Idea to iPhone E-Book

Carla White

• Herausgeber: John Wiley & Sons
• Kategorie: Wissenschaft und neue Technologien
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 438

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2013

Beschreibung

Learn to build apps from scratch without any programmingexperience! Do you have a great idea for an app but have no idea where tobegin? Then this is the book for you. Even if you have noprogramming experience, this easy-to-follow, step-by-step guideteaches you exactly what you need to know to bring your app idea tolife without a lot of cash or coding. Packed with tips and tricksto get you started, this book shows you - start to finish - how totake your idea and turn it into a fully working, functionalapp. * Walks you through getting started, designing your app, anddeveloping your idea * Helps you launch your app and then promote it * Reassures you that no programming experience is needed in orderto create a fully functional app Idea to iPhone is an easy-to-read book that shows you howto get your idea from your head to the iTunes store!

Leseprobe

Idea to iPhone

Table of Contents

Who Should Read This Book

If I Can Do This, So Can You

A Glance into the App Development Process

A Few Things You Won't Find in This Book

What I Really Mean to Say Is…

A Small Book for Such a Big Subject

App Developers Who Contributed to This Book

Reach Out

Chapter 1: Kicking Off Your App Adventure

Eliminating Doubts and Debunking Myths

“I'm not a developer or even the slightest bit techy.”

“I don't have the money to create an app.”

“The app market is saturated. I don't stand a chance.”

“I don't have the time.”

“I'm not artistic, and I don't know how to use design software.”

“I don't live in a tech center.”

“What if I fail?”

Financing Your App with Your Time and Talent

You need less money than you may think

You have more to offer than you know

The Journey Ahead

The Mobile World We Live In

Apps must be understood in 15 seconds or less

We see only part of the screen and it's blurry

Think thumb, not fingers

What You Need to Know About Working with Apple

Apple may take months to answer a question

Handling rejection

How to grab Apple's attention

How iTunes helps (or hurts) sales

Getting paid by Apple

Getting Organized and Setting Up Shop

Learning how to talk the talk

Getting the right Mac and iDevice

Downloading the software

Registering as an Apple Developer

Purchasing the iOS Development Program membership

Snagging the best domain names

One Small Step to One Giant Leap

Chapter 2: Shaping Ideas into Apps People Want

Your Target Audience: Finding Your Tribe

Go tribal

Find your proxy

Making the most of your research

Creating Apps That People Really Want

Strategy 1: Fix a problem

Strategy 2: Amuse, charm and captivate

Strategy 3: Connect us with people and places

Ingredients for Magnificent App Ideas

Don't be afraid of crazy ideas

Let your passions inspire you

Add a dash of personality

Spice it up with surprises

Mix in some viral goodness

A Brief Introduction to Integrating with Facebook

Which Device Is Right for My App? iPhone, iPad, or Both

Doing Your Research

Making a (Mission) Statement

Avoiding Scope Creep: The $120 Bottle of Shampoo

Prioritize your features

Save some killer features for updates

Avoiding headaches: Features to leave out

Keeping Your Idea Confidential and Protected

Testing Your Idea's Pull Power in Three Easy Steps

Step 1: Create a site for your app

Step 2: Run an ad campaign

Step 3: Watch it for a week

What to make of the test results

Kicking Off Your Marketing Campaign

You're not just creating an app; you're putting on a show

Your tribe already loves you; they just don't know it yet

Jumping on the social media bus

Concocting an enticing teaser video

Growing your audience with a teaser site

Chapter 3: Designing Luxurious and Stunning Apps

Getting the Ballpoint Rolling

Understanding the Navigation Models

Nested dolls

Tab bar

Breaking the tab bar ceiling

Bento box

The sliding cards

Immersive designs

Navigation found on the iPad

Taking a Peek at the Standard Controls

The bars

The table view

Inputs and outputs

Stealing Good Stuff

Finding design inspiration

Building your collection

Creating Natural Flow in Your App

Map out the flow with boxes and arrows

Turn the flow into a story

Shifting Your Ideas into a Killer Design

How anyone can design like a pro

Why prototyping is the best thing since sliced bread

Start by sketching

Creating working prototypes: No coding required

Putting Your Designs to the Test

Capture useful feedback

Edit, edit, and edit again

From Mockup to Masterpiece

Preparing your designs for Retina Display

Building designs that scale using Photoshop

Creating your layout

Creating Designs That Really Stand Out

The importance of pixel perfect design

Make it subtly real

Make it easy and effortless: The ABC's of design

Make it delightful

Making That Critical First Impression Count

What you need to know about icon design

Shortcuts to creating an icon

It's all in the name

Launch screens of love

Outsourcing to a Professional

Finding a good great designer

What the designer needs from you

What you need from your designer

Signing the contract

Doing without the designer

Marketing Ideas Checklist

Chapter 4: Developing and Testing Your App

Finding Dependable and Talented Developers

Reaching out to the iOS community

Where to scout out the talent

Making the most of Elance.com and other sites

Selecting the Best Developer for Your App Project

The developer review checklist

Interviewing prospective developers

Understanding that cheap can be expensive in the long run

Comparing apples to apples

Learning to trust your gut

Signing the contract

Working with Developers

The secrets to keeping your developers happy

Be nice and be boring

Money as a motivator

It's more than a short courtship

Kicking Off Development

Creating a spec that says it all

What your developer needs from you

What you can expect from your developer

Issues, Bugs, and Tweaks: Testing Your App

Have you downloaded the SDK and Xcode?

