Mobile App Makers podcast

07/12/2021

On today’s episode of the Mobile App Makers podcast, I talk no-code mobile apps with the CEO of Caddify, Justin Halfpenny. Caddify is a SAAS company that offers companion apps for physical devices such as cars and household appliances. They offer a platform for other companies to build an app from a spreadsheet, with customizable options to help you launch an app cheaply and quickly, without any developer knowledge.

Justin and I discuss the potential of no-code apps, which are a game changer in the world of app development. In the future, Justin envisages no-code apps playing an important role in the Internet of Things, helping the end users to understand and diagnose problems with their devices. However, there are drawbacks to using no-code apps too. Apps requiring different and more complex set-ups may not fit into the model of a no-code app design, although Justin outlines how some coding can be integrated into a no-code app.

I also asked Justin about the user experience on a no-code app, which is a crucial element in the success of any app. Justin has seen the evolution of mobile apps over the years and has focussed his UX strategy on giving the users the best onboarding experience possible within a no-code app framework, so that users feel confident about installing and beginning to use the app. We end the discussion by talking about how to build a mobile app that lasts, keeping user experience at the heart of your app design to make sure that your app will continue to meet your users’ expectations.

https://mobileappmakers.chat/episode/18-no-code-app-with-justin-halfpenny?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=post&utm_campaign=justin_halfpenny&utm_term=no_code

02/12/2021

HOW TO DO INTERVIEW WHEN YOUR STILL A SMALL STARTUP

We basically do a technical interview. And there you obviously need good existing people. And if you don't have those, then maybe from a friend who has a more advanced startup. Maybe the senior guy gives you 1 hour of his time. Maybe you pay the guy, like, compensation for it.

But it's definitely needed because they can then first discuss the challenge and say: Why did you do it this way? Why that way? They can throw in a few questions. And then they see if a guy claims five years, ten years experience. Well, we'll what you know.

And if the guy has some holes and he has a six year experience, you're like, well, this guy says a senior, but actually didn't know some basic stuff. And then you kind of know. There are probably 30 other holes that you haven't uncovered.

David Eberle on the mobile app makers podcast
https://bit.ly/3FIvKSF

30/11/2021

A GREAT TIP ON MANAGING YOUR TEAM WHEN YOUR STILL A SMALL STARTUP

Because at the beginning, you obviously want to have this harmonious team and everyone is nice. And then you get these first issues. And I think the learning was also there be much quicker about it.

So I think that's also what the Snowflake, the CEO or chairman, I think he's a Dutch guy. He brought it to the IPO. I think it's the third company that he IPO. And I think he actually said his one thing that I read from the interview was like, well, he got much, let's say, quicker in firing people.

And in his view, at least that's how I read the interview. I don't want to put words in his mouth, but that's how I remember the interview. There's a bit like, hey, first of all, it's no benefit to either party. So you just give other chances that will never happen.

And that's a bit what I also saw in our case. You kind of think maybe it works, maybe it works, maybe it works, but maybe for this situation, it doesn't work. But maybe great person. And so that's the hard thing. You have a great person. But you don't have a big company where you could say, hey, I think you're good at this. Why don't you move on to another position? We would like to have you in our firm, but maybe not for this position. But you just don't have that position.

David Eberle on the mobile app makers podcast
https://bit.ly/3FIvKSF

25/11/2021

ONE GREAT TIP TO AVOID: "YOU HAVE TO REBUILD THE ENTIRE APP"

We have a probation period and let's make use of that and see how you work. Rather than saying now, we think it's the perfect person. We've done all this. Ok, you start, and then how do you evaluate this?

It's usually through code reviews.

So the way you work in a sprint, people work on their tasks, and then they get dragged into like, a code review before they are completed. And then another developer needs to verify this. So having only one developer on iOS and Android makes it very difficult. Now we're in a position where we don't have this issue anymore. But you could maybe even do a cross platform review.

I'm not a developer, so maybe this is complete bunker is what I'm saying. But somehow you need to get that code review in. Otherwise, you have a person working on something for half a year, for one year, and the product seems fine. It seems to be advancing.

But if you have someone who really understands architecture and looks at that says, you kind of wasted a year of your time. You have to rebuild the entire app.

David Eberle on the mobile app makers podcast
https://bit.ly/3FIvKSF

Today I interview David Eberle, one of the founders of Typewise, the app that set out to redesign how we enter text into our phones. This presented many logisti...

