5 Basic requirements for a Good Mobile Application

There are many mobile applications available now days, most of them are free. Some vendors give sharewares and adware apps – but the functionality makes them good to try at-least once. Mobile applications are also becoming one of the important download – with themes, ringtones and wall papers. Here, let’s discuss about 5 basic requirements for any good mobile application.

1. Platform: All mobile phones are not using same operational platform. Choose the platform, which is used by many mobile phones – consider the level of target users too. J2ME / Java based applications are one example – It works on many Nokia, LG and Samsung devices – and these devices are dominating the Indian mobile device market for long time. Developing a J2ME based app, increases the download opportunities by the users of these devices.

2. Purpose of App: Have a clean scope about the purpose of the application. It can be a simple game, Business productivity app or Device level Utility – better have a clean scope about what it is all about. Find the category of App and try to see – what can make the user give priority to your application.

3. HELP: Many Mobile apps are not having a good help section – this makes user avoid such apps. A help can be a simple section with application intro, keys information, and version information. A link to your detail help web-site is also a good idea.

4. Simple Keys: The less keys – the more advantage. Try to create functions for most common keys – and I suggest matching with the default device keys. You can have different builds for different devices. The user should feel comfort in handling your app – it makes him use it frequently.

5. Web-Site: Have a small website with Basic and advance download information, supporting devices lists, contact information, Issue posting- tracking-responses section, Build version information etc. It gives the user a confident about using this app with trust on your effort.

The above listed are only the basic requirements, there are a lot more to do. Try developing your apps, promoting them, and sharing your experiences. It helps to many community developers around us.

5 Must read Business and Management Books

Business and Management books contain important lessons for managing the quality in our business, build strategies, problem solving and leadership – no matter what business we do. Many project managers and high profile executive officers gather information from best-selling business management books. You can find solutions for your business challenges often from other industries. These books are typically written by people who have tons of experience, in some form or another, managing and growing companies.

I would like to suggest these 5 ‘MUST READ” Business and Management Books for all my friends – I am sure this will give some good values in their professional development

Blink
The Power Of Thinking Without Thinking
by Malcolm Gladwell
ISBN: 9780316172325

On Becoming A Leader:
The Leadership Classic - 4th Edition
by Warren Bennis
ISBN: 9780465014088

The Search
How Google and Its Rivals Rewrote the Rules of Business and Transformed Our Culture
by John Battelle
ISBN: 9781591840886

In Search of Excellence
Lessons from America's Best-Run Companies
by Thomas J. Peters, Robert H. Waterman
ISBN: 9780060548780

Management
Revised Edition
by Peter F. Drucker, with Joseph A. Maciariello
ISBN: 9780061252662

5 Communication guidelines for Support Projects

Communication management is a central part of Project management. It connects all other management activities and drives the project for success. I would like to share few processes here for managing communications for T&M type accounts, and support projects.

Build and Share your communication plans: your communication plan should have support availability times – in your Offshore and Onsite. Clearly state whom to communicate for what type of requirements. Give emails, and mobile numbers of important support contacts. Define an escalation matrix. Share your plan with all your stakeholders.

Respond to Emails: This should happen as early as possible. If you have a blackberry – and you can access it in all your “available times” – use it. Send a response for appreciations, Issues, Suggestions, change requests – everything. If you access your office works, only from office PC – Let this work be the first thing in the morning. Clients always expect a response for his Issues – mainly in T&M accounts. At least respond them with a message “we understood – we are working on it” – or “need clarification” if you are not sure about what they are asking for.

Issue Log and Reports: Maintain an Issue Log document (A simple excel sheet will be fine) – and record all the issues and status updates. Update them into your project plan daily/weekly basis. Add Issue Log status information in your weekly status reports – this helps the clients to understand the progress and avoids unnecessary escalations.

Clarifications – Set call: Whenever you need a clarification for the issues or change requests, set a “request for conf call” or direct meeting as early as possible. Emails are fine for asking clarifications, but talking will provide more inputs and sometimes, the clients Issue/Change request will become simple than what you expected. Circulate the minutes of meeting after each discussion, to avoid misunderstandings. Action items should be mentioned in your minutes of meeting document and the status of them should be updated in weekly status reports.

Expert teams: Build an expert team, not only for technical support but also for domain related queries and to provide suggestions for improving the requirement. A detail functional flow model will be helpful to understand change requests or Issues raised by the clients. Introduce your expert team members to clients – this helps the client to get a confident about your background and quality of delivery.

T&M (Time and Material) is the business model for mostly support projects and maintenance projects. A good communication management will improve the quality of service with less escalation.

Wake-up Developers…”bada” Opportunity!

Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., a leading mobile phone provider, today announced the launch of its own open mobile platform, Samsung bada [bada] in December. This new addition to Samsung’s mobile ecosystem enables developers to create applications for millions of new Samsung mobile phones, and consumers to enjoy a fun and diverse mobile experience.

In order to build a rich Smartphone experience accessible to a wider range of consumers across the world, Samsung brings bada, a new platform with a variety of mobile applications and content.

The name ‘bada’, which means ‘ocean’ in Korean, was chosen to convey the limitless variety of potential applications which can be created using the new platform. It also alludes to Samsung’s commitment to a variety of open platforms in the mobile industry. Samsung bada also represents the fresh challenges and opportunities available to developers, as well as the entertainment which consumers will enjoy once the new platform is open.

Based on Samsung’s experience in developing previous proprietary platforms on Samsung mobile phones, Samsung can create the new platform and provide opportunities for developers. Samsung bada is also simple for developers to use, meaning it’s one of the most developer-friendly environments available, particularly in the area of applications using Web services. Lastly, bada’s ground-breaking User Interface (UI) can be transferred into a sophisticated and attractive UI design for developers.

Samsung will be able to expand the range of choices for mobile phone users to enjoy the Smartphone experiences. By adopting Samsung bada, users will be able to easily enjoy various applications on their mobile.

Samsung bada also offers an easy-to-integrate platform for mobile operators so that mobile operators can provide unique and differentiated services to their customers.

The detail story here: http://www.bada.com/samsung-launches-open-mobile-platform/