Monthly Archives: July 2019

Li’l Champs – mLearning School App By Teksmobile

Hussain Fakhruddin
Follow me

Hussain Fakhruddin

CEO at Teknowledge Software
Hussain Fakhruddin is the founder/CEO of Teknowledge mobile apps company. He heads a large team of app developers, and has overseen the creation of nearly 600 applications. Apart from app development, his interests include reading, traveling and online blogging.
Hussain Fakhruddin
Follow me

Latest posts by Hussain Fakhruddin (see all)

 

Li'l Champs is a digital school learning app.

Everybody uses mobile apps. While we continue to speculate on whether the mobile app market has reached maturity, 9 out of every 10 people, on average, download new apps on a regular basis. More interestingly, nearly half of all newly downloaded apps are educational in nature (in some form or the other). Clearly, the edtech market is on the rise – and the mobile platform is right at the heart of it.

Over the years, Teksmobile has built up a proud record for itself, as a creator of high-quality children’s apps. Launched in 2013, Story Time For Kids – a digital storytelling app – notched up well over a million downloads. We also worked on several other kids’ apps, like My First Words, I Can Write, and more recently, Soccerman – among others. Till now, however, we had not worked on any app that directly helped kids in their school studies. With Li’l Champs, our team has plugged that gap.

The Idea

“Present-day kids are overburdened. It’s a sore sight to see children trudging along with bags heavier than themselves. We wanted to come up with a solution that brought back the fun element to learning…something that made kids look forward to school.”

Hussain Fakhruddin
CEO, Teksmobile

Gamification of education was the core idea on which the Li’l Champs app was built. We believed that – given how much children love to play mobile games – the app would automatically appeal to the young learners, and would offer an intuitive experience to them. The challenge, of course, was to come up with games that were interesting enough.

“Active learning modules are what Li’l Champs sets out to achieve. Instead of the often ineffective one-way chalk-and-talk classes, the app can be used to get the children more involved in the learning process. It’s an ideal learning companion app.”

Dr. Maria Bohari
Child Psychoanalyst; Co-owner at Li’l Champs

Li’l Champs has been designed for the iOS (iOS 9.0 and later) and Android (Android 4.1 and later).

The App

We did a lot of background research to understand how kids prefer to learn, and how a mobile solution could really help them in grasping new topics and subjects. The focus was on making the learning process more enjoyable than ever. Finally, we zeroed in on the idea of making a learning app for kids that had a large number of exciting educational games.

“Li’l Champs currently has more than 60 educational games – each with around 10 questions. We have gone in with questions in MCQ format for most of the games. Both singleplayer and multiplayer games have been included.”

Hussain Fakhruddin
CEO, Teksmobile

A recent study revealed that mobile-based learning structures help kids complete their lessons up to 45% faster (compared to only computer-based learning). Li’l Champs would also be instrumental in making learning faster and more effective.

The entire rationale behind the creation of the Li’l Champs app can be summed up as:

FUN + LEARNING = EFFECTIVE LEARNING!

The Development

For everyone at Teksmobile, every new app is like a new dream. Once the project is complete, we let that dream fly off – only to move on to the next one. Even so, it will be safe to say that we probably had the most fun while finalising the games for the new mobile educational app for kids. Everyone pitched in with ideas, we created a shortlisted, and from these – the final set of games were selected.

“It is very important to think like a kid…to understand what a child would like…while coming up with ideas for mobile games. If a game fails to engage a young learner, it’s useless as an educational tool. The key lies in maintaining the right balance between educational benefits and sheer gaming fun.”

Dr. Maria Bohari
Child Psychoanalyst; Co-owner at Li’l Champs

Once the games were finalised and we had more or less decided on the gameplay, development started in right earnest. The iOS and Android versions were worked on simultaneously – and the coding was completed in 5 weeks flat.

The Coverage

“I have personally seen many kids’ apps…including educational ones…that get repetitive after a point. That’s precisely why our team created a huge database of questions for the app. Every time a child launches a Li’l Champs game, new questions wait for him or her.”

Hussain Fakhruddin
CEO, Teksmobile

For the initial version we created a database of more than 6100 questions. Over 30 subjects – under English, Mathematics and General Knowledge – have been covered in these questions. We have plans to include more questions and cover more subjects over the next updates. The Li’l Champs application is meant for students from kindergarten to Class IV.

Keeping the target group of users in mind, fun and immersive graphics were implemented in the educational games, along with cute little animations. Our UI design team went into overdrive, coming up with a series of cool and funny characters – which would feature in the games. From racing piglets and horses, to climbing plants, buzzing bees, and running elephants – there’s everything in Li’l Champs – and then some more.

The Innovation

Over $5 trillion is spent across the globe on students’ learning activities (including all levels). By the end of this decade, the value of the worldwide education technology market will be comfortably more than $250 billion. The market is competitive, and the onus was on us to make our mobile educational tool unique. Augmented Reality (AR) came to our aid in this regard.

“After lengthy discussions with Maria and the development team, we decided to incorporate a set of fun AR-based games in the app. These games were mainly focused on simple things like alphabet and object identifications. Children would also be benefited by getting a first-hand feel of this immersive technology.”

Hussain Fakhruddin
CEO, Teksmobile

Artificial intelligence (AI) is another cutting-edge technology that has a strong presence in the Li’l Champs app. In the single player games, a child plays against the system – which is powered by AI bots.