The absolute beginner's guide to Xcode

Setting up your device for testing

Taking a look at Apple's iOS Provisioning Portal

Find bugs and create buzz by enlisting your tribe

Keeping track of bugs

Breaking the news to your developers

Tweaking design after development: Don't do it

When It's All Gone Wrong

What to do if your developer disappears

Knowing when to fire your developer

Knowing When to Go Live

Marketing Ideas Checklist

Chapter 5: Raising the Curtains and Going Live

The Ultimate App Submission Cheat Sheet

Selecting a Powerful Launch Date

At Least One Month Before Submitting Your App

Get set up on Apple's iTunes Connect

Prepare for customer care

Identify launch tricks you must start now

At Least One Week Before Submitting Your App

How people really scan the iTunes store

The formula for an effective product description

How to design screen shots that sell

Improve discovery with the right keywords

Submitting Your App for Approval

Complete the app details on iTunes Connect

Set up certificates, App IDs, and profiles

Create the distribution build yourself

Let your developer create the distribution build for you

Countdown to App Approval

Prepare your message

Close shop

Backstage sneak peek event

Announce your launch date

3…2…1…Launch!

Double-check the important stuff

Roll out your new site

Blog your big news

Get the word out on social media

Ready, set, email!

Get fans in on the fun

Keeping Track of Sales

Add a free analytic service

What Apple tells you and doesn't tell you

Building Customer Love

Answer emails early, often, and sincerely

Be real and they will reward you

Chapter 6: Promoting Your App and Making a Profit

The Art of Attracting Attention and Creating Hype

Give people a story to tell

Monitoring buzz to create more interest

The $5 Marketing Plan

Have a sale

Give out promo codes

Promote your app inside your app

Teach to reach

Share everything

Hit the streets

Promotion Tactics That Don't Work

Press releases are spam

Think before leaping into banner ads

Never slam competitors' apps

Creating a Compelling Website

Registering a domain name

Purchasing web hosting

Tips for creating a memorable teaser site

Tips for an effective app website

Tips for a Successful Email Campaign

Repeat after me: no spam!

And you are?

Boring subject lines actually work better

Use space wisely

Make it quick and reward them

Use images sparingly

Make it easy to share

Answer replies

Making Money from Your App

Pricing your app in the paid model

When to give it away for free

Think outside the app

The Generosity Principle

Donate to a charity

Find a launch sponsor

Create a promotion

Order some business cards and freebies

Chapter 7: Maintaining Your App and Going the Distance

Working on Your Business as Well as Your App

Tweaking Your Way to the Top

The boomerang theory

The addicts model

It's an easy sale booster

What to Tackle First

Feedback and reviews

Fix the bugs first

Improve usability

Examine the analytics

Localize the description on iTunes

Localize your app to expand your market

Adding New Features to an App

Rocking the boat

Taking your time to release

Should you create a whole new app instead?

Managing Your App on iTunes Connect

Keeping your app fresh and current

Submitting new updates

Understanding software versioning

Keeping Up with Apple and iOS Releases

What new iOS updates mean for your app

Porting your app to a new iDevice

Expanding to Android

The Law of the Vital Few

Let Your Inspiration Guide You

This edition first published 2013

© 2013 Carla White

Registered office

John Wiley & Sons Ltd, The Atrium, Southern Gate, Chichester, West Sussex, PO19 8SQ, United Kingdom

For details of our global editorial offices, for customer services and for information about how to apply for permission to reuse the copyright material in this book please see our website at www.wiley.com.

The right of the author to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, except as permitted by the UK Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, without the prior permission of the publisher.

Wiley also publishes its books in a variety of electronic formats. Some content that appears in print may not be available in electronic books.

Designations used by companies to distinguish their products are often claimed as trademarks. All brand names and product names used in this book are trade names, service marks, trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners. The publisher is not associated with any product or vendor mentioned in this book. This publication is designed to provide accurate and authoritative information in regard to the subject matter covered. It is sold on the understanding that the publisher is not engaged in rendering professional services. If professional advice or other expert assistance is required, the services of a competent professional should be sought.

Trademarks: Wiley and the Wiley logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of John Wiley & Sons, Inc. and/ or its affiliates in the United States and/or other countries, and may not be used without written permission. iPhone, iPad, iPod, iTunes, iPod touch and all other Apple products are trademarks or registered trademarks of Apple, Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. This book is not endorsed by Apple Computer, Inc. John Wiley & Sons, Inc. is not associated with any product or vendor mentioned in the book.

A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.

ISBN 978-1-118-52322-3 (pbk); ISBN 978-1-118-52323-0 (ebk); 978-1-118-52324-7 (ebk); 978-1-118-52325-4 (ebk)

Set in 10/12.5 Chaparral Pro Light by Indianapolis Composition Services

Printed in the United States by Bell & Bain

About the Author

Carla White is a designer, writer and business-MacGyver whose apps have been featured by Apple, USA Today, NPR, Oprah, Successful Living Magazine and many other major publications across the globe. As both a speaker and a consultant, she helped software giants and small businesses bring breakthrough ideas to life. She's a Human Factors specialist with an MBA and MIS and has launched business practices and products all over the world for companies as big as Microsoft and as small as her own two-person startups.

