Thinking about designing and building business-centric mobile applications for a particular class of user? In this session, Jonathan Ozeran will highlight key design and technical considerations that should factor into your mobile product development efforts. He’ll also share a number of tips and tricks based on his experiences designing and shipping mobile applications across a number of industries including manufacturing, energy / utility services, construction, media, professional sports and more.

1. Make Me Want Your App!
Designing Mobile Applications for
(Reluctant) Business Users
Jonathan Ozeran
@jozeran
Saturday, April 7, 12 1

2. Agenda
Design Principles
Design Tools
Design in the Enterprise
Attracting Cheerleaders
Transform with Design
Final Thoughts
Saturday, April 7, 12 2

3. “Creativity is just connecting things. When you ask
creative people how they did something, they feel a
little guilty because they didn’t really do it, they just
saw something.”
- Steve Jobs (Wired, February 1996)
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4. Design Principles
“Question everything generally thought
to be obvious.”
- Dieter Rams
Source: Wikipedia
Source: Wells Riley (http://startupsthisishowdesignworks.com)
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5. Design Tools
UI / UX is a much larger topic... Dribbble
But help and inspiration is out there:
Brainstorming & Layout: Sketching, drawing,
diagramming, wire-framing, etc
Interactivity: Keynote, iOS Storyboards, InVision
Software: Photoshop, Illustrator, Balsamiq, OmniGraffle
Inspiration: Dribbble, Behance, iOSpirations
Iconography / Stencils: Keynotopia, Glyphish
Source: Keynotopia.com Source: Keynotopia.com Source: dribbble.com/joshhemsley Source: dribbble.com/NicholasSwanson
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6. Design Tools (Cont’d)
So you’ve designed the ‘baddest app in the
enterprise’ and added a “realistic, physical
dimension to your application’ per the
HIG*?
Source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/charlesonflickr
Warning: don’t let design overpower usability!
Because if it does...
The organization may lose faith in mobile apps
Design takes a back seat in future apps / iterations
Web / desktop / “mainframe” apps are simply ported
Native gives way to hybrid (or cross-platform tools),
requiring more concessions & sacrifices
* Apple’s iOS Human Interface Guidelines:
https://developer.apple.com/library/ios/#documentation/UserExperience/Conceptual/MobileHIG/Introduction/Introduction.html
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7. Design in the Enterprise
It’s a battle. Actually, it’s a war zone.
The average approach to apps is not
pretty. In fact, it’s ugly.
Taking existing desktop apps and
‘applying lipstick’ is the status quo,
still. Today.
And with your help, this can change!
Source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/empics
Source: http://www.forbes.com/sites/anthonykosner
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8. Design in the Enterprise (Cont’d)
Just a few contexts to imagine:
Inspections
Career Fairs
Construction
Environmental
Surveillance
Health & Safety
Warehouse Source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/usacehq Source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/maysbusinessschool/
Industrial
Commerce
Banking
Airlines
Robotics
Tourism Source: http://www.apple.com/ipad/business/ Source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/usacehq
Agriculture
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9. Design in the Enterprise (Cont’d)
In the enterprise, mobility can be found in
many more conversations.
But each approach is unique,
frequently inconsistent
and includes:
Fear
Excitement
Intimidation
Questions
Hesitations
Concern Source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/adamgrabek
Second-Guessing
And that’s just in terms of leadership!
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10. Design in the Enterprise (Cont’d)
What about the recipients of these new
mobile technologies, processes and
approaches?
Not everyone shares your enthusiasm.
“I’m going to continue doing my job
how I’ve been doing it”
“Why do I need a mobile app?”
“I’ll be taking time away from family
just to do things how you want them Source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/madaboutshanghai
done”
“It’s going to slow me down”
“I don’t want to have to learn
something new”
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11. Design in the Enterprise (Cont’d)
And here’s where you come in...
It’s your responsibility to:
Learn and connect with your users
Understand the mindset of your users
Design for repeat & long-term use
Simplify and improve lives
Identify ways to iterate designs
Communicate and share as often as
possible
Analyze, refine, simplify Source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/nw10photography
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12. Design in the Enterprise (Cont’d)
What else?
Assumptions Other Considerations
The mobile platform(s) selected makes Ease of use especially for repetitive tasks
sense for your users (e.g. button placement)
You have confidence in your design and Account for context
can build a great app (e.g. indoor / outdoor use)
There are a number of trusted pilot Apply a good amount of visual feedback
users for your app and many more
beyond initial release Gracefully handle errors and
network connectivity issues
The app accomplishes primary objectives
Cater to user’s fingers for tap areas
Seamless orientation switching (iPad)
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13. Attracting Cheerleaders
Source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/roadsidepictures
Source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/cseeman
Source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/ronmacphotos
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14. Attracting Cheerleaders (Cont’d)
Imagery + Emotion + Context + Motivation
Source: http://www.slideshare.net/whitneyq/power-of-story-ux-hong-kong
Arm yourself with great case studies, stories and
genuine user excitement
Excite & Motivate Offer Rewards Communicate Frequently
Source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/noiseburst Source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/kenjonbro Source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/37277160@N06
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15. Attracting Cheerleaders (Cont’d)
But whatever you do, make sure you
avoid the “Angry Birds” problem.
Source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/nanpalmero Source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/naokomc
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16. Transform with Design
Aim for transformative apps:
Empower the workforce
Entice users to say:
“I won’t miss the old way”
Consider a suite of
enterprise apps vs. a single app
Find ways to give users time
back in their day
Surprise with hidden utility
Keep focused; strive for
shortest finger path
Attempt to apply the ‘single
tap metaphor’ whenever
possible Source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/sifu_renka
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17. Transform with Design
Psychology Be Responsive & Proactive
Understand your users Review their ideas, concerns,
through persona mappings enhancements, bugs, love letters
Allow for discovery of tricks Encourage sketching sessions
and nuances they can share to map out new ideas
Develop user journey maps Keep watch to ensure users
(physical, emotional) don’t fall back into old habits
Involve them in the process Find other ways to ease their
where helpful pain outside of mobile apps
(e.g. Twilio)
Sources: http://www.slideshare.net/fling/designing-mobile-experiences
Source: http://www.slideshare.net/Forsythe_Technology/mobile-devices-in-the-workplace-5-key-security-risks-11988063
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18. Final Thoughts
Security.
Safety.
Privacy.
Don’t take them for granted. If
you fail here, your best designs
are wasted and irrelevant.
Source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/sigma
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19. Designing Mobile Applications for
(Reluctant) Business Users
Jonathan Ozeran
@jozeran
jonathan@recsolu.com
Saturday, April 7, 12 19