“Li’l Champs establishes an ideal learning environment for young kids. The feeling of healthy competition that grows when the entire class plays learning games together is beneficial in a big way. As all the little ones try to clear levels and win games, they start to learn more and know more automatically.”

Dr. Maria Bohari
Child Psychoanalyst; Co-owner at Li’l Champs

Note: Li’l Champs has been made with the Unity game engine.

The Gameplay

While adding the games and features in Li’l Champs, we never lost sight of the fact that the final users would be kids in the 4-9 age group. As such, the gameplay had to be simply yet enticing, and the app needed to have kid-friendly controls. There was no point in making an app for kids which was overly complicated.

“Kids can select their class, choose a subject and pick a game to play. He or she can join a room, or play against the system. Questions would appear, with multiple answer options. The child has to pick the right question to move his character/avatar forward in the game.”

Hussain Fakhruddin
CEO, Teksmobile

Li’l Champs is a mobile learning game for kids that gives equal importance to 3 key elements of children’s education – KNOWLEDGE, SPEED and ACCURACY. On the basis of these factors, the performance of the kids is calculated. As more and more games are played, levels get cleared, and the players get on their journey from being a ‘Newbie’ to becoming a ‘Li’l Champ’.

The Smart Teaching Tool

Li’l Champs is a school app that doubles up as a mighty useful teaching tool as well. There is a dedicated admin panel, from where teachers can set assignments, track student performances, set deadlines, and do a lot more. There are unlimited practice tests to be assigned – ensuring that the little ones have more than enough learning resources, at all times.

“As a psychoanalyst and academician myself, I am confident that teachers would find Li’l Champs to be a real handy tool. We have included plenty of customisation options, and teachers can even add their own questions to any game. The ability to monitor the kids’ performance on the games is yet another advantage.”

Dr. Maria Bohari
Child Psychoanalyst; Co-owner at Li’l Champs

By regularly tracking the students’ performance on the different games in Li’l Champs, teachers can easily find out what each individual student is good at, and what topic(s) (s)he is struggling with. Personalised help and guidance can be provided accordingly. Once again, this makes classroom teaching all the more effective.

For parents too, Li’l Champs can be a smart monitoring tool. They can follow the performance of the students on the different games – and watch along as the knowledge pool of their wards grow. In a nutshell, Li’l Champs holds out benefits for students, teachers and parents. A true 360° digital learning platform.

The Subscription

“Li’l Champs offers an easy subscription plan for both schools and individual users. Displaying disruptive in-app ads was never an option – particularly in an app made for kids. Instead, we have gone in with a very competitively priced subscription.”

Hussain Fakhruddin
CEO, Teksmobile

Our new m-learning app comes with a free trial period of 14 days. Following that, users have to subscribe, to continue getting access to all the learning resources and backend admin panel. The annual subscription fee of Li’l Champs (app+backend) is $1.99.

The Final Word

The iOS version of the Li’l Champs application is available for download at https://apps.apple.com/us/app/lilchamps/id1434375701. The Android version can be downloaded from https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.lilchamps&hl=en. Li’l Champs is a breakthrough school app that we have made with a lot of love – and we are sure it will do its bit to help students become faster, smarter learners.
Note: We do not believe that any digital tool can obliterate the need for expert human teachers. Li’l Champs has been designed as a learning tool that complements classroom education.

A Day In The Life Of A Tech Startup CEO…

Hussain Fakhruddin
Follow me

Hussain Fakhruddin

CEO at Teknowledge Software
Hussain Fakhruddin is the founder/CEO of Teknowledge mobile apps company. He heads a large team of app developers, and has overseen the creation of nearly 600 applications. Apart from app development, his interests include reading, traveling and online blogging.
Hussain Fakhruddin
Follow me

Latest posts by Hussain Fakhruddin (see all)

 

The average day for a tech entrepreneur

 

Every other day, you come across an article outlining the inspiring story of a young and happy startup owner or CEO – an achiever in the world. From personal to professional, he or she seems to have the best of both worlds – with smiling team pictures at workplace and jaw-droppingly beautiful snaps from exotic vacation destinations (somehow, the CEO will have time for 3-4 such holidays in a year) adorning their social media profiles. On a more personal front too, you must have seen the pictures of startup owners who look charming – at times, nothing short of being model-like.

 

Being the owner of a tech startup – or any startup, for that matter – is exciting, there are no doubts about it. But the job is also stressful, something that these ‘motivational articles‘ so conveniently forget to mention. Every bit of achievement is accompanied by dark circles, every successful day dotted with gulping down tasteless pizzas with a soda, every fruitful business collaboration coming after hundreds of rejected connection requests. As the CEO of Teksmobile and Eventify – the new 360° event management software platform – here’s what my average (invariably hectic) day looks like:

 

Getting The Day started

 

I love interacting with clients from around the world. There is one obvious downside though – Skype calls are scheduled at odd hours, there are meetings to attend and chain mails to reply to, and by the time I hit the bed on most days, it’s past 2 am. So, when the alarm clock goes off at 5:00 am in the morning, I am all bleary-eyed – and more than likely to hit the snooze button.

 

Except, I don’t. I know that I cannot let the day get a headstart on me – particularly when there is so much to be done. I get up, get my two toddlers up (that’s not a particularly easy thing to do), and have a 30-minute meditation session. On certain days, there are early-morning conference calls to attend to – and these typically eat into my meditation time.