Born to a farmer and a photographer, Carla inherited her dad's work ethics and resourcefulness and her mom's artistic eye. She was also born with an insatiable curiosity, which earned her an alphabet soup of degrees, but more importantly provoked her to travel solo coast-to-coast in a beat up Chevy (twice). She lived in California to learn how to surf (and failed) and Colorado to learn how to snowboard (and loved it). She got her first “big girl” job working for the Pentagon and was also a translator for the 1996 Olympics. She's since ventured to all corners of the globe, lived in Europe for over ten years, and speaks multiple languages. Her life recently has come full circle and she now resides back in her home state of South Dakota with her husband, son, and dog. When Carla isn't having adventures with her family, she enjoys yoga, running, and throwing a mean dinner party.

Today Carla runs her app agency Happy Tapper, creator of the apps Gratitude Journal, Vision Board, and Little Buddha, where she offers consulting as well as design services. Carla is on a mission to show everyone how to find happiness through gratitude and giving back as well as motivating women to succeed.

Publisher's Acknowledgements

Some of the people who helped bring this book to market include the following:

Editorial and Production

VP Consumer and Technology Publishing Director: Michelle Leete

Associate Director–Book Content Management: Martin Tribe

Associate Publisher: Chris Webb

Associate Commissioning Editor: Ellie Scott

Senior Project Editor: Sara Shlaer

Copy Editor: Chuck Hutchinson

Technical Editor: David Loewenthal

Editorial Manager: Jodi Jensen

Editorial Assistant: Annie Sullivan

Marketing

Associate Marketing Director: Louise Breinholt

Marketing Manager: Lorna Mein

Senior Marketing Executive: Kate Parrett

Marketing Assistant: Tash Lee

Composition Services

Compositor: Jennifer Mayberry

Proofreader: John Greenough, Joni Heredia Language Services

Indexer: Potomac Indexing, LLC

Dedication

To Colin and Nico—I love you beyond words.

To my parents, John and Jeanette—I owe everything to you.

Gratitude

“I honor the place in you where the entire universe resides. I honor the place in you of love, of light, of truth and of peace. And when you are in that place in you and I am in that place in me, there is only one of us.”

--posted on my Facebook wall

First, I want to thank my loving and above-and-beyond supportive husband, Colin. You put your life on hold while I worked early mornings and weekends. You believed in me and I'm forever grateful. I love you dearly.

I also want to thank my son, Nico, for constantly reminding me to live in the moment and for filling me with endless inspiration. I hope it ripples to every person who reads this book. As your mom, I want to make you proud and show you that every dream is within reach.

Mike Rohde, I want to thank you for answering my emails and agreeing to do this project. Your illustrations have transformed this book. I feel honored to have my creations on the same pages as yours.

Sara Shlaer, you've been a world-class editor, molding all my half-baked ideas and cutting the lame jokes. Your endless striving for absolute perfection has taught me a great deal, something that I will carry throughout the rest of my career. Much obliged.

I want to thank Wiley for believing in me. Your team has been nothing but the best to work with. They were always professional, helpful, and understanding. A special thanks to Ellie Scott for making all of this happen. I also want to thank Chris Webb for being open to my ideas and embracing them, as well as the rest of the thoughtful and creative team at Wiley.

Thank you David Loewenthal for reaching out to me all those years ago and helping me get this far in the app business. Hopefully one day we'll actually meet.

Featured Developers: Thanks to Loren Britchter, Mark Jardine, Bobby George, Christopher Taylor, Alain Hufkens, Paddy Donnelly, Andy Skirvin, John Casasanta, Patrick Wetherille, and Shelby Meinzer. Your insights have made this book all that much better.

Friends, family, and colleagues, thank you for your encouragement throughout the project. A special thanks to my book coach, Jan B. King, as well as my incredible friends in the Downtown Kite Flyers Club; the most supportive and inspirational women this side of the Mississippi. Also, Gin, Linda, Dan, and Daryl, thanks for embracing and supporting me as the black sheep.

I want to thank everyone in the app community who took time to answer my emails, tweets, and posts over the years, both fans and developers alike. I'm constantly taken aback by how helpful and supportive people can be, and am forever grateful to each and every one of you for getting in touch. I look forward to seeing it grow.

Last, but certainly not least, I'm forever grateful to my dear mom for always letting me leap, no matter how much it scares you. Our friendship is my cornerstone.

Introduction

I have no special talent. I am only passionately curious.

—Albert Einstein

In early 2008, when I got my first iPod touch, I knew instantly that I had to create an app for that darling little device. I wasn't a programmer, had never used a Mac, and had a measly $500 budget. In fact, I didn't even have an iPhone, just my iPod touch. But none of that was going to stop me. A few months later my app stormed into the top position on the App Store and was hailed in major news publications around the globe.

If you had peered in my window during those few months, you would have seen me huddled at my computer, absorbed in design tools, messaging developers, and fumbling with Xcode—all before going to my day job. I was determined to figure out how to create a hit app on a shoestring budget, without learning how to code.

