Getting Ideas Out of Your Head AND Into the App Store TRACI
LAWSON http://www.tentoed.com AUGUST 3, 2011 Producing Apps on Your
Own In childrens media, were used to tiny budgets. We often say
Theres no money! But what about when theres really no money? How do
you get started? PHOTO CREDIT: PAUL MAYNE Sales Its important to
not expect to make money. If your app is 99, you retain 69 from
each sale. Sales in the App Store often look like this: SOURCE: TEN
TOED, INC. Competition in the kids app market As of August 1, 2011,
there were a total of 449,581 apps available in the App Store
73,181 are in the Games category. Thats 16.28%. 39,922 are in
Education category. Thats 8.88%. SOURCE: 148APPS.BIZ iPhone
Games-Educational Sales SAT, 7/30/2011BLUE CIRCLES = KIDS CONTENT
BY INDEPENDENT DEVELOPERS WITH THEIR OWN IP THERE ARE 6 IN THIS TOP
25 BASED ON TELEVISION IP THERE ARE 8 IN THIS TOP 25 THAT ARE NOT
CHILD-DIRECTED. iPhone Education Sales SAT, 7/30/2011 THESE ARE ALL
INDEPENDENT, EXCEPT THE ONE CIRCLED IN RED! Top Sales Numbers in
Education Top 10 = 200+ sales / day Top 25 = 100+ sales /day Top 50
= 20+ sales / day Top 100 = 10+ sales / day SOURCE: RUMOR Things to
Keep in Mind Rumor is that the per day is calculated as an average
of the past three days. One great day is not enough to really
throttle you to the top. When Apple features an app somewhere on
the front page of the App Store, that will affect rankings in that
category. Theres no editorial board for what app goes in which
section. In Games, developers may choose two sub-categories. A lot
of apps in Games - Trivia list themselves in Games - Educational.
App Annie You need an account to use, but its free. Allows you to
study the rank history of any app in the store. Quick Thoughts on
Pricing Generally 99 and $1.99 yield similar sales volumes. $2.99
and $3.99 cause a sales taper that mean less overall prot. Another
popular thing to do is make your app free, but... in-app purchases
are the bait and switch. they usually make money through embedded
advertising. You cant control content of the ads. Theyre colorful
and eye-catching to young kids, and touching them takes you away
from the app. Still want to do this? Examine your idea and why it
makes sense for mobile. Does it take advantage of one or more of
the following? Portability Touchscreen - Dont just port a mouse
click experience! GPS Accelerometer or gyroscope Camera PHOTO
CREDIT: TRACI LAWSON Still want to do this? What will your app
offer that isnt in the App Store already? The App Store already has
a lot of: Alphabet apps Number / Counting apps Flash Card apps
Multiple Choice quiz apps Jigsaw Puzzles Concentration games DO
SOMETHING NEW! Excuse This Rant About Sticker Pages Expected
rewards reduce intrinsic motivation. They place focus on the
reward, and take away from the inherent joy of the activity itself.
(Deci, Koestner & Ryan, 1999) Iterate, Iterate, Iterate! Before
you seek out developers to talk to, solidify what you want to
build. PHOTO CREDIT: MARK ANBINDER Talk It Through Dont be afraid
to talk about your idea with trusted colleagues and parents. Simply
speaking your ideas aloud will help you think of things you hadnt
thought of before. Others will have ideas on how to make it better.