 

“Without passion, you don’t have any energy, and without energy, you simply have nothing”

 

Out & About

 

Breakfast (the most important meal of the day and all that) is complete in 15 minutes flat – and then, it’s time to get my elder kid ready for school. More often than not, it’s literally a race against time to get her in the school cab on time. If she’s late (thankfully, that ain’t often), I drop her off to school.

 

Before I leave for office, I try to give myself about an hour – which often turns out to be way less – to prepare for the day ahead. I revisit and revise my day’s plans, list out the meetings to conduct, training sessions to organise, and speeches (if any) to give. This is the thing: I like my days to flow along like chalkwork. They don’t always – but I try.

 

Planning done, breakfast done, car key in hand – it’s time to head for the office. The time? Around 8:40am.

 

“No man can be successful, unless he first loves his work.”

 

The Boss Comes To Dinner Office

 

Do I want to take a detour on my way to office, and grab a coffee at Starbucks? Yes. Do I manage to do that every day? No. On 4 days out of 6, I won’t have the time for a 20-minute ‘coffee break’ at the beginning of the day. Placing my full trust on the coffee vending machine at the office, I drive on. On most days, I play music on the way and hum along. On others, thoughts of upcoming meetings cram my head, and the music takes a backseat. 

 

As a rule of thumb, I try to reach the office before anyone else (trying to set an example, you see). At times I succeed, at times I don’t – with a couple of app developers beating me to the…well, arrival line. 

 

After the exchange of ‘good morning’-s with everyone, I head for my cabin, stash away my bag, and switch on my Mac. Filtering through the scores of marketing emails for that one free app quote request or a proposal for collaboration or a client feedback is not particularly easy – and it takes me quite a bit of time to find the important mails and respond as required.

 

“You don’t need to be a genius or a visionary, or even a college graduate for that matter, to be successful. You just need framework and a dream.”

 

Communicating With Everyone

 

You know the biggest pain point for any organisation? A lack of clear and regular communication between a CEO and his/her employees. If I sit in my cabin thinking Person X is working on Project Y – while Person X stays glued to his/her seat and keeps slogging on the non-urgent Project Z, things will never move forward. At my mobile app company, I strive to ensure that this is never the case. 

 

My method for engaging with everyone is pretty simple. Right at the time of getting someone onboard, I categorically state that I do not want to come across as an archetypical ‘boss’. Instead, I would like more to be a ‘guide’ or a ‘mentor’ – someone who they can speak with at any time, look for help, and optimise their productivity. 

 

And so, after the email-checking is done (and I am sure that there are no meetings for at least 15 minutes), I go around speaking with my team-members. I generally ask about what project(s) they are working on, and whether they are facing any difficulties. If it’s a Monday, I often ask about their weekends. At times, and IF there is time, I pick someone to deliver a quick motivational speech. These little things help.

 

“There’s nothing wrong with staying small. You can do big things with a small team.”

 

And…Back To My Seat

 

On an average day at the office, I hardly leave my desk. Not because I don’t want to (wait…do I want to?), but because I don’t get the time. As the founder and CEO of a tech startup, I have to wear multiple hats – from delegating tasks to others, analysing and troubleshooting projects, and suggesting website design changes, to attending meetings and webinars, and generally keeping track of everything. If I don’t have somewhere to go to – then (excluding loo breaks and pantry visits), I am at my desk pretty much the whole time.

 

A pro tip for all the new startup founders out there: Never, never be afraid of multitasking. As the proverbial ‘captain of the ship’, you have to look out for everything – every possible contingency, and solutions for problems that might (but hopefully won’t) arrive. As your company grows more stable with time, you can start delegating more tasks to others.

 

“An entrepreneur is someone who has a vision for something and a want to create.”

 

Lunch Hour Beckons

 

It’s less of an ‘hour’, and more of ‘a few moments’, really. As I wash down a cold sandwich with a soda or some caffeine, I read up on research articles or resources that talk about the latest trends, developments in the software industry (in general) and the mobile app industry (in particular). According to me, being a successful startup CEO is all about maintaining the right balance between ‘astute leadership’ and ‘keen willingness to learn’. 

 

At lunchtime, I generally attend a couple of calls as well. Once those are done, I come back to my desk and quickly glance through our company’s social media profiles. If I have something to post, I do. If there’s a new post that I don’t like that much, I tell the team to make the relevant changes. And just like that, it’s late afternoon!

 

“Anything that is measured and watched, improves.”

 

Team. Strategy. Product. Growth

 

I do my best thinking after lunch (the mornings are too busy, anyway). I take stock of how my team is performing – whether a review session is due, or if there are some really well-done tasks that I need to appreciate. Following that, I sit with my core team to discuss strategies to handle clients – and even how to reach out to new ones. Once these in-house meetings are over, I try to give the next hour to LinkedIn.

 

Of all the social media portals, I like LinkedIn (and maybe, Twitter) the most. I check the connections from the influencers and accept most, and send out a few connection requests myself. It’s a delightful place for networking – and it’s very useful for startup owners like myself.

 

“No matter how brilliant your mind or strategy, if you’re playing a solo game, you’ll always lose out to a team.”

 

The Final Stretch

 

There are meetings to attend, product demo-s to be given, and emails to be sent in the evening – so that’s what occupies me for the next couple of hours or so. If there’s a new project, I brief the app designers and developers about it. From creative designing to technical aspects, and from finances to business development strategies – I try to play an active role in everything. The CEO of a startup always needs to keep in mind that there are no ‘guides’ or ‘superiors’ for him/her. The responsibility of getting the company off the ground lies squarely on his/her shoulders.

