screens of modern iOS devices have a good resolution. This allows the use of thin fonts: they are not distorted, as is the case on low quality displays.

Also, the device architecture of the same type allows not to carry out additional checks at the start of the application: there is no need to check the presence of a camera, GPS sensor or accelerometer.

Features of development and creation of applications for IOS (iphone)

And yet, despite the fact that the base of devices on the iOS platform is much smaller than on Android, there are a lot of nuances of creating and developing applications for the iphone. Design, up-to-date code, and the use of smartphone features in the creation and development of applications for the iphone can greatly increase user loyalty, which will lead to an increase in the rating of the application in the store. But first things first:

When developing applications for ios, it is necessary to take into account not only screen sizes, which is important when designing an application, but also hardware differences of each device…

In our studio, applications are developed in a native way – this is writing a program in the base language for the iOS platform – Swift. Apple strongly recommends using native technologies for the fastest, most intuitive app and the latest operating system features.

Let’s return to the diagrams with update statistics: it turns out that when a new version of the operating system is released, most users are almost immediately updated to it. But the new version may be very different from the previous one, and some functions of the application may not work correctly or not work at all.

Respectively the code needs to be kept up to date, while Apple does not provide a complete list of all the innovations in advance, giving access only to beta versions with unfinished functionality, the implementation of which may differ in the end. Therefore, within a few weeks after the release of the final version of the new OS, you need to test the mobile application and quickly adapt it to the new conditions, if necessary.

Dark Theme Presentation at 2019 Apple WWDC

The addition of new features in the latest versions can be attributed to the same topic, since progress does not stand still, and Apple tries to be in trend, introducing the top inventions of the technology world into its product. For example, in iOS 13, it became possible to forget about entering different applications by phone number or social network account, not to mention the long-forgotten username and password: now you can simply click the “sign in with Apple ID” button and, without filling out anything extra, get into the application. Moreover, the user can choose the option to hide his Apple ID, and no one will get access to his e-mail.

It is important to take this nuance into account not only when developing applications for ios, but also in a marketing strategy, since collecting such data for their further use is a frequent practice in promoting applications. You can send a letter to the pseudo-address generated by Apple for the user through a specialized channel, but mass mailings will not work this way, at least until popular mailing services provide this feature.

Another block of features of developing ios applications from scratch is design… The visual component has always been a priority for Apple, so the audience of users is used to stylish interfaces, intuitive application controls and an obvious layout of sections. Moreover, there is a strict guideline, which must be adhered to in order to successfully pass the verification for publishing an application in the App Store.

Sometimes, when creating a new product, customers ask us to make as many unique icons, buttons and fonts as possible, while the platform requirements are the opposite. But the most important thing here is user experience, and practice shows that the user can get to the profile faster if he is uniquely identified by the icon.

What icons shouldn’t be used in the iOS interface

Another feature of the development of mobile applications for iOS is the implementation of the dynamic size of the system font. IOS device users can change the OS-wide default font size. If your application does not dynamically change the font and displays it at a fixed size all the time, it will be perceived as a low-quality product for this segment of the audience.

When developing a design, it is also important to consider that some users open the application in the mode tablet compatibility… On some iPad models, the resolution of the work area becomes the same as on older iPhone models: 4 and 4s. Apple’s App Review Service often does just that: even iPhone-only apps are checked on the iPad.

This means that you need to consider the layout of the interface of applications and on screen sizes of 960 × 640 pixels, not just on the iPhone 6 and above. Many elements may overlap each other, text will not wrap correctly, etc.

Apple’s App Store Publishing Policy

After you have developed the application yourself or ordered the development of an ios application, the moment of publication comes. The App Store has stringent requirements that must be followed when publishing an app. It is important not only to comply with all style guides when developing a design, but also to ensure the confidentiality of the user’s personal data, the stability of the application during operation and, most importantly, its usefulness.

One of the reasons for the refusal to publish may be that the reviewer considers the application useless, or not useful enough against the background of many similar applications in the App Store. In this case, the functionality of the application should be revised, adding to it, among other things, elements affecting the innovations of the operating system. Such applications are readily passed on, encouraging developers to continue to support the latest OS features.