Maybe they will relate useful stories. FURTHER READING: NO ONE
CARES ABOUT YOUR COOL GAME IDEA BY MIKE BIRKHEAD Paper Prototype
Depending on your concept, it might be possible to test out parts
of it with a paper prototype. This will help you to: Make sure the
content is understandable to your target age. Test out ow of
certain activities. May not be practical for all ideas! PHOTO
CREDIT: SAMUEL MANN Interactive Prototype You can use tools to
build your app without any code! Picture Link for iPad, $2.99
inVision App, free trial, $8/month PHOTO CREDIT: INVISIONAPP.COM
Usability Testing Make sure kids nd your app intuitive. You wont be
there when someone downloads it from the App Store! Take advantage
of the portability and get out there. Places to test include: kids
homes, parks, airports, childrens museums (if they give you the OK
rst) PHOTO CREDIT: CHRISTINA APP Usability Testing Explain to child
& parent that youre not testing them, you want to test this
thing you built and whether or not its good. Plan ahead - Make a
list of what behaviors you hope to observe, and places you suspect
there may be trouble. Dont say a word! If the child looks to you
for help, ask What do you think you should do? Have your hint
script prepared, so you can test that out, too! If too many kids
ask, tweak your design and test again! Usability Testing Once you
have a feel for how much time the experience should last, try a
shorter time with the next kid. Now that theyve played with, and
hopefully liked your app, youve broken the ice! If time allows, ask
a question or two about their favorite apps, or other favorite
things (animals? colors? sports?) that might relate to your app.
FURTHER READING: APPROACHES TO USER RESEARCH WHEN DESIGNING FOR
CHILDREN BY CATALINA NARANJO-BOCK 5 TIPS FOR FANTABULOUS KID
TESTING BY ANDY RUSSELL USABILITY TESTING WITH CHILDREN: A LESSON
FROM PIAGET BY SABRINA IDLER VIDEO: TRYING VERY HARD TO MAKE GAMES
THAT DONT STINK BY BARBARA CHAMBERLIN PHOTO CREDIT: MAKEDA MAYS
GREEN Tips on iOS Design for Kids Design the tutorial rst. Think
early about how to make sense to a new user. The best tutorials
dont feel like tutorials! Angry Birds doesnt have instructions. Why
would you? This applies to lengthy video intros, too! The player is
here to play, not to read or watch a video. Limit use of text or
voiceover direction to the bare minimum. Get to the action right
away. Dont make the screen too busy - simple is best. Visual
clutter is confusing to the user. Tips on iOS Design for Kids Make
sure the app loads fast. Dont make the user wait. Correct touches
should let you know right away. A simple sound effect works wonders
to tell the user theyre doing the right thing. If touches dont
effect action in about 1 second or less, they will feel like theyre
either incorrect or broken. Limit use of good job, way to go, etc.
Its a video game, not a phone call with Grandma. Tips on iOS Design
for Kids Eliminate buttons that take a child away from the
experience. Dont use pop-up notications! Not only are these a
nuisance, but they likely lead to a page thats adult- directed.
This is for the kids, right? If you app offers several
mini-experiences, design to sustain attention in each one. Touch
and hold buttons avoid accidental navigation. Tally Tots did this
brilliantly.FURTHER READING: TODDLER APP USER INTERFACE GUIDELINES
BY GABRIEL WEINBERG APP REVIEWS AND ARTICLES IN CHILDRENS
TECHNOLOGY REVIEW PHOTO CREDIT: GENTA MASUDA Writing the Design
Document This is where you describe to the developer everything
that needs to happen. Dont be frightened; you can write it in plain
English. You might write your rst draft before you create your
prototype. The design document: denes the idea in explicit detailed
language. The goal is to remove ambiguity. sells the concept to the
developer as something shed want to invest her time in. Writing the
Design Document Sections to Include: Target User - Kids? What age?
Their parents? Curriculum or other goals User actions / Game
progression - this is the largest, most important section Scenarios
Art and audio assets needed Special cases - what happens when phone
rings, incoming txt, user quits app, etc. Target User Be specic.
Could just be an age range, but you might also want to dene: Where
the user is. For example: park goers, students in school, museum
visitors, etc. Special audiences. For example: siblings, children
and grandparents, children and families with a specic need, etc.