 

Right through the day, I also have to track the different time-zones. If Client A wants a demo at 4pm London time, Person B schedules a meeting at 1pm Canada time – and I mix the two up – there will be chaos!

 

“Risk more than others think is safe. Dream more than others think is practical.” 

 

Back To Home…And Work

 

While driving home, I pick up some daily essentials, visit the medicine store (if required), and listen to some music. If it’s a Friday, I try to catch up with my friends (although, sadly, that too often gets shunted due to lack of time). Once I am home, I freshen up in record time – and the family sits down for dinner. Over food, the girls tell me about their day, I tell them a bit about my own, and a couple of jokes are shared.

 

Dinner gets over in half an hour, and I am back on my laptop – logged in and planning for the next day. Sometimes, I have demo-s to deliver at night, to overseas clients. On others, I do a bit of reading. Before signing out for the day – and I’m talking about well after midnight here – I plan out the next day’s tasks. As I mentioned right at the start, I like things well-planned.

 

“Chase the vision, not the money; the money will end up following you.”

 

The Sacrifices

 

I have often caught myself shaking my head at the TV commercials showing young startup owners – all dressed up and smiling and spending uber-awesome vacation pictures and saying all the right things about work-life balance. As much as I hate to say this, it’s never this easy – and building up a company from scratch involves sacrifices. Some of the things that I have had to give up are:

 

  • Adequate sleep – I sleep about 4-5 hours a day. If there are no 4 am conference calls.
  • Laid-back weekends – And I don’t get the time for ‘catchup sleep’ on Saturdays and Sundays. There are still mails to answer and client queries to address.
  • A ‘cool’ social life – You see those ads with dapper CEOs grooving at parties? Well, I haven’t been to one of those for years. There’s simply no time!
  • Day offs – If I start sending sick leave requests, what will junior employees do? 

 

Whether Elon Musk worked more than 100 hours in a workweek remains open for debate. However, the lion’s share of all the hours I am awake, I am involved with office work. Really, I don’t feel startup owners have any other option.

 

“It takes 20 years to build a reputation and five minutes to ruin it. If you think about that, you’ll do things differently.”

 

Routine Is Good

 

Celebs keep harping on ‘exciting new challenges’ and how much they are looking forward to them. Not my cup of tea, I believe. As a CEO, I prefer having a routine and sticking to it as much as I can. In the world of startups, it’s never about ‘doing something new’ everyday. Following well-defined routines builds up efficiency – and personally, a bit of monotony in work is not a bad thing.

 

Of course, bad things…unforeseen events happen. There are the odd days when internet is painfully slow, or there is a power failure. An employee can hand in his/her notice and quit any time. The key lies in staying prepared for all emergencies, staying updated at all times, and always taking the big picture – the long-run – in perspective.

 

Before signing off, I would like to share a thought with my fellow tech startup owners. Please remember that, while everyone loves a success story, not many know – or are even interested about – the hard work that fuels that success. Keep your focus, put in the hard yards, make sacrifices…and most importantly, keep at it. 

 

 “It’s not about having a specific set time; both personal and professional lives are 24/7. It’s simply, more about making the right allocation to each one and recognizing that it’s going to be different every single day.”

 

All the best!

 

Data Protection 101: 3 Important Strategies To Make A Secure App

Hussain Fakhruddin
Follow me

Hussain Fakhruddin

CEO at Teknowledge Software
Hussain Fakhruddin is the founder/CEO of Teknowledge mobile apps company. He heads a large team of app developers, and has overseen the creation of nearly 600 applications. Apart from app development, his interests include reading, traveling and online blogging.
Hussain Fakhruddin
Follow me

Latest posts by Hussain Fakhruddin (see all)

tips to handle mobile app security

 

  • 2013: All 3 billion Yahoo! accounts compromised. Names, birth dates, phone numbers, and passwords of users were compromised in this huge data breach which Yahoo! confirmed in 2017.   
  • 2016: 412 million Friend Finder accounts breached. Usernames, emails, and passwords compromised.
  • 2017: Equifax hacked, data from 146 million accounts stolen. Sensitive information like addresses, social security numbers, and driver license numbers were leaked along with names and birth dates. 
  • 2018: Marriott/Starwood database attacked, over 500 million user accounts compromised. That data included names, mailing addresses, phone numbers, email addresses, passport numbers, dates of birth, gender, Starwood Preferred Guest loyalty program account information, arrival and departure times, and reservation dates, of their clients. 

 

Have you ever experienced fraud? A shopkeeper overcharging you, a scammer calling you, or an online store selling you damaged products- these are everyday occurrences, and some may even go on with their lives without acting against the defrauder. However, when you read the events mentioned above, you surely didn’t count any of them as minor frauds. Digital security continues to baffle tech experts and as a developer, it should be something you have to take very seriously as well.

Millions of apps and websites go online every year. Very few make it big internationally. Greater the popularity, mightier the security risk. Look at Yahoo!, for example. It’s a huge domain, even after Verizon acquired it. Yet, it had security flaws that enabled hackers to steal data. You don’t want to put your users at risk like that. The question is: “How?”