It wasn't easy, but I managed to teach myself how to do all the designs, outsource the development, and grab people's attention—all on a budget that paid for itself by noon on the first day of sales. My apps have since graced the front page of USA Today, been featured on Good Morning America, and been praised in the media from Fargo to France as proof that anyone can create a killer app.

Now I'd like to share everything I learned with you, so you can do it too.

Who Should Read This Book

I'm writing this book for people whom I like to call “ideapreneurs”—folks who come up with innovative and breakthrough ideas but don't know how to design or build them. You might be a business owner, project manager, marketing genius, or the one-person shop doing all the work yourself. Or maybe you're a developer or a designer who already created an app, but it's not getting the attention and downloads you hoped for.

Perhaps you attempted to study the technical manuals with computer languages you don't understand, and discovered that even the most basic books assume some knowledge of programming. Then you scoured the Internet for information but still don't know what to believe or where to begin. You just want a simple and affordable way to shift your idea into a top-selling app that appears on iPhones and iPads all over the world.

You might not have created anything artistic since grade school or know the first thing about software development, but you're willing to roll up your sleeves and make the most of your greatest talents. Step by step, I walk you through the technical jargon, breeze you past the time wasters, and help you jump through Apple's hoops, making the process as simple as possible. I show you ways to build on the skills you already have by engaging in activities that excite you.

My experience alone isn't enough of a solution to all the different challenges, so I interviewed some of the most successful app developers out there. These incredible folks have apps that blasted the App Store charts, including tap tap tap, Tapbots, Montessorium, Weetaps, and creators of Lose It and Wood Camera, and Letterpress. These people have mentored me over the years and are now sharing their insights, mishaps, and advice with you.

If I Can Do This, So Can You

When I started, I owned a flip phone, had no programming skills, and worked at a job so remote the building was in the middle of cornfields. For the longest time, blogs or books for app developers simply didn't exist. And because I was financing everything myself, I had to hold down my day job, too.

That was quite a few years ago, back when George W. Bush was president and Beijing hosted the Olympics. I create apps full time now, but I'm still not a programmer. I shy away from venture capital and haven't added a single person to my payroll. I outsource the development, and everything else I do myself.

Over the years I have witnessed firsthand how this industry and the tools to create apps are evolving at an insane pace. App designs continue to get better and the competition fiercer. Still, my overall formula for creating apps remains the same. But the formula alone won't produce successful apps. It also takes drive and courage. While some are dreaming of success, the real winners wake up and work hard to achieve it.

A Glance into the App Development Process

To keep things simple, this book is organized to reflect the main phases of an app project. It aims to shorten development time and keep costs low, with the goal to start earning within a few months.

To do that, there is one important rule to remember: Go for the quick wins.

Break the development process into short phases so you can get things done and move on to the next thing. This approach keeps momentum going and keeps your project from fizzling to a slow death.

The process can be broken out into six overlapping and repeating phases. Some phases, such as development and promotion, never truly end. In fact, promotion actually kicks off before anything else, and is part of every phase of the project. The illustration on the following pages provides a brief overview of the process that will be discussed in more detail throughout the book.

• Conceptualize—Idea, Discover & Brainstorm. Decide exactly what your app does and who it's for. Narrow down your target market and mold your app idea into something they want.

• Design—Flow & Story, Prototype, Test, Final Designs. Establish a clear blueprint of the features, screen layouts, and navigation. Test your designs and build on the ideas of others, then polish it all off with a design tool.

• Develop—Code & QA Test. Create an app that is efficient, bug free, and well tested.

• Distribute—Submit & Go Live. Send the app to Apple with images and a description for approval. Execute a launch strategy that gets Apple's and the media's attention.

• Promote. Market the heck out of it while you're building your app as well as after it's on iTunes.

• Maintain—Update & Expand. Support your customers as well as your app by working on new releases. Expand to new markets and platforms.

This illustration and the first page of each chapter in this book were created by Mike Rohde (http://rohdesign.com/). © 2013 Mike Rohde.

A Few Things You Won't Find in This Book

Not only is this book nontechnical, it also won't sell you a get-rich-quick scheme in which you quickly create an app and then live in the comforts of your private island, sipping cocktails out of a coconut shell. Creating successful apps takes hard work, and I'm not about to sugarcoat the process. But if you have the drive and passion, the rewards can be phenomenal.

Here are a few other things you won't find in this book:

• A one-size-fits-all solution—I've been creating apps since they first hit the market, and one thing I know is there isn't a process that fits all situations. It's just not that black and white. You will come across roadblocks that will force you to change course. Technology changes so quickly; what works today may not work tomorrow. I do think, however, that there are some guiding principles that don't change, and I will do my best to convey them in this book.

• Facts and figures to wow you—If you're holding this book, you don't need me to hear a jaw-dropping figure about what app developers are earning or how many apps are downloaded each day. Apps are selling like hotcakes, and there is no sign of that slowing down. If anything, the flood is just getting started. Some of the best apps are yet to come, and hopefully, from you.

• Programming languages or jargon—This book isn't another technical manual about iPhone and iPad development. I don't know any Objective-C or Cocoa Touch because I had to do things a little differently. I will share just enough technical details so you can hire and manage your developers, test and submit your app, and understand the limits of the software development kit (SDK).