It is worth noting a number of formal points that are very important to take into account when creating a mobile application for iOS:

  1. To place a product in the App Store, you need to register as a developer, pay a fee of $ 99 per year and correctly fill in all the data about yourself. If you plan to release a product as a legal entity, the registration procedure will take longer, and you need to lay down on this process from a week to a month. Therefore, we advise you to create a developer account as soon as development has started – this will help to place it in the store without unnecessary delays by the time the application is ready for launch.
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  2. It is necessary to prepare materials for the application page: screenshots of a strictly specified format and size (even 1 extra pixel plays a role and pictures will not be accepted), advertising and general description of the application, keywords, privacy policy (write and place the file so that it is accessible by link). And you also need to provide for an easy entrance to the application for verifiers, since if it is necessary to register with a phone number with SMS confirmation, they will not be able to get inside and check the application, and they will immediately reject it. Usually we generate a given phone number and a code by which you can enter the application, bypassing the receipt of SMS.
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  3. The application itself can be validated from one day to a week. In exceptional cases, this period may be longer, but, as a rule, the application is verified within a few days. This is also worth considering when planning a marketing campaign – it is worth leaving a margin between the day of sending for verification and the start of advertising at least a few days.

Apple’s requirements are not limited to the side, for example, placing the button “Download on the App Store” on your landing page is also regulated by the rules, so it will not be possible to paint it in the colors of the product.

Although there are many rules and conditions for placement, you just need to act according to a verified plan and follow the recommendations, then the risk of encountering problems will be reduced to a minimum.

conclusions

When developing ios applications from scratch, it is important to consider the following features:

  1. The device park is relatively small and they have the same architecture – this is good.
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  2. At the same time you need to ensure comfortable work with the interface and on small screens, in compatibility mode with which applications open on tablets.
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  3. Devices are updated to the latest version of the operating system quickly – this is wonderful.
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  4. All current devices use high-resolution Retina display… You can use thin fonts and elements, and not be afraid of their incorrect color or outline display.
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  5. When designing an interface must follow Apple Human Interface Guidelines…
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  6. When publishing an app all requirements of the App Store Review Guidelines must be considered, there are many of them and they are very diverse.
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  7. You need to prepare for publication in advance: it may take 3-4 weeks to get the required DUNS number, check the documents and the application itself.

The list of requirements is quite extensive, in addition, for each type of application it expands into its own specifics, but following these development principles allows us to make really high-quality products. In our studio you can always order the development of ios applications in Moscow and Russia.

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Development of mobile applications for medical centers, medical clinics
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Andrew Douglas

According to a Ricoh Research study, 79% of patients prefer clinics with user-friendly websites and applications – they inspire confidence and help reduce the time to make appointments with doctors and fill out documents. The Russian market for medical IT solutions is just beginning to grow, so a proprietary mobile application will help you differentiate yourself from competitors and increase patient loyalty.

Why does the medical center need an application

Loyalty. A person will more willingly return to places where there is an opportunity to sign up in one click, avoid bureaucracy, chat with a doctor and receive individual discounts.

Analytics. You can upload information for each patient and get statistics on user activity, behavior and service ratings. This will allow you to timely adjust the promotion strategy and service.

Communication with patients. The service interface allows you to collect all information about the hospital in one place, provide a round-the-clock online chat for communication and PUSH messages with reminders, news and special offers.

Automation. The chatbot can collect health complaints, medical history and documents, recommend tests and specialists for diagnosis. During the appointment, the doctor will already have all the information about the person, which will shorten the duration of the consultation and make it more useful.

Marketing. You can implement activities to increase sales: hold sweepstakes, organize promotions, give promotional codes and discounts.

Features of medical mobile applications

Registration

It is important to maintain a balance between expertise, legal aspects and usability. Choose a laconic color scheme in soothing colors, replace complex terms with accessible ones, simplify the user path from filling out a questionnaire to purchasing, and support the person at every stage. The functionality should be simple, even for people 40+ years old.

Remember that the main task is not to replace a professional and scare with complex terms, but to build trusting communication and loyalty.

Privacy and security

When working with personal data, you must take into account the laws and regulations for the storage of information. In Russia, this is the Order of the Ministry of Health on the procedure for depersonalizing information – it is mandatory from a legal point of view. Without observing them, you cannot publish in the Google Play Store and Apple Store.