App security begins not after your users start using your app and share data with you, but way before that – when you begin to write the code. In this article, we will look at the 3 important strategies you must adopt to fortify and protect your apps-

  • Source Code
  • Database
  • Network

 

Protect the Code: Does Programming Language Matter?

Developers, mostly those new to the scene, spend a lot of time looking for the most secure coding framework. Every language has security practices that you can learn and then code accordingly. A good app developer is one who adapts with the different languages and their vulnerabilities to write a code that cannot be reverse-engineered. Obfuscation software can also help in preventing the source code from being visible.

GitHub has free tools that you can use to scan your code if you’re not that familiar with a language. These vulnerability scans have helped to rectify flaws faster. Many app development companies also employed automated scanners that help their developers to check their program as they write it. Always use updated code packages to enhance this security further.

 

Protect the Database: How Much Information Are You Storing?

 

How much user data does your app need to operate? That’s the basic question that you have to ask yourself when setting permission requests and in-app forms. A basic utility app does not need as much information as an online payment app would require. If you are collecting sensitive information such as bank account details, identification numbers, and the like, then you have to store the data in such a way that doesn’t give a hacker any lead even if one manages to breach your database’s security perimeter.

Scrambling the data is a great option that many big companies are now opting for. The SHA-3 method hashes the data and makes it unreadable. To make it more secure, add a hashed password in the mix. You don’t have to scramble everything, just the sensitive bits. This way only the appropriate data is available for market analysis and other purposes. Identities should be protected at all costs.

Where do you store the data? A central storage server seems like a comfortable option as it is easy to maintain and extract data from. However, your data becomes a sitting duck for attackers. It’s better to categorize your data according to sensitivity and store them with better encryption methods. For example, you can store only the hashed versions of passwords, instead of the original characters. Secure the data before it leaves your users’ devices.

 

Protect the Network: Is it secure enough to transfer sensitive information?

 

The best practice when it comes to network security is to encrypt the traffic with end-to-end protection. Engage automated checks to inspect the communication, ensuring that every request is going through an HTTPS connection. Your app should not accept untrusted and/or self-signed certificates. Certificate validation is an important aspect of TLS communication. 

There is no scarcity of steps and strategies you can pursue to make your app and website a secure place for your users. However, even with everything you do, someone might just find a loophole somewhere. Which is why your codes should be easily patchable. Have protocols in place to tackle hacking attempts. To conclude, this is what Neil Armstrong had to say about getting overconfident:

“Well, I think we tried very hard not to be overconfident because when you get overconfident, that’s when something snaps up and bites you.”

 

Software vs Humans: The Pros and Cons of Online App Builders

Hussain Fakhruddin
Follow me

Hussain Fakhruddin

CEO at Teknowledge Software
Hussain Fakhruddin is the founder/CEO of Teknowledge mobile apps company. He heads a large team of app developers, and has overseen the creation of nearly 600 applications. Apart from app development, his interests include reading, traveling and online blogging.
Hussain Fakhruddin
Follow me

Latest posts by Hussain Fakhruddin (see all)

 

comparison of online app builders and human developers

 

How often have you felt like not cooking on exhausting workdays? You are aware that even if you don’t cook, you have options available in the form of going out to a restaurant or ordering food online. That way you get the elusive resting time you yearn for, while also calming your stomach’s calls. Alternatives surround us, and they are a testament to the fact that we have rapidly evolved the technology we use to fulfil our needs in a better way. 

Talking of technology, the mobile app sector is witnessing exponential growth. Your business, without a mobile app, has little chance of growing beyond the proverbial glass ceiling. Isn’t it relieving that there are alternatives to hiring human developers to build your app? Yes, there are, what we can simply call “mobile app building software”. These operate in the same way as website builders, (like how WordPress functions). However, there remains a question: How viable of an option are these app builders?

Let us consider their pros and cons, and then we’ll see when and to what extent you can use app builder software for your products and services.

 

The Pros of Using App Builder Software

 

    • Beginner Level Approach

      Depending on the software you use and the level of customisation freedom it allows, you’ll find that you can get by with just beginner level coding knowledge, or even none. App builders usually offer a drag-and-drop interface for which you can choose a built-in template. Bonus points for you if you have some experience with app development, but it’s not a prerequisite.

    • Economical Process

      Hiring developers, freelancers or full-time, is an option that requires a big budget. Human app developers don’t come as cheap as an online app building software does. The inexpensiveness of this tool is the biggest deciding factor when an entrepreneur sets out to build an app. 

    • Faster Development

      With the easy-to-explore user interfaces the best app builders offer, you can get your app up and running in a day or two. Even the fastest coder might not be able to make a functional application that fast. Such a high speed of development is mostly because you don’t have to build an app from scratch. Adding features and content is easier too, minus all the coding.

 

  •            Quick Updations

    An app requires updates. Some need it more frequently than others, depending on the data they serve. Making updates available is fast and easy with the app building service you used for creating that app. You can even do it for different platforms your app is on simultaneously. 

 

 

It’s not all roses and butterflies when you develop an app with software. You should know the bumps that you’ll encounter on this road.

 

The Cons of Using App Builder Software

  • Cost of Beginner Level Approach

    A chief advantage that app builders offer is the ease of development, which is great for beginners. However, this approach blocks access to a lot of tweaks and modifications that could enhance your app. The service providers don’t usually share the source codes which is a big bump.