• Online app builders—If you have a lot of content that you want to distribute in the form of an app, an online app builder might be all you need. I've never used an app builder because my app ideas don't fit the mold, so they aren't discussed as a solution in this book.

• Half-truths and overselling—I only give straightforward real-world advice. I practice what I preach and honestly tell you everything about my process in terms as basic as I possibly can. Creating apps can be frustrating, confusing, and exhausting. My goal is to make the process simple, straightforward, and most of all, fun.

What I Really Mean to Say Is…

Throughout this book when I refer to the iPhone, I mean both the iPhone and iPod touch. Likewise, when I refer to the iPad, I mean both the iPad and the iPad Mini. My use of these terms is mostly a repetition factor and in no way is a reflection that the iPod touch or iPad Mini is less important than the iPhone or iPad. It's anything but that. Here are a few other word clarifications:

• “Customer” refers to “user.” I purposefully try to avoid the term “user” because it seems degrading to those important people who will be the reason for your success. Those guys will be downloading your app, enjoying it, and telling others about it for you.

• “I” refers to me, the author. Sometimes I speak as the voice of an app developer (such as “I recruited some testers…”), and other times it might be as an app consumer (such as “If I have to log in first…”).

• “You” refers to you, the reader and app developer. In my view, if you are reading this book, you are an app developer also. You are designing, building, and promoting apps.

• “We” or “people” refers to everyone who uses apps. Including you, me, and my dear, sweet mom.

As with all rules, I have to occasionally break these, but I hope this list will prevent some confusion.

A Small Book for Such a Big Subject

I did everything I could to keep this book simple and short. My hope is that you can read it in a single rainy afternoon, or flying across the continent. I did this for a few reasons.

• You don't have the time. Your days are already full with your day jobs or running a business. You're busy keeping your boss or customers happy, and your family warm and well. You just want some straight answers.

• You don't need to know everything. Too many details will bog you down and confuse you, creating inertia. I share just enough so that anyone can create an app.

• It's a guide. This book is designed to walk you through the process of creating your first app. I hope you dog-ear it, highlight it, underline text, and refer back to it often. If we ever meet one day and you have this book with you, nothing would flatter me more than seeing it has been feverishly used.

App Developers Who Contributed to This Book

Throughout this book you will discover bits of advice from other app developers. This is a brief introduction to their backgrounds and apps.

• John Casasanta, Co-Founder ofTap tap tap—The Tap tap tap (www.taptaptap.com) team is comprised of the guys from the popular MacHeist, the leading Mac software promotion site, so they're no strangers to Mac development or promotion. They were one of the first developer teams to break the mold of app design and continue to top the iTunes charts today. This team has sold millions of downloads and nearly every app they created has been featured on iTunes or an Apple ad. Today they have seven apps on iTunes, include the number one Camera +, Classic, Voices 2, and Faces.

• Mark Jardine, Co-Founder and Designer atTapBots—Chances are you have a TapBots (http://www.tapbots.com) app, and you probably downloaded it simply because it's so incredibly beautiful. Starting with their first app, Weightbot, the simplicity and functionality of their apps have set them apart. This team of two, Paul Haddad and Mark Jardine, has been awarded best design app and has apps featured in iTune's Hall of Fame. TapBots' apps are a great example of how a slick design can take a simple concept and turn it into a bestselling app. There are other weight apps available, but none enjoyed as much success as Weightbot. TapBots also has three other top selling apps: ConvertBot, PasteBot, and TweetBot.

• Loren Brichter, Founder ofatebits 2.0—Design prodigy Loren Brichter is the founder of atebits 2.0 (www.atebits.com) and creator of the Letterpress, the 2012 runner up of game of the year. You might be familiar with some of Loren's earlier work, including the popular Tweetie iPhone app which won a 2009 Apple Design Award.

• Bobby George, Founder ofMontessorium—Husband and wife team Bobby and June George began Montessorium (www.montessorium.com) one day when they were talking about how they could offer the unique methods of Montessori on a grand scale. They went on to create four top selling apps, all of which have been featured either on the App Store or in an Apple ad. In Chapter 1 you'll read how Steve Jobs wrote to them personally. Their apps include Intro to Letters, Intro to Math, Intro to Geography, and AlphaWriter.

• Andy Skirvin, Founder ofBlimp Pilots—Koi Pond was the first app I ever purchased and was the most downloaded app in 2008. It has rested nicely in the App Store's top 50 for years after its release, and became the second most downloaded app of all time. The creators, Blimp Pilots (www.theblimppilots.com), have since released two other apps: Distant Shores and Name in Lights. They also released an iPad version of Koi Pond.

• Patrick Wetherille, VP Product Marketing atLose It!—The weight tracking app, Lose It! (www.loseit.com), was another app that I first downloaded back in 2008. The app has graced the number one spot on the App Store Health & Fitness category for years and continues to be featured by Apple. Their app has helped people lose over 15 million pounds (and counting).

• Alain Hufkens and Paddy Donnelly, Co-Founders ofWeeTaps—WeeTaps (www.weetaps.com) is a joint venture that is rather new to the app scene. I discovered their app WeeRocket after noticing the icon on design forum, and am thrilled with the simplicity and style of the app. Using the same formula they had for their first app, they created a second one called WeeSubs, and it's just as marvelous.