To make people trust you, tell us about the security of personal documents before filling out your personal account and add the ability to hide your data from staff.

Application types

In the service industry, services are often created for two parties: customers and performers.

Healthcare facilities may have separate areas for doctors and patients.

Specialists can see the patient’s medical history and medical record, keep the work schedule, fill out the cards online, chat and follow the medication prescriptions.
Patients – choose specialists, sign up for consultations and procedures, receive reminders, ask questions to the chat bot and earn bonuses for payment.

What functions can be in the application

The main

  • Personal Area. Fill out a profile, upload a photo, medical card and test results.
  • Family account. Add profiles of the child and close relatives.
  • Appointment… Choose a doctor, date and branch, reschedule or cancel the consultation.
  • Home call. Set a date and address, describe the symptoms of the disease.
  • Payment for services. Top up an account, arrange an installment plan, pay by credit card.
  • Ratings and reviews… Leave a comment after visiting the hospital.

Additional

  • Chat bot. Sending appointment reminders, answering common questions, technical support.
  • Maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Diary of nutrition and physical well-being, a list of prescribed medications and advice for the prevention and treatment of diseases.
  • Integration with electronic medical records. The doctor can edit the records online.
  • Chat and video calls with a doctor. Remotely consult with about the results of the examination and current treatment.
  • Scanning drug barcodes. Tracking the treatment process and adjusting doses.
  • Bonus system. Accumulate bonuses and receive discounts for a regular customer.

Development stages

Analytics

Before creating an interface, gather as much information as possible about the company, market, and competitors. Define business goals, create a portrait of a potential user, define an approximate user path and a list of available services.

AppCraft conducts interviews with the customer, his target audience, organizes focus groups and expert assessment in order to obtain as much information as possible in a short time. This will help us develop an understandable and convenient mobile product that will simplify communication between doctors and patients.

Technical task

Determine the composition of the team and requirements for the developers, set goals, deadlines and budget. The more detailed the plan is, the faster it will be possible to get started and bring the first version (MVP) to the market.

The terms of reference may include:

  • Business goals.
  • The project team.
  • Portrait of potential users.
  • The visualized user experience.
  • Mandatory and optional features and services
  • Monetization methods
  • Technical requirements for interface, performance and security.
  • UX / UI design concept.
  • Stages and terms.
  • Budget.

The description of the terms of reference helps to understand what exactly the other party wants and how to implement it. The more detailed the technical assignment, the higher the chance of getting what you really need and avoiding lengthy improvements

At AppCraft studio, we check the technical specification for compliance with the platforms and develop it from scratch.

Marketing strategy

Consider a promotion plan at the beginning to integrate monetization elements organically.

You can tell about the project using targeted advertising, native materials in the media and blogs, affiliate programs and viral techniques. Describe your audience, explore ways to promote your competitors, make your own plan and change it depending on the circumstances.

Team organization

It includes product managers, analysts, marketers, UX / UI designers, developers and testers. The number of people is determined by the scale, complexity of implementation, timing and budget.

At AppCraft we do not involve external specialists – we have a time-tested team and well-tuned communication. Each employee knows his tasks, is focused on the end result and is interested in doing his job with high quality.

Design and prototype

The UX / UI designer works out the appearance: selects corporate colors, fonts, draws push notifications, buttons and pages. After that, he builds the logic of interaction between the pages of the registration and authorization screens, filling out information, profile, shopping cart, schedule of entries and payment.

When the design is agreed upon, a prototype is created – a layout in the form of master page screens. This is not yet a finished product, but it allows you to see features in action, evaluate and fix bugs before launch.

Development of

This is writing code, working out the architecture and logic, client service. Mobile developers need to know the idea, target audience and be involved in each stage in order to assess the viability of ideas and implement all the functionality.

Front-end programmers develop the client interface and platform logic.

There are two methods:

Native. A separate application is developed for each platform. This is the most expensive but reliable way: you will receive full support from marketplaces, and the service will work quickly and seamlessly on every iOS and Android device.

Cross-platform. A universal code is used for all platforms, but the system will run it as native. The best option in terms of “price-quality”.

Backend developers create a server for storing and exchanging data, choosing a programming language, hosting for the server and API, and building a management system.