 

  • Shared Ownership

    Keeping the previous point in mind, do you think that the app is all yours when you build it using a third-party tool? It isn’t, no matter how persuasively they claim to give you complete ownership. You share data with them, they store it and share the app’s ownership with you. It’s not an entirely bad thing, but you should know what you’re getting into.

  • Non-Transferable

    Once you build your app on a platform of your choice, you cannot transfer it somewhere else. You have to build the app again on another platform to shift there. It’s wise to choose an app builder carefully.

  • Rising Charges

    To build an app on any online developer tool or platform, you have to subscribe to a package which allows you storage of data, processing of queries, and other features to launch your app. However, if your app gets good reception, you would have to buy a bigger package to handle it. The software company might also release new features that you would have to pay for. 

 

Weighing the pros and cons against each other leads to interesting observations. It also helps you understand when to use an app builder and when to rely on human developers. 

 

When should you use an app builder?

  1. When the app is for a temporary purpose. For instance, an event app is a great way to organise and keep track of your attendees. Eventify is a great tool for that purpose.
  2. When you don’t plan for major changes in the future. You can build an app just to offer a basic service which would remain constant.
  3. When you just want to test the waters. The volatile app market is not for slackers. You can build a small app just to gauge the market and get a feel about the audience you would target in the future with your planned app.

 

Building an app from scratch is no joke. So when you have a groundbreaking idea, it’s advisable not to use an app builder. Human developers might charge more but the product would be more like you want it to be. You would have more control on the UI and UX of the app. You would also have to pick up some coding knowledge and best practices for yourself in the process. The app would belong to you, truly. Having your own developer or a team of developers is your best bet to converting a big idea into a great app. For everything else, there’s an app builder.

 

Do SaaS Companies Need Mobile Apps? Oh Yes, And Here’s Why

Hussain Fakhruddin
Follow me

Hussain Fakhruddin

CEO at Teknowledge Software
Hussain Fakhruddin is the founder/CEO of Teknowledge mobile apps company. He heads a large team of app developers, and has overseen the creation of nearly 600 applications. Apart from app development, his interests include reading, traveling and online blogging.
Hussain Fakhruddin
Follow me

Latest posts by Hussain Fakhruddin (see all)

importance of mobile apps for SaaS companies

 

The much-talked-about – and often overhyped – ‘global app boom‘ is over. Growth in total time spent on mobile apps by the average user is going down on a YoY basis (11% in 2016; only 6% in 2017), there is a definite unwillingness to install apps that do not serve a particular purpose, a lot of applications are being integrated in the mobile wallets ecosystem, and even the biggest of mobile apps are being consolidated. IoT-enabled wearables, like smartwatches, smart glasses and more, are set to take over – with individuals remaining content with a limited number of apps on their handsets. 

The gradual slowdown in the worldwide mobile apps market does not, however, mean that they can no longer serve key business purposes. For software-as-a-service (SaaS) companies in particular, mobile apps are still indispensable – as confirmed by a recent survey of a select group of software entrepreneurs. In the discussion that follows, we will highlight why mobile apps still matter for SaaS companies:

  1. Mobile app should serve a purpose

    If a SaaS business decides to build a mobile app just because everyone else is doing so, that’s a bit of a waste. Instead of creating an app only to keep up with the trend, a company needs to analyse and identify the precise needs for such custom mobile software – and the key purposes it can serve. The key lies in realising that, although a majority of end-users prefer mobile apps – unless these apps are ‘useful’ and deliver value, no one would be interested to install it (or at least, retain it on their devices). SaaS businesses require mobile apps that can be relied upon to resolve a series of requirements. Proper research and groundwork is imperative, before getting down to actually making an app.

  2. Bringing down communication and marketing expenses

    A mobile SaaS app can be used to perform several important manual tasks, and that too, in a more efficient manner. These tasks include regular software marketing/product marketing, and client communications. With the help of in-app marketing & sales platform integrations, mobile applications do away with the need for manual tasks in this regard. Push notifications, in particular, are particularly useful for driving up overall customer engagement levels. Reports have shown that marketing campaigns carried out through mobile apps have higher probabilities of bringing in more potential buyers than manual marketing efforts (which have limited reach, are more time-consuming, and involve higher costs). Push notifications have also been found to be more effective on the mobile platform than the web platform. This highlights the importance of mobile apps all the more.

  3. The mobile app vs responsive website debate

    The need for a fully responsive business website for a SaaS company can hardly be overemphasised. However, while responsive websites are NECESSARY, they are not SUFFICIENT for such companies. For starters, a mobile website cannot provide personalised UI/UX features to a user in the way a custom app can. Software entrepreneurs need to realise that responsive websites are not an alternative to mobile apps – and for best results, having both is essential. Through the mobile platform, buyers can enjoy round-the-clock availability. In comparison to mobile websites, apps are faster – and they play an important role in making customers feel ‘involved’ in the business. In a nutshell, a mobile app is way more immersive than a mobile website.

  4. The convenience factor

    Before making a mobile SaaS app, it is important to understand its benefits properly. Unlike traditional business operation tools and equipments, apps are not invasive in nature – and they offer a welcome break from the buggy, low-performance, and often outdated hardware systems in a company setup. The fact that mobile apps are easy to maintain and update, and do not require sizeable maintenance charges is yet another advantage. As more and more SaaS business owners across the globe are realising the need for prompt and reliable service delivery automation, the demand for mobile SaaS systems is going up. People look for convenience, and mobile apps deliver that in a big way!