• Christopher Taylor, Co-Founder ofPlaytend—My son for introduced me to Playtend's ingenious apps (www.playtend.com). Before he was even two he was counting in four languages thanks to their clever Counting Ants app. Focusing solely on education apps for children, this partnership of Christopher Taylor and Victor Johnson has created nearly 40 apps, some of which have been featured by Apple as well as praised by major publications and blogs.

• Shelby Meinzer, Founder of MindTapp—I first met Shelby Meinzer shortly after the launch of his app, PhotoNest. Shelby and Dan Martin founded MindTapp, a design-based company that focuses on simple aesthetically pleasing tools for the iOS platform, in 2010. Neither Shelby nor Dan were developers but they had an idea and knew that they could make it work. They teamed up with the developers at Clever Coding and brought PhotoNest to life. While MindTapp has been idle for some time now, you can expect PhotoNest to make a return as a totally free app as well as a new offering from MindTapp at the beginning of 2014.

Reach Out

As you'll soon learn from this book, I encourage you to reach out to other app developers and share ideas. I hang out on my Facebook page (www.facebook.com/carlawhite.happytapper) a lot and would love to hear about your project. You can also contact me through my personal website at happytapper.com, my blog carlakaywhite.com, or on Twitter at twitter.com/carlawhite. I not only look forward to hearing from you, but also using your marvelous app one day.

Chapter 1: Kicking Off Your App Adventure

“You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough.”

—Mae West

There's something alluring about the wide-open frontier of the app business, where a piece of software has made legendary millionaires out of folks writing code from their kitchen tables. While some say that striking it rich comes down to pure luck and that the gold rush is over, I disagree. As mysterious as app success might be, the truth is that it's not reserved for some elitist club who manage to get lucky. There's actually a formula to creating successful apps and still plenty of unexplored territory out there to apply it, making this an opportunity open to everyone, including the person reading this book.

This chapter starts by debunking the myths of what it takes to create a first-class app. It outlines the talents needed and reveals the eye-opening fact that you already have most of the skills. You'll learn important insights about the mobile market, what people want from apps and what it's like to work with Apple. Finally, you'll roll up your sleeves and take your first exciting steps on your journey from idea to iPhone.

Eliminating Doubts and Debunking Myths

For those who think that app success is reserved for software giants with budgets the size of the Gobi Desert or technical geniuses that rival Mark Zuckerberg, pull up a chair and hear this. Although the app market might seem impenetrable to the average person who has wonderful app ideas but not necessarily the technical wits to produce them, the truth is that creating a great app is not rocket science. Just like you, some of the most successful app inventors began with an idea, and working in their basements and bedrooms created apps that millions now enjoy. These apps catapult birds at pigs, transform a dull photo into something cool and retro, or hail a taxi with just one tap. Figure 1-1 shows the Instagram and Taxi Magic apps.

Whether you're so passionate about an app idea that it robs you of sleep, your boss asked you to create one, or you just want to figure out how to do it, jump in with everything you've got and enjoy the ride. Once you discover that by using the simple methods explained in this book pretty much anyone can do it and experience how thrilling app success feels, you'll wonder why you waited so long.

Source: Facebook, Inc and RideCharge Inc

Figure 1-1: Instagram app (left) and Taxi magic app (right)

To watch Koi Pond climb up the charts and sit at number one for almost two months was completely unbelievable, and drastically changed how seriously we were taking iPhone development.

—Andy Skirvin, co-founder and engineer at The Blimp Pilots (Koi Pond app)

Throughout this book, you'll learn how to bring your app to life by using the skills you already have and engaging in activities that excite you. The question isn't whether you have what it takes to pull off a great app—because you do. You just need to understand the basic steps and know where to find the best resources. The real question is whether you're ready to play like a champion and overcome the doubts standing in your way.

“I'm not a developer or even the slightest bit techy.”

So you don't know how to code. App development is one of the fastest growing technical skills on the market, so you have plenty of great talent to choose from. This book shows you where to find great app developers online using sites like Elance and oDesk, as well as in your own backyard (see Figure 1-2). It explains how to reach a fair contract that will keep your project on time and within budget, and how to get the best work from your developer. It also walks you through any technical hurdles and clearly explains each step in the app development process.

“I don't have the money to create an app.”

You actually need a lot less money than you might think. By contributing your own talents and time and doing some of the production yourself, you can save thousands in up-front capital. Saving money means you won't need outside investment to fund your app project, freeing you from requesting a loan from your bank, pitching your idea to investors, or risking family ties.

Making this effort may cost you in early mornings, and you may have to live on dinners of rice and soy sauce. But in the end, you will pick up some new skills and lower your financial risk, which in turn makes your odds for success that much greater.

Source: oDesk.com and © 2013 Meetup

Figure 1-2: Websites like oDesk.com have thousands of iOS developers for hire. You can also discover developers in your community using sites like Meetup.com.

“The app market is saturated. I don't stand a chance.”

The App Store has only been around for less than six years—it's just getting started! It's one of the fastest growing industries in history and has no signs of slowing down. With over 400 million App Store customers, it's also the largest collection of accounts with credit cards on the web. These people want new apps.