Testing

After development, the prototype is handed over to testers – they check every button, push, page and form, find bugs and shortcomings. Testing is necessary at every stage.

Testing can take a long time, but it is better to double-check each page and fix the errors found than to get a wave of negativity after the release.

Important: such specialists should not participate in other processes – their view should be fresh and objective.

Publication

Prepare screenshots of the service pages, a promotion plan and a description. If you comply with all Google Play Store and Apple App Store rules, the service will be available on marketplaces in a few days.

At AppCraft, managers help you pass the test the first time and resolve issues related to account registration and site requirements.

Refinement and technical support

In the early days of launch, keep your finger on the pulse: follow reviews, study the number of visits and targeted actions, the most popular features and user experience. At this time, technical support must quickly respond to feedback and fix problems, remove unnecessary functions, optimize and refine.

Appcraft provides 12 months warranty support. We completely transfer the rights to you, but we continue to collect analytics and promptly troubleshoot problems.

The creation process may seem like a complicated and endless process, but in the hands of an experienced team, everything is created quickly without loss of quality and is tested on real users at every stage.

The AppCraft team deals with all stages of development: from analytics to release, provides prompt code improvement and technical support.

In this article, we described the features and steps of developing applications in the field of medicine. We discuss this issue with everyone separately, so that the process is understandable and suitable for the specifics of the business.

Over 10 years of work, we have created several of our own projects and more than 200 mobile applications – messengers, corporate solutions, systems for banks, e-commerce and social networks. If you want to create a simple and popular mobile application for a clinic, dentistry or medical center, we are ready to turn your idea into a product.

The cost of creating an application for the medical sector will depend on the terms of reference, scope of work and functionality. Contact us to discuss the details and find out the exact price.

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Promotion of Android and IOS mobile applications
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Andrew Douglas

According to Adjust, in 2020, the number of sessions in mobile apps grew by 30%, and in the first quarter of 2021, installs grew by 31%. Fintech projects, games with a simple and repetitive storyline, and online stores have become especially popular. If you have an idea for your own project or it’s already ready for release, it’s time to explore ways to promote it. We at AppCraft have been developing and promoting mobile apps for over 10 years. In this article, we share our experience and tell you how to study the audience, determine the key metrics of success, and which sites to choose.

Preliminary project analytics

Before launching, study your users – what devices they use, why they download, what functions they use most often, what updates are awaiting, and so on. This information will help you develop a smart mobile app promotion strategy.

Create a detailed portrait of your audience:

  • Age, gender, interests, income, time zone, education;
  • What problem / need a person solves with the help of your software;
  • Software type and phone models;
  • What user journey people go through, what features they like, how much time they spend, and how often they come back;
  • How many purchases can one person make during the entire period of use;
  • Which does not suit you. For example, a long download, an inconvenient shopping cart or support does not resolve the issue.

You can collect information on CustDev or with the analytics tools described below. Organize face-to-face interviews with people and divide them into segments to plan a campaign for each of them.

Before starting the promotion, study your users. To do this, we recommend compiling a portrait of the target audience.

Product metrics and activity parameters

To measure the bottom line of your ad campaign, define your own success metrics. For example, get 5,000 downloads, 4,000 transactions from promotion, or get into the top three in your niche. Choose metrics, tools, and budget based on your goal.

Here are the parameters to help you measure your results:

  • DAU (Daily Active Users) – the sum of daily active users.
  • WAU (Weekly Active Users) – active clients by week.
  • MAU (Monthly Active Users) – users per month.
  • Session time – the period from start to close.
  • Sticky Factor – Loyalty. It is calculated by the ratio of the number of visitors per day (DAU) to the monthly parameter (MAU).
  • Retention Rate – the level of engagement.
  • Churn Rate – refusals.
  • CAC (Customer Acquisition Cost) – the cost of attracting customers.
  • CPI (Cost per Instal) – the price for downloading the software.
  • LTV (Lifetime Value) – the average profit for the time of use. The result is considered positive if the LTV exceeds the CPI.
  • ARPU (Average Revenue Per User) – the average income that comes from each client. This parameter can be used to determine the loyalty to prices.
To effectively assess the promotion of an application, it is important to choose a toolkit and key performance indicators based on the set goals.

