How To Evaluate Your App Idea

Have an app idea? How can you know if your idea is worth the effort? How do you know if it's even possible with current technology? Will anything else be required besides just the app itself? Where do you start and who do you talk to?

This talk will guide you though the steps to get the answers to all your questions, and help you put together a solid plan to move your app idea forward.

Transcript

1. Evaluating Your App Idea From a Technical Perspective Vance Lucas http://vancelucas.com
2. Target Audience • Limited technical knowledge/ experience • Anyone interested in everything that goes into making apps • People who have app ideas, but don’t know who to talk to or where to start
3. Who are You? • Vance Lucas • http://vancelucas.com • Twitter: @vlucas • Brightbit (local dev. shop) until 2014 • Consulting/Freelance afterwards • Now full-time at NetSuite
4. Soundingboard.tv
6. This IS • Pre-market validation of idea itself • Technical feasibility determination • “Is this idea even possible?” • “Is this idea worth pursuing?”
7. This is NOT • Good / Bad idea judgement • “Your idea is [awesome|terrible]” • Determination of success • Market validation
8. Topics • Idea • Information • Integrations • Service • Competition • Money
9. Idea
10. • What is the idea? • What problem does it solve? • How do users solve this problem currently? • How will your app solve this problem better? Story: App Idea for Take-Out Menus
11. Information
12. • Does my idea require data or information that I don’t have? • How can I get this data? • What will it cost (time + money)? • How hard is this data to get? • Will I own or control this data? Story: App Idea for Road Trip Guide
13. Integrations
14. • Does this require integration with a 3rd party (Twitter, Facebook, data source, etc.)? How deep? • Does it cost money? • What are the risks in integrating? Story: App Idea to Cancel Credit Cards
15. Integration Risks • Twitter: http://ryanmarkel.com/6446/ twitters-api-and-user-hostility/ • Netflix: http://techcrunch.com/ 2014/06/13/netflix-api-shutdown/ • Snapchat: https://medium.com/ backchannel/snapchat-s-non- vanishing-message-you-can-trust- us-6606e6774b8b
16. Web Service
17. • Is a central database or web service required for your app to function? • Are you going to have a user login? • Will any data sync across devices? • Is any content “shared” with, or “discovered” by other users? • Is there any content not stored only on a single user’s phone or device
18. You Need an API! • Whole separate (large) project with tight integration into your app • Recurring costs? (domain, hosting, etc.) • Risks? (security, availability, etc.) if you answered “yes” to any of those…
19. Your API
20. Competition
21. • Are there any competitors? • If so, how many? How big are they? • Good ratings? Any complaints? • How is your idea different? • What is your unique value proposition
23. Market Analysis • How big is the market? • # of apps in this category? • # of searches for app keywords? • # of downloads of competition?
24. Awesome Tools • AppAnnie.com • AppTrace.com • XYO.net
25. Money
26. • How will this make money (ROI)? • One-time purchases or subscription? • Free with ads or in-app purchases? • How does this align with costs? • Remember 30% cut for app stores • Does it even need to make money?
29. Game Time!
30. Notes App • Integration with iCloud to sync notes across devices
31. Camera+ App • Simple integration for sharing photos on Twitter, Facebook, Flickr • Integration with iCloud to sync photos to all devices
32. Angry Birds • Integration with Game Center (iOS) • Integration with Google Play (Android) • Push Notifications / GCM
34. • Web Service • API for app + 3rd party developers • Integration with MLS + others • Integrations • Google Maps • Push Notifications
35. • Web Services Galore… • Integrations • Crawls every website in existence • Way too much to list…
36. Need Inspiration? https://twitter.com/search?q=#appidea
37. Questions? @vlucas | vance@vancelucas.com I’m writing a book! http://soundingboard.tv/book