Sure, the low hanging fruit is gone, but there are still plenty of unexplored possibilities. Even if your app idea already exists, there are always ways to make it better. The incredible success of Clear app is a perfect example. There are thousands of to-do apps, but the developers of Clear discovered a way to take make the experience better by removing all the clutter and creating a simple yet striking design. Stories like this prove that the app revolution is just beginning. In fact, the mobile analytics firm Flurry predicts over one billion app downloads a week in 2013. There's plenty of opportunity for your idea.

“I don't have the time.”

If you're waiting for all the stars to align and a massive block of free time to suddenly open up, you'll never get started. You have to make the time. We're not talking all-nighters or 80-hour workweeks to pull your app together, but you will have to squeeze in some extra hours each week—early mornings, evenings, and weekends. It's enough time to get your app rolling. Gradually, creating your app will progress from there.

“I'm not artistic, and I don't know how to use design software.”

If you can draw a circle, a box, and some arrows, you can design an app. If your artistic talents tap out at stick figures, and design software is as confusing to you as the plot of Lost, you most likely will have to hire someone to produce a polished interface. But you can save money on a designer if you spend time blueprinting your idea first. You'll learn basic steps on how to do this as well as how to outsource the design work in Chapter 3.

“I don't live in a tech center.”

Residing light years outside Silicon Valley didn't hurt my apps one bit. If anything, it probably helped. It forced me to connect with other developers online, and I discovered a welcoming and generous community that is also incredibly knowledgeable and helpful.

Like you, many of these developers are also rolling the dice at something new and somewhere along their journey, they were insanely grateful to get help from a total stranger in another hemisphere. Tweet about an issue, and you may be surprised at the new friends you make. Google it, and you'll find forums filled with others who had the same issues and shared their solutions. I share app developers' favorite hangouts in both the real and virtual worlds in Chapter 4.

“What if I fail?”

Most successful developers did fail before they struck gold. And not just once; they belly-flopped over and over. Rovio, the maker of Angry Birds, released 52 unsuccessful games before it finally hit the jackpot. The company persevered and not only became the most downloaded game of all time, but one of the fastest growing consumer brands with those colorful birds appearing in everything from movies to coffee mugs.

The good news is that you probably won't have to go through 52 fiascos or risk the family farm before someone other than your mom downloads your app. Following in the footsteps of successful developers takes a lot of the guesswork out of how to create apps that become chart busters.

This book shares the behind-the-scenes process, breakthroughs, and slipups from me and other developers who were just like you. We reveal what worked for us and what didn't, and what to expect every step of the way.

Financing Your App with Your Time and Talent

For many of you, there are two things standing between you and your app—money and knowhow—so let's address funding your app project and the skills you'll need first.

Almost half of the people who come to me with their app idea say they'll pull the trigger after they secure venture capital to pay for everything. Inevitably, I never hear from them again because their app project never leaves the ground. It went stale and grew mold in the months they dedicated to pitching their idea to investors rather than creating their app.

The beauty of app development is that it actually doesn't require that much investment up front if you're willing to commit your own time and talent. A better approach is to establish a budget you can afford to finance with your own precious money and do some the work yourself. Even if you have never managed software development, designed something, or started a business, you still have what it takes do this.

Tip

If outside funding is essential to your project, look into crowdfunding sites like kickstarter.com and indiegogo.com. These funding platforms are great alternatives to a bank loan or private investors.

You need less money than you may think

Outside funding might seem to be a quick and safe way to bring your app idea to market, but I've seen gorgeous apps that launch with $30,000 marketing campaigns suddenly outsold by an 11-year-old punching out code in his tree house.

The App Store is a game of chance, and the best way to reduce risks and increase your odds is to bootstrap your project:

• Instead of buying expensive advertising and hiring a PR firm, start marketing early and use creative methods to get your app noticed.

• Instead of hiring a team of ten, outsource part of the work to one or two really talented people.

• Instead of going nuts with features in your app, start with the bare minimum and focus on a beautiful design instead.

If you happen to be sitting on a hefty budget for your app project, by all means hire an experienced team to do the whole thing for you. But if you want to lower your risks and save money (who wouldn't?), you can do plenty of the work yourself and cut costs in other ways as well.

You have more to offer than you know

Being an app creator is like being the CEO of your own company. At this point, you're more like the CEO of a lemonade stand than Amazon, but that's a good thing. It means you're small, lean, and fast. You can make decisions quicker and fix your mistakes faster. You can change your priorities, focus, or mind. Less is a good thing because it forces innovation and creativity.

As CEO, it's your job to find the right mix of talent to pull your idea together. Here's a cheat sheet to help you understand what skills you'll need to move your idea from your head to a hit on iTunes. Start by figuring out which of these talents you already have (or have access to), and which you will need to acquire (by partnering, hiring, or learning how to do it yourself).

Keep doing what you do best

I bet you nodded your head at a few items in this list, but you probably have more talent to contribute than you know. You just might not recognize all the skills you use naturally. Have you ever organized a trip? Great! You're adventurous, can communicate, and are good at getting people fired up. Do you enjoy writing? Excellent! You can pen all the promotional messages. Are you good at fixing things? Superb! You understand the nuts and bolts of engineering. Do you arrange all your canned goods in alphabetical order? Then you're wonderfully organized. You might think that these things have little to do with creating an app, but they do.