You can evaluate the effectiveness of a sales funnel by the following factors:

  • percentage of downloads and registrations;
  • the number of people who have studied the tutorial / completed the profile;
  • the proportion of users who reached the cart / passed to level 2 in the game / bought a subscription.

Monetization can be assessed by the sum of the first and second payments, and to assess customer acquisition, consider the Retention Rate at 1, 7 and 30 days after downloading.

Analytics tools

They will simplify the collection of information, provide up-to-date statistics and help to adjust advertising for search engine queries. Let’s analyze the most popular services: Google Analytics, Firebase, Facebook Analytics and Apple Analytics.

Google analytics

Android, iOS

It will help you find all the necessary information about the user: where he lives and what he is interested in, how he finds, how much he uses and what he buys. Google Analytics 4 dumps data into one report. Cons: does not work with iTunes.

To start, add the Firebase SDK to the software and enable integration with Google Analytics. The program itself will start collecting data and generating a report.

Firebase

iOS, Android, Unity, C ++

This is a service from Google for software development and analytics. Firebase provides cloud storage, crash reporting, transaction information, connects to Google Analytics 4 and segments audiences even in narrow directions.

Facebook Analytics

Android and limited functions for iOS

Helps to collect reports within the social network. Examines the entire user journey in real time, maintains statistics, predicts trends and sends notifications if something changes in audience behavior. It will work with Android without problems, and in iOS there are limits and delays due to restrictions on the collection of information.

App-Analytics

iOS

Provides analytics from the App Store. Tracks the amount of impressions in the store, counts user engagement and analyzes their behavior, displays sales data.

Appsflyer

iOS, Android

Shows which channels people come from, what path they take and how many people remove the product, calculates the cost of new customers. Analyzes the success of re-engagement, profit from banners within the project.

Test promotion

First, do a “soft-launch” – test the project on a small segment of the target audience to quickly get feedback and fix bugs.

In the process of soft-launch, you can understand how quickly a person gets to the functions he needs, whether monetization works well, at what stage people fall off and what they write in reviews.

For the test, select

  • A statistically sufficient number of consumers for which you will customize the offer.
  • Customer segments.
  • Soft-launch duration. Usually 2-3 months are enough.
  • How much of the total marketing budget can you allocate for tests.

What metrics can you track?

  • Amount of attracted applications and traffic sources;
  • CPI – average price of one download;
  • Organic growth – dynamics of growth in the number of people attracted through “organic” traffic;
  • Engagement;
  • Retention rate;
  • How much time a person spends on one session and for the entire time of use.

Did the soft test live up to expectations and perform well? Finish the little things and head to the main market. If you find many flaws, postpone the start and come back with an updated product.

Platforms and methods for promoting mobile applications

Google Play, App Store

Optimize product descriptions and banners for each site, this will help attract more people and avoid problems during moderation.

  • Explore the titles, descriptions, and reviews of other projects in the niche.
  • Find keywords and phrases that accurately describe the software’s functions.
  • Upload high quality and informative screenshots, videos.
  • Set up a pop-up asking for feedback and ratings in the marketplace.

After optimization, banners can be launched.

Universal App Campaign (UAC)

Android

UAC is used to run advertisements on the websites of search partners, Google Play, YouTube, Google Search, recommendations in Google Search and other placements.

To run you can use:

  • Banners with animation of fixed size
  • Images with static graphics. You can create combinations for different ad sizes.
  • Video banners. More effective than other formats, but not at every site.

Most often, all three types of ads are used to get the maximum response.

Features of Universal App Campaign

  • Determine the purpose of the ad: to increase the number of installs, to perform certain actions, or to increase the value of actions.
  • The system does not translate banners. The language must match the targeting language.
  • It will be easier for the program to generate effective ad combinations if you add as many descriptions, banners and headlines as possible.
  • Create as many formats as possible during tests.
  • It is better to increase the budget gradually, up to 30% per day.
  • To train the system, you need to receive at least 100 conversions per week.

Apple Search Ads

iOS

A platform for advertising in the top search bar of the App Store.

You can work in two formats:

  • Basic. The system will configure everything by itself, so it is suitable for beginners. Payment for installation only.
  • Advanced. There is an advanced toolkit for campaigns, but only experienced users will be able to evaluate. Pay per clicks.