Note: SaaS has already emerged as the biggest sub-sector in the cloud technologies market. In 2019, the worldwide SaaS industry is expected to grow by nearly 18% (a $86+ billion market).

  1. Mobile apps bring greater flexibility to SaaS operations

    For SaaS companies, dynamism is the name of the game. Tech entrepreneurs and software vendors simply cannot stick to old and outdated trends. The onus is on the marketers to stand out from rivals – and mobile apps are a great tool for that. If a SaaS company has a mobile app, it is likely to be able to provide much smoother, faster and more secure services to end-users – compared to a company that does not have an app in place. However, companies need to realise that making a mobile SaaS solution is not a one-shot game. Regular adaptations, upgrades and fresh content are required, in order to fulfill (and even surpass) customer expectations. Apps also serve as a powerful platform for SaaS companies to receive feedback, and act on them.  

Note: Mobile apps are also instrumental in maintaining high overall performance levels, and ensuring robust data security.

  1. Gaining competitive advantage through apps

    There is very little room for doubting the usefulness of mobile apps for SaaS businesses. Even so, many companies stay away from using apps – and the many myths and underlying doubts are a big reason behind that. On the other hand, however, an ever-increasing section of the total number of final users are expressing their preference to interact with mobile apps. As such, there is a definite opening for a SaaS company to take the plunge, make a customised mobile app, reach out to a bigger-than-ever target audience, and build up customer loyalty. A well-thought-out mobile app strategy can hand a SaaS company serious competitive advantages over its competitors.

  2. Mobile apps help SaaS businesses to do more…with less –

    A SaaS company can easily follow a simple workflow for creating a mobile business app for itself. The actual deployment can be quick and straightforward, and a single version of the mobile application can be used to support the entire customer base. In general, native app development is the better option (rather than hybrid or cross-platform tools) for SaaS companies. A smart mobile app strategy can significantly reduce average customer acquisition costs – and pave the way for higher ROI figures. 

Note: In order to reduce the average costs associated with mobile SaaS applications, several useful APIs can be used – for implementing authentication, analytics tracking, authorisation, and other key functionalities.

  1. User acquisition and retention made easier than ever

    One of the biggest reasons behind the popularity of mobile SaaS apps is their 24x7x365 availability. In a recent survey, it was found that close to 90% people prefer apps over a business website. If a SaaS company relies only on its website to do business, it is unlikely to be able to respond to queries and complaints generated at odd hours (outside office hours). A user-friendly mobile app does away with this problem. Business owners can, through the app, stay connected with customers round the clock, get more leads, and ensure a steady growth of business (the user-ratio also becomes more favourable). Competition levels are increasing all the time, and a tech entrepreneur cannot afford to be functional only during a few hours in a day.

  2. Direct downloads and cloud technology advantages

    With mobile apps, SaaS companies can do away with the problem of desktop downloads and related accessibility problems. Since these apps have powerful cloud storage options, all downloads happen directly inside the app. As a result, accessing the service never becomes an issue for final users (since there are no local downloads). SaaS companies should ideally look to build ‘offline cloud apps’ – which would not rely on network connectivity for performance, and will be available to everyone. Of course, the security parameters of the apps need to be carefully tested, along with the other important app features. 

Note: For loyal users, an interactive app facilitates smooth mobile-centric engagement with the SaaS business.

  10. A SaaS app or a standalone app?

This is something that SaaS startups need to consider very carefully. Both standalone mobile apps and integrated SaaS apps have their respective advantages – and the precise requirements of a company should dictate the type of app it finally opts for. If a business is looking for a software platform that offers secure cloud data storage and real-time communication, then SaaS apps are the way to go. However, the cost of these apps varies with the number of users (fixed for standalone apps), and downloads are mostly indirect (standalone mobile apps have direct downloads). SaaS professionals need to pick the solution that would be best suited for their requirements.

 11. Multiple features for higher engagement 

A mobile app can go a long way in helping a SaaS company build a huge customer base automatically. Some of the most essential features of such apps include reminders, GPS-powered location services, push notifications, and developer services. It’s vital to arrange all of these features (and others) in a way that would enhance usability and deliver optimal user-end experience (UX). Putting in another way, the two things that SaaS companies need to be very particular about in their apps are the NAVIGATION and PLACEMENT of the features. New features, of course, can be added later.

Note: The best mobile SaaS apps can, in fact, serve very well as virtual assistants to end-users.

By the end of 2020, the value of the global SaaS industry will soar to well over $131 billion. It is high time that businesses in this domain come up with innovative solutions and strategies – things that will keep them in the game and help them stay a step ahead of the competition. SaaS companies can use mobile app platforms to connect with their customers better, understand their requirements, and deliver customised solutions. One thing is for certain: mobile apps do matter a lot for SaaS businesses, and things will remain that way in the foreseeable future.

 

Using Colours In Mobile App Design: Understanding The Psychology

Hussain Fakhruddin
Follow me

Hussain Fakhruddin

CEO at Teknowledge Software
Hussain Fakhruddin is the founder/CEO of Teknowledge mobile apps company. He heads a large team of app developers, and has overseen the creation of nearly 600 applications. Apart from app development, his interests include reading, traveling and online blogging.
Hussain Fakhruddin
Follow me

Latest posts by Hussain Fakhruddin (see all)

Have you ever tried your hand at painting? You have, most probably, especially as a child. Some give it up as they grow up, others go on to become great painters. Whatever your achievements are as an artist, you must know that colours affect the mood of the art and those who look at it. 

