Krzysztof Zabłocki's Slides at NSSpain 2013

NSSpain is an iOS & OSX developers conference in Spain.
More info: http://nsspain.com

Transcript

1. Krzysztof Zabłocki @merowing_ Foldify - history of development and lessons learned
5. Team • Working remotely • After hours • Span of 2012
6. Idea • Connecting digital and analog world • Printing is the easiest way of connecting • 2D Cut-out as first thought • Too easy to increase portfolio value • Papercraft
7. Idea • Connecting digital and analog world • Printing is the easiest way of connecting • 2D Cut-out as first thought • Too easy to increase portfolio value • Papercraft
8. Concept • Real-time 3D Preview • Gesture driven interface • Drawing by hand • Ready to use elements for less skilled • AirPrint + PDF generation • Social and ability to share your works with others • IAP (In App Purchase) of content
9. Technical challenges • Prototype to prove that it’s doable • Gesture’s on top of cocos2d • Creation of 2D complex line drawing algorithm that allows for variable width lines and offers fully antialiased look • Expanding cocos2d to support 3D graphics
10. First prototype Proof that iPad 1 hardware can handle it.
11. Gesture support in cocos2d • cocos2d still uses archaic touch recognition (touchesBegan...) • UIX Foldify requires lots of gestures, multiple at same time! • Ability to use great UIGestureRecognizers directly
12. Gesture support in cocos2d • cocos2d still uses archaic touch recognition (touchesBegan...) • UIX Foldify requires lots of gestures, multiple at same time! • Ability to use great UIGestureRecognizers directly Effect: Created category that injects cocos2d with UIGestureRecognizer support
13. Gesture support in cocos2d • cocos2d still uses archaic touch recognition (touchesBegan...) • UIX Foldify requires lots of gestures, multiple at same time! • Ability to use great UIGestureRecognizers directly Open Source Effect: Created category that injects cocos2d with UIGestureRecognizer support
14. Drawing: • Inspired from great “Paper” by FiftyThree • Lack of complete solution / tutorial how to create proper line drawing algorithm. • Lots of different approaches to smoothing lines available online, none of them really suited for Dynamic drawing (especially with varied width of lines).
17. Open Source Effect: Come up with algorithm and created tutorial that explains everything.
18. Design ideas
19. Design ideas #2
20. Design ideas #3
21. Design ideas #4
22. UIX Innovation? Controlling base width of brush NO! YES, Please!
23. Tools and Services used Xcode Photoshop Illustrator Blender bitbucket.org SourceTree trello.com testflightapp.com appannie.com parse.com AppCode
24. Video & Marketing • We didn’t do any marketing. I’ve only tweeted video link. • Video was hit 3 000 000 times. • Apple contacted us and asked to hold release • Featured across the globe
25. Reception • #3 Top Paid in US under 24h • Amazing reviews • Awards
28. Problems ?
29. Problems ? • Early adopter of Parse.com
30. Problems ? • Early adopter of Parse.com • Too few resources to do proper testing
31. Problems ? • Early adopter of Parse.com • Too few resources to do proper testing • 2 updates approved in 4 days since release, use expedited review
32. Problems ? • Early adopter of Parse.com • Too few resources to do proper testing • 2 updates approved in 4 days since release, use expedited review • Lack of business knowledge
33. Lessons learned
34. Lessons learned • TDD/BDD is freaking awesome
35. Lessons learned • TDD/BDD is freaking awesome • especially with small teams
36. Lessons learned • TDD/BDD is freaking awesome • especially with small teams • Be careful when integrating with 3rd parties
37. Lessons learned • TDD/BDD is freaking awesome • especially with small teams • Be careful when integrating with 3rd parties • might be worth adding more abstraction
38. Lessons learned • TDD/BDD is freaking awesome • especially with small teams • Be careful when integrating with 3rd parties • might be worth adding more abstraction • After you cross 100 000 users
39. Lessons learned • TDD/BDD is freaking awesome • especially with small teams • Be careful when integrating with 3rd parties • might be worth adding more abstraction • After you cross 100 000 users • Few people will have issues you just can’t reproduce, work around them.
40. Lessons learned • TDD/BDD is freaking awesome • especially with small teams • Be careful when integrating with 3rd parties • might be worth adding more abstraction • After you cross 100 000 users • Few people will have issues you just can’t reproduce, work around them. • You need some kind of customer support
41. Lessons learned • TDD/BDD is freaking awesome • especially with small teams • Be careful when integrating with 3rd parties • might be worth adding more abstraction • After you cross 100 000 users • Few people will have issues you just can’t reproduce, work around them. • You need some kind of customer support • Don’t rush it, keep calm and continue with proper quality
42. Applying those lessons
43. Applying those lessons • Lead application engineer at The App Business in London
44. Applying those lessons • Lead application engineer at The App Business in London • BDD with Kiwi used in multiple high-profile apps
45. Applying those lessons • Lead application engineer at The App Business in London • BDD with Kiwi used in multiple high-profile apps • Pair Programming / Code Reviews are great way of finding issues quickly
46. Applying those lessons • Lead application engineer at The App Business in London • BDD with Kiwi used in multiple high-profile apps • Pair Programming / Code Reviews are great way of finding issues quickly • Composition over inheritance is great
47. Applying those lessons • Lead application engineer at The App Business in London • BDD with Kiwi used in multiple high-profile apps • Pair Programming / Code Reviews are great way of finding issues quickly • Composition over inheritance is great • Put a bit of abstraction when integrating with 3rd party, but only a little
48. How to approach Indie apps?
49. How to approach Indie apps? • The fact that you are not yet famous is not a bad thing
50. How to approach Indie apps? • The fact that you are not yet famous is not a bad thing • It means no one will care if your next app idea flops
51. How to approach Indie apps? • The fact that you are not yet famous is not a bad thing • It means no one will care if your next app idea flops • You can take a higher risk!
52. How to approach Indie apps? • The fact that you are not yet famous is not a bad thing • It means no one will care if your next app idea flops • You can take a higher risk! • Create stuff you love and would like to see in your portfolio
53. How to approach Indie apps? • The fact that you are not yet famous is not a bad thing • It means no one will care if your next app idea flops • You can take a higher risk! • Create stuff you love and would like to see in your portfolio • Even if it doesn’t earn you $$$, it was still worth doing!
54. How to approach Indie apps? • The fact that you are not yet famous is not a bad thing • It means no one will care if your next app idea flops • You can take a higher risk! • Create stuff you love and would like to see in your portfolio • Even if it doesn’t earn you $$$, it was still worth doing! • You never know! You might have higher ranking than Angry birds or GTA
55. "Foldify glues together Papercraft, the iPad and AirPrint to create a rare and delightful experience." - The Next Web "Foldify is a brilliant idea turned into a brilliant app." - iMore "Foldify is fantastic, great fun for kids. An ingenious new idea, beautifully made and full of fun." - Cult of Mac "This is why we still have printers." - John Gruber, Daring Fireball "Stuff like this is HP’s best hope for the printer business." - Barry Ritholtz, The Big Picture "Fantastic idea, execution looks great. What fun." - Jason Fried, Founder of 37signals "Foldify is joy for the iPad." - Jessica Patterson, Design.org "Fold It Right There: New iPad App Makes Papercraft More Fun Than Ever." - WIRED
57. Thank you! krzysztof.zablocki@me.com @merowing_ merowing.info foldifyapp.com