A typical card or your own version of the description is used as an advertisement. After the start, you can monitor the effectiveness of each keyword, adjust the bid and banners.

Tips for Apple Search Ads

  • For large coverage, study the market and competitors’ offerings to highlight the principles of search in marketplaces.
  • Divide keywords into segments.
  • Make personalized offers for different types of keywords.
  • Use auto-targeting Dynamic match – it performs well with unique queries.

Facebook

To get started with Facebook, sign up and set up your campaign. To do this: register a project on the Facebook for developers platform, install the SDK (Software development kit) and choose a strategy.

Possible strategy options:

  • increase the number of installations;
  • increase the amount of clicks on links;
  • increase activities within the project.

Recommendations for writing an effective ad:

  • Show the benefits with facts and compelling statistics;
  • Describe the benefits visually;
  • add a call to action button;
  • test as many ad variations as possible;
  • avoid narrow audience segments;
  • choose pay per click only if you are sure of a high conversion;
  • set a minimum price for installation on a limited budget.

Promotion through VKontakte

VKontakte integrates with the myTarget download tracking system, which can launch campaigns in Odnoklassniki, Moi Mir and Mail.ru services. In general, the algorithm of action coincides with the Facebook format: you need to specify deep links, create and set up an advertising campaign, and in the process analyze statistics and adjust to the results.

Google ADS

iOS, Android

The platform has generic tools for every operating system. The advertiser only needs to calculate the budget, determine the location and language of the target audience, and launch targeting. Ads will appear on AdMob, Display Network, Gmail, SERPs, and partner sites. Through ADS, banners can also be launched on GooglePlay.

To connect an advertising campaign, use the most conversion words, dividing them into clusters. Then select the resources and types of publication impressions.

Promotion of mobile applications through YouTube

The most effective way to get the word out about a product is to reach out to a blogger. He already has a loyal audience to whom he will be able to convey all the benefits. Unlike advertisements, there is more space for creativity. Bloggers can be found in almost any direction: business, games, learning, creativity, science, etc. and order a review.

How to choose a blogger

Choose a blogger by topic, reach, popularity, and engagement. Use independent services WhatStat and LiveDune to evaluate statistics, watch videos on his channel and comments. Choosing the right blogger can reduce the installation cost.

Promotion and placement plan

  1. List bloggers. Choose the one that suits your performance and budget.
  2. Start negotiations with a blogger, draw up a technical assignment, agree on a video release date and posting format: review, selection of TOPs, native integration.
  3. Agree on the scenario.
  4. Check the output of the video and analyze the statistics.

Efficiency can be assessed using a universal formula:

Installs 7 days after the advertisement – (traffic on the link 7 days + organic orders a week before the video)

You can work with bloggers on your own or contact an agency. Specialists take a commission, but noticeably shorten the approval period and take on all stages of cooperation.

To develop a product is 50% of success. The remaining 50 depend on the effectiveness of the advertisement. The AppCraft team will help you create a useful mobile application, build a marketing strategy and find your target customers. The cost of the work will depend on the terms of reference and the scope of work. Contact us – we will discuss the details and understand how to tell about your product.

How to create user-friendly navigation in mobile applications
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Andrew Douglas

A good mobile navigation design should be intuitive and simple to help the user find what they want as easily as possible. There are many tools that designers use to create a navigation system in a mobile application, but only a fraction of them actually serve their purpose.

In this article, we break down the most effective UI components and explain why they work.

What is mobile app navigation

Navigation is how users interact with the application, design, and move from one interface item to another. It can be compared to a road system: the application has dozens of highways that direct users in the direction they want.

The navigation design of any product is one of the main points of development. As a navigation goal, many prescribe the movement of users in the shortest possible time, but the user’s path should not only be fast, but also logical and simple.

What mobile navigation should be

Clear and intuitive

People don’t want to think about what buttons are for and where links lead. From the point of view of convenience, it is enough for them to make the navigation simple and clear. The conducted research, the formed user profile and knowledge of behavior patterns will help to create such navigation.