PHOTO CREDIT: MATTHEW H Curriculum Be specic! This could be a great
opportunity to show your expertise off to a potential development
partner. A programmer might look at your plans and just see a
reading app, or a math app. Talk about your approach. Include fancy
terminology and cite research studies, if you know any of
relevance. User Actions / Progression Be VERY specic. Programmers
like literal language. Be thorough, but be clear and precise. Its
your job to make it as clear as possible. Start with the program
launch, and write a numbered bullet for each action. List events
the program triggers, and events the user triggers, in sequential
order. Write branches for things that can happen out of sequence,
or instances where more than one thing might occur. This section
will be edited a lot as you rethink your plan, and conduct user
testing. Dene the challenge structure. Does your app grow more
challenging? How, and what triggers it? HINT: YOU CAN COPY A
TEMPLATE. 2.3 Game Progression2.3.1. We begin with 60 seconds on
the timer, and 000000 points in the point counter.At game start,
there are 0 frogs on the screen.2.3.2. As soon as the game screen
loads, the first frog enters the game screen on theleft lilypad. He
stays for 20 seconds and hops off.2.3.3. The second frog enters
approx 7 seconds into the game, by hopping onto theright lilypad.
He does this regardless of whether or not the first frog has been
fed. Healso stays for 20 seconds and hops off.2.3.4. When a frog
hops off screen, he hops back on in approx 6 seconds.2.3.5. The
game starts with one red firefly, one yellow firefly, and one blue
firefly in thesky. The player pushes flies together to mix
secondary colors such as violet and green.See section 3.2 for more
detail. When two fireflies mix to form one fly, the two colorsthat
were used are instantly replenished. They fly in from off
screen.2.3.6. When a frog is fed, it is replaced by another frog of
random color. A fed frogadds 100 points to the score, and 3 seconds
to the timer. Frogs eat when a firefly ison-screen that matches
their own color.2.3.7. Level 1 continues at this pace until 7 frogs
are fed. After 7 frogs have been fed,we enter Level 2.2.3.8. Level
2 utilizes the third (center) lilypad, and the tertiary colored
toads. A fedtoad adds 200 points to the score, and 5 seconds to the
timer. Level 2 includes 2toads and 8 frogs. In Level 2, frogs and
toads still stay on screen for 20 seconds, hopoff and return after
7 seconds offscreen.2.3.9. In Level 3, the time on screen begins to
decrease. Time off screen remainsconstant. During Level 3, frogs
and toads stay on screen for 18 seconds and returnafter 7 seconds.
Continue to remove 2 seconds until we are down to 6 seconds
onscreen, 7 seconds off screen. (This means we plateau at Level
9.)2.3.10 As we increase Level numbers, the number of toads also
increases. Level 3should have 4 toads, 6 frogs. Level 4 should have
6 toads and 4 frogs. Level 5 shouldhave 8 toads and 2 frogs. Levels
6 and up should remain at this mix.2.3.11 The game is over when the
timer runs out. (See 2.5) When the timer has fewerthan 5 seconds
left, it flashes red and triggers a panic sound effect.CONFIDENTIAL
Registered with WGA-ECopyright 2009 by Traci Lawson Page 6 of 13
Scenarios Similar to the progression, but brief. This should read
like a short narrative story of what a user did while they were
using your app. In games, I usually call this a Game Flow Summary.
Often comes before the Progression in the design document. I nd I
usually write it rst to help myself dene the experience. After the
progression has been completed, I go back and edit this down. Art
and Audio Assets These sections can be a bulleted list of the art
and sound that will have to be created for the app. List only
unique art les. If art is reused in multiple sections, note that,
but only list it once. Note animations. Audio assets might include:
Sound effects and the events that trigger them. A voice over
dialogue script. Use a separate document, if lengthy. Dont forget
to dene whose responsibility it is to produce the audio content.
Special Cases Dene what happens when the progression is interrupted
by: User quitting. What happens when app is launched the next time?