23/11/2021

Today I interview David Eberle, one of the founders of Typewise, the app that set out to redesign how we enter text into our phones. This presented many logistical challenges, from coding a keyboard in many languages to finding a way for the app to nest within other apps and be compatible with Android and Apple software.

David and I discuss the story of Typewise, from its inception as a two-person operation to where they are today as a 15-person company. David talks about his hiring process for the company and specifically for developer roles, going through all of the recruitment stages step by step, which is really essential knowledge for anyone thinking of bringing a full-time developer on to their team. David also talks about his experience of funding Typewise through a kickstarter funding round, sharing insights on how to make a good promotional video and on getting the word out about the Kickstarter fund into the media to gain traction.

Once the app was launched, David and his team dealt with the blow of negative reviews of the beta phase of the app, particularly on iOS. Apple had recently launched the iPhone 6 which had a different screen rendering to the iPhone 5, meaning that the keyboard was the wrong size and some keys were hidden. Eventually, they were able to manage the problem by redeveloping the app, cutting out some of the more technical features to focus on creating an app that was more streamlined, which was better received by users.

This interview gives a great overview on launching a successful app, starting from scratch and building up towards managing a thriving company.

Listen to it at https://bit.ly/3HCQ3T8 or wherever you get your podcast

Today I interview David Eberle, one of the founders of Typewise, the app that set out to redesign how we enter text into our phones. This presented many logisti...

18/11/2021

PROS AND CONS OF AUTOMATED TESTING FOR YOUR MOBILE APP

The computer can test a lot faster than a manual tester.And I'd argue you're also minimizing human error and tasks like regression testing, where if you have a person do it each time, eventually they're going to miss something. Right? The computer will not never missed something.

Some downsides of mobile automation are that it's not quite as perfect as it sounds. You still need a human to review the automation runs and write up and prioritize any defects found. I think some tools will write up the defects for you, but you probably still need a person to look those over and make sure they include the pertinent details and are prioritized properly.

And then it's an additional code base. So you need to maintain and keep updating that code.

And then mobile is a special challenge because it's likely that you'll be maintaining two automation code bases that are very similar but not identical, one for iOS and one for Android.

Rachael Lovallo on the mobile app makers podcast
https://bit.ly/3ogIYPl

16/11/2021

HOW TO STRUCTURE YOUR TEAM TO ENSURE A HIGH QUALITY MOBILE APP

That pod might have a developer, a project manager and also a tester. And so that tester becomes less of the person who comes in at the end of the project to test the code and more of Quality representative if you will. So that person is in the early requirements gathering meetings and is picking up from the perspective of quality all the way through till giving the thumbs up to say this is ready to hand off the customers. It's a good app that's ready to go.

Rachael Lovallo on the mobile app makers podcast
https://mobileappmakers.chat/episode/16-mobile-app-testing-with-rachael-lovalo?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=post&utm_campaign=rachael_lovallo&utm_term=testing&utm_content=why_hire_tester

11/11/2021

WHY A TESTER IS A MUST HAVE ON YOUR TEAM

And users are picking your app out of a list of a few similar apps based on reviews from real users. So if you're not prioritizing quality, that's very likely to affect your bottom line sooner or later. But there's a lot of ways the decision or the decision to not bring on a tester like you described could occur.
Maybe a position just needs to be kind of loaded at this time where the developer is also the tester just due to financial constraints. And that might make sense for a time.

But I argue that we know pretty definitively now that humans are not the best multitaskers. So every time you have that employee contact switch between the development and the testing that's taking some energy and some time and is making them less efficient.

Rachael Lovallo on the mobile app makers podcast
https://bit.ly/3ogIYPl

09/11/2021

In today’s episode of the Mobile App Makers podcast, I talk with Lovallo about mobile app testing, which is a crucial stage in app development. She shared her thoughts on the best ways to test apps in the pre-launch phase and gave me her number one tip on how to increase testing effectiveness. She also analyzed the positives and negatives of using automated testing software, which can really speed up the testing process but maybe doesn’t cover all of your testing needs.

At the end of the episode, Rachael gave some really useful advice about some of the more practical aspects of mobile testing, such as how to plan out testing when working with a fully remote team, which is something that a lot of app development teams have struggled with since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Lastly, she also touched on the optimal app development team structure to make sure that your app is built with quality baked into the process. This is essential listening for anyone working in the field of mobile app testing, and anyone who has a mobile app tester on their team!

listen to the episode at https://bit.ly/3ww6608

In today’s episode of the Mobile App Makers podcast, I talk with Rachael Lovallo. Although Rachael stumbled into mobile app testing by accident after comp...