Convenient

The application should be user-friendly with any finger size. No one should waste time clicking the icon several times trying to go to the desired page. Therefore, the links and buttons in the application should be large enough that most people can click any of them the first time. The universal button size is 10 mm.

It is also important to consider the distance between navigation items. Users must have enough free space to avoid clicking on other buttons next to them.

With legible content

The phone screen is much smaller than the computer screen, so readability problems can arise, as in many applications, even the icons from the hamburger menu are accompanied by text. Don’t make users lose their eyesight trying to read text on links and buttons.

Size really matters in mobile navigation, so you need to spend time testing and checking how users interact with the app. Invest time and effort in prototyping to recreate realistic navigation and fix any mistakes ahead of time.

An article on what prototypes are…

With orderly and visual hierarchy

Small screens are much easier to make clutter, so the design of mobile apps requires you to ditch the secondary elements (or place them in the menu). In the case of mobile apps, designers choose a minimalistic design that does not clutter up the interface with unnecessary graphic elements.

UI components for mobile apps

Hamburger menu

In the limited space of a mobile interface, a hamburger menu will help hide complex navigation to avoid distractions. In addition, the hamburger menu is familiar to almost all users and has its advantages: they already know what it is, how it works and what to expect. Familiar elements in the product interface help the user to relax and learn new things more easily.

An example of a humble hamburger menu in the telegram app. The app is easy to use because the hamburger menu offers all the key navigation options you might need. And all this with a simple icon that takes up almost no space in the interface.

Bottom navigation in the app

The bottom navigation helps you to use the application freely and to hold the phone comfortably in your hands, so it allows you to reach certain points with a single tap of your finger. And if you use no more than five points, it reduces user fatigue and saves screen space.

The Twitter mobile app navigation is centered on the bottom bar, covering the four main points of the app.

Top navigation in the app

It also consists of a navigation bar, but is located at the top of the screen and is usually used in conjunction with other tools. For example, it is used for primary links that remain visible when scrolling, and for secondary links, the bottom bar or hamburger menu.

App navigation based on gestures

Gesture-based navigation allows users to quickly swipe in the desired direction to navigate an application or perform specific actions. It has been around for decades as a UI navigation template, but it only gained popularity with the popular dating app Tinder, where you can swipe left or right to match.

Gesture navigation helps you navigate between scenes in the app, and gestures to touch and drag horizontally and vertically, zoom in and out. This creates an interactive and dynamic user experience.

This interface pattern is easy to understand even for an inexperienced user, since gestures are often intuitive and require few steps to get the right result.

In the application Treep the classic swipe left or right pattern is used. This makes the process of choosing an activity dynamic, easy and interesting.

Full screen navigation of mobile apps

While the previous templates in the list boil down to minimal use of screen space, full-screen navigation suggests the opposite approach: here almost all of the screen is devoted to mobile navigation only. This approach helps guide users from general to specific sections of the product.

This kind of navigation can be a little tedious, but designers use a clear visual hierarchy so as not to overwhelm the user. This method has its drawbacks, but it helps the person to see all product features and choices at a glance.

Cards

Cards in the user interface can make the application even more user-friendly. They come in all shapes and sizes and are a great way to show different elements in one place: text boxes, links, or photos. They also help users immediately notice when the screen can be scrolled horizontally, which improves the overall usability. Another plus is that they can be easily adjusted to fit any screen size, which is great for responsive apps.

Spotify has grown into a music streaming giant and their user interface designs reflect that. Mobile Navigation focuses on cards on the home page that help you find music content. Spotify is known for motivating users to explore new musical horizons: it enhances the entire user experience. As a bonus, there is a bottom navigation bar that helps you get to grips with the main navigation of the app. This makes Spotify easy to understand and learn even for new users.

3D Touch

3D Touch was first introduced by Apple. The company began to use a shortcut that reflects the main actions for the selected application.

Another common use for such mobile navigation is for content previews. When working with a list of content suggestions, such as an email or article list, this can be a good way to provide a preview to the user.

3D Touch is convenient, but access to central functions doesn’t have to be done with it alone. Mobile navigation should still provide a clear path for users to find basic functionality without opening the 3D Touch option.

The purpose of navigation is to help users achieve the purpose for which they are using the application. Knowing their preferences and taking into account the limited screen space, you can create convenient navigation and high-quality UX.