These skills are just as critical in an app project as the coding because a good portion of what's involved is management and marketing. For example, I'm crazy about yoga. That interest helped me to connect with thousands of others who share my same passion and they were my first fans. Even though my app had nothing to do with yoga, simply talking about something I love helped build my audience and hype for my app.

Beyond your golf swing and record collection, you have other experiences that will impact your app. Have you ever managed a group? Pitched an idea? Sat in a meeting? I'm guessing you said “yes” at least once. Warren Buffet, one of the world's richest men, attributes a great deal of his success to his childhood paper route because it helped him think like an entrepreneur. Chances are you have similar experiences that will contribute to your app project.

Filling in the missing skills

You have several options for filling in the gaps where your skills fall short. You may have to dip into your pocket and pay freelancers to design or program your app for you, but this book shares ways you can save money on outsourcing costs. You can also partner with someone whose skills complement yours. Many app teams consist of two or three people, and among them they have all the talent needed.

Another option is to find the time to learn some new skills. The fact that you're reading this book is evidence that you're willing to make that investment, but don't feel you have to do everything. Very rarely is there a designer, developer, promoter, and project manager all sushi-rolled into one person. In fact, adding at least one other person to your project, if even briefly, helps to give you a refreshing new perspective and outside opinions.

Do it because you love it. Don't do it because you see stories of people making zillions off iPhone apps. But if you're passionate about it, jump in with everything you've got and enjoy the ride.

—John Casasanta, founder at tap tap tap (Convert, Camera+, and other apps)

The Journey Ahead

Now that you have some insight into the skills needed, it's time to think about the basics of app development. The steps are pretty straightforward, but let's get one thing clear right away. You're not just building an app. You're producing a product that people want to download, use a lot, and tell their friends about. Your success hinges on focusing your time and energy on two critical tasks:

• Creating a simple and elegant solution.

• Marketing your app as soon and as often as possible.

Did you notice that coding isn't on the list? This might leave some developers up in arms, but the truth is it's not the core to successful apps. A well thought out design and a strong marketing strategy are the crux of any successful app. Obviously, I'm not suggesting you can do without coding. But if you spend most of your time and budget on coding grand features and leave the design as an afterthought, people won't be drawn to your app because it's confusing to use or as dull as cardboard. Likewise, if you wait until your app is almost complete before you start promoting and connecting with your audience, most people won't even know your app exists. You need to focus on both the design and marketing throughout your project to make it work.

These are the basics of any app project: a well thought out design and a strong marketing strategy that connects you to your audience. Take a closer look – it's essential to formulate app ideas that people want with the key ingredients to become addictive and viral. You must also take the time to ensure you have a bug-free app, meaning both the code and the design work.

Throughout this book, I'll explain the entire process in detail, identifying exactly what goes into a quality app, affordable ways to promote it, and how you can maximize your talents in every step of the process.

Let's start by noting what people expect in an app—any app. In the next section, you'll look at how we really use our iPhones and iPads, because that plays a big part not only in the design, but the app idea itself.

The Mobile World We Live In

Whether we're completely obsessed, a little ambivalent, or even slightly bored with our iPhone or iPad, we're usually distracted when we're using them. Most of us have a pretty good idea of what's competing for our attention at any given moment, like our kids, other apps, or the slippery sidewalk. But it's actually a lot more complicated than that.

To give you an idea, Figure 1-3 illustrates the layers of distractions we face when using our mobile devices. See that tiny purple sliver in the middle labeled “interface”? That small part of the surroundings is your app and it's in a tug-of-war with all sorts of other demands on the user's attention. Besides the fact that we all might be safer with padded light posts, let's take a closer look at how this set of circumstances affects an app's success.

Original image by Nadav Savio, Giant Ant Design (www.giantant.com). Reproduced under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.5 license.

Figure 1-3: The overlapping spheres of distraction in our mobile environment.

Apps must be understood in 15 seconds or less

Apps get used in short bursts interrupted by text messages, phone calls, and the changing traffic light. For your app to be successful, people must be able to understand exactly what it does in 15 seconds or less. We should “get it” without having to invest any extra brain cells thinking about it.

Your app needs to be so obvious and intuitive that your neighbor who just purchased an iPad yesterday understands it (see Figure 1-4). If your app confuses people, they get frustrated, lose confidence in you, and move on to the next app. Even worse, they'll leave bad reviews on the App Store so your app never gets out of the starting gate.

Figure 1-4: Obvious designs lead to comments, not questions in our minds.

We see only part of the screen and it's blurry

We use our devices one-handed and often while engaged in another activity—watching Jon Stewart, eating stir-fry, or catching the bus. This means the screens are constantly moving around and are partially covered by fingers that are trying to control the app while holding the device in place.

Try this little experiment. Open your favorite app, move it back and forth, and notice what you see. Small fonts become blurred, images and icons stand out, and whitespace makes a huge difference in recognizing grouping. This is how your app will look when people are using it while running on the treadmill, down the stairs, or after their kids. Figure 1-5 illustrates this point.

Source: Clock app by Apple

Figure 1-5: How the app is designed (left) and what we typically see (right).

Think thumb, not fingers