Theres an incoming phone call. A text message comes in, or another
app displays a notication on the screen. Other Materials
thatAccompany the Design Document Wireframes and/or a Storyboard
Tool options include: Keynote, PowerPoint, Mockingbird, Gliffy, or
just use still images of that prototype you built, and label the
features! Flow chart Pretty standard, but very simple user
experiences like Frogs and Fireies or Move Like Me may not require
them. Tool options include: Visio for Windows, OmniGrafe for
Macintosh or iPad, Gliffy Prioritize Your Features Chances are,
budget or time limitations will cause you to cut back somewhere. A
priority list will help your programmer know which core features to
concentrate on, and which are of less importance. PHOTO CREDIT:
PAUL EMERSON Art & Graphic Design Good art isnt everything, but
its close. Its a major key to getting featured by Apple. Greatly
adds to the wow factor. When customers are browsing the App Store,
you have seconds to impress them. Kids are sensitive to art. If you
look too baby or too complex and sophisticated, they wont feel the
experience is for them. Know what your age group likes. Finding a
Programmer Now that youve gone through a couple of prototype
iterations, its time to hunt for a developer. But where to start?
Talk to your fellow WiCM members. Many of us know people. Talk to
people whove already produced apps. Get to know local college
students. Look for events where they show off their work, and
attend. Networking works better than reaching out on web forums.
Rapport is very important. Finding a Programmer Do I need a
developer who has built something for iPhone before? Experience is
great, but usually pricey. Devs may be willing to work for less
money, if they have a personal goal of getting an iOS app on their
resume. Devs who know Unity, Unreal, and Torque can also publish to
iOS without learning Objective-C. Do it yourself with GameSalad?
Now that you have a pretty solid design document, register it with
the WGA-East. (Do this before you talk to developers.) Incorporate?
Apple only licenses developers under a legal name. You have to give
either a social security number or an EIN Protection against being
sued personally? (Im not an attorney.) Lets you give contracts and
payments to your team members as a business. Getting Started with
Your Team! Give them contracts. Make it ofcial. Have a meeting.
Dont be too worried if you dont understand all the technical terms.
As long as the programmer and artist understand each other and
agree. Write everything down and send a follow up email reporting
the decisions you reached. Expenses to Budget For Business
Incorporation $5001000, plus $160 NY ling fees Contracts :
$10001500 Art & Programming: varies, get quotes depends heavily
on project size Apple Developer Program: $99/year You are the
marketing department! Get active on Twitter. To get started, nd a
few people you know and check out who they follow. Dont just talk
about your own projects. Bring value to the conversation about
childrens media. Blogging Start your own blog, or just reach out to
kids app bloggers. Get a Facebook page for your business. More
Thoughts on Marketing Choose smart keywords. See what is selling at
your launch time and consider planting a few strategic trendy
words. Advertisements are a waste of money. They just cost too much
for a 99 or $1.99 product. Marketing could be a whole hour session
on its own. Its a big time commitment. Check out the resources on:
Moms With Apps (Not just for mothers!) Blog and Forum are both
excellent. Android? 79.3% of the paid apps in the Google Android
Market have fewer than 100 downloads! (Source:
androidauthority.com) The Amazon App Store has a bad reputation in
the development community as being unfair to developers. NOOK Color
and upcoming Amazon-branded tablet device might be platforms to
consider. Consider whether or not your goals could be achieved with
a mobile-friendly website. (Although, that wont make any money at
all.) Special Thanks The following developers generously spoke (or
emailed or tweeted!) with me in preparation for this talk. Please
check out their apps! Andy Russell of Launchpad Toys Caroline Hu
Flexer of Duck Duck Moose Gabriel Adauto of Motion Math Ian Chia of
Being Prudence Steve Glinberg of 123 Apps TRACI LAWSONTHANK YOU!
CHILDRENS GAME DESIGNER & PRODUCER
[email protected]
http://www.tentoed.com