The same stands true for the UI design you create and the colours you put in it. Don’t worry, you don’t have to set out to research on that. Credible studies on colour psychology have been done already. You just have to take notes from it and apply the lessons learned to your app’s user interface.

What Do We Know About Colour Psychology?

Many studies and surveys have helped us to get a general idea about the effect of different colours on the human mind. While the subject remains debatable and the conclusions are not conclusive enough, marketers have observed various trends and popularity changes of colours. They have gained positive results after much trial and error, helping you hit the right spots without going through their pains. Have a look at a few of those colours and understand their role in UI design. Remember, these are not binding rules.

Black: In art, the colour black and its lighter shades in grey portray sadness and negativity. In marketing, however, modern trends have put black in a much better light. It is used to express boldness, innovation, sophistication, power, and elegance. 

White: The symbol of purity and cleanliness, white has always been the colour of goodness. The same applies when it is used in designing. It evokes the emotion of modernity and progress. Brands have often used white for the background colour with black font on top of it, which is the best combination for comfortable readability.

Red: Romance on one side, anger on the other, red has been used for quite the extremes. Its versatile character enables designers to pair with other factors to reflect the emotion they want, whether it’s of warmth and intimacy or strength and vexation.

Green: Artists have used green to depict nature in their paintings, which is the most common use of this colour. The emotions associated with green are dependant on its usage. While it can signify safety and luck, it can also be used to depict jealousy and greed. 

Blue: This is one of the most popularly used colours in UI designs and websites. Blue shades represent productivity, calmness, security, and stability. Tech brands, for example, use bluish hues in their websites and apps to establish trust with their clients. Facebook and Twitter are notable users of the colour blue in their brand identity. 

Yellow: When you want to make viewers feel optimistic, you use yellow. This colour has found a major place with food brands. It gives off welcoming vibes, spreads happiness and can also signify energy when used appropriately. 

Purple: Royalty is the identity of purple. It’s used by luxurious brands and has been a timeless symbolism for wealth. Purple can also evoke feelings of mysteriousness and suspense. Overusing it might look arrogant. Using it subtly is the best course of action.

Orange: A bright and vibrant colour that can be used in every portrayal of creativity, enthusiasm, adventure, and success. It lacks the strong character that red has but makes up for it with its brighter hue that looks less commanding and more friendly. It calls for action quite effectively and is, therefore, used by online retail stores extensively.

Pink: Brands that serve women use pink hues most of the time. Pink has been a symbol of femininity and playfulness. Combined with black as a secondary colour in the design, pink is a great way to attract the female audience.

There are other colours that can be discussed but the ones above are the most eye-catching and are great for building brand recognition. While you now know which colours you can loyally stick with, do you know which ones you might avoid? A survey has shown that brown is the most disliked colour by both men and women. Blue, on the other hand, had been voted the most loved colour in the same survey. Purple received mixed reactions, with women loving it, and men not so much. 

Integrating Colour Psychology in Your User Interface 

Nothing can be branded as the rule of thumb when it comes to colour psychology. There are a lot of variables to take into account – and its impossible, and wrong too, to say which colour is the best for everyone. Instead, it is better to identify what your brand represents, what your product means to you and what target audience you serve, and only then decide which colour would be the best for you. Usually, it is best to identify three colours- primary, secondary, and tertiary – for your brand. You can choose more or less, as long as it is pleasing to the eye.

After you have identified the three colours that make up your brand identity, you can move on to include them accordingly in your brand’s logo, website, and app design. Consistency and balance are important factors here. Here is how you can design a great UI with your brand’s colours and make it stand out.

  1. Balanced Composition: A balanced proportion of colours in your UI is the most important requirement to make it good looking. Remember the three colours you selected for your designs? Use them in a 60-30-10 percentage proportion. It brings out your brand’s colour and sets the theme for your UI design.
  2. Contrasting Effects: Not only do you want to make your UI look good, but you also want to make the users of the app see the important content clearly. Contrast helps you out here. The amount of contrast depends on how visually outstanding you want an element to be. High contrast is advisable for the primary buttons and content. The secondary elements can be in a lighter shade of the same colour to keep consistency and not use too many different colours.
  3. Harmonize: Harmony between colours can be achieved by using a colour scheme that stays consistent with the theme you are going with. Have a look at the schemes you can choose from:
  1. Monochromatic: Using one colour with its different shades.
  2. Achromatic: Using unsaturated and near-neutral colours.
  3. Complementary: Using colours opposite each other on the colour wheel for maximum contrast.
  4. Analogous: Using colours adjacent to each other on the other on the colour wheel.
  5. Triadic: Using three colours from the colour wheel that are at an equal distance from each other. An equilateral triangle can be used to pinpoint them.
  6. Tetradic: Using four colours from the colour wheel. A square or rectangle can be used to pinpoint them.
  7. Polychromatic: Using different and unrelated colours. 

The best way to get inspiration for mixing your colours is by observing nature. The natural colours around you are what everyone is accustomed to seeing. You will realize that shadows don’t have to be black, buttons don’t need to be bordered every time, and sometimes the lack of colour looks good too!

As a UI designer, you have the massive responsibility to create apps that your clients and their customers love. With the things you have learned about the psychology of colours today, you can design an app that looks beautiful without hindering the user experience in any way. That’s the definition of a top app made by a top designer. You are one, aren’t you?