Hints and tips on developing a mobile app. Adam Powers, Head of User Experience, BBH London

Pen. Paint. Plasticine. Playdough. Collage. Computer. Copy. Paste. Phone. Pencil. Tablet. Photograph. Video. Soldering iron. Stick... Use tools you feel most comfortable with.

Print and use templates for phone and for interface elements like buttons. This will enable you to concentrate on an idea that you are developing, rather than labouring over drawing a phone 100 times.

Whats the user journey? Tell the story of the user using your mobile app, with a beginning (how does young person discover the app?), middle (how does user use the app?) and an end (how does the app help user save money?) Everything produced should be in the service of telling this story and helping judges understand how the app works and why. Whatever.

User journey samples:

User journey samples:

Remember: -Keep it simple for small screens. -Mobile content tends to be used in short bursts. -Make your content ‘ glance-able ’. -Mobile is the most ‘ personal ’ of digital devices; use that to your advantage. -Memory on mobiles is extremely precious; huge apps that don ’ t get used regularly are deleted. -Make good use of gestural interface - pinch, swipe etc. very simple apps go from good to brilliant when they use interface well.

Remember: -Its mobile. think about where the user might be using your app and have it act accordingly. e.g. does it behave differently if detected near an AVIVA billboard or bus shelter poster? -Think about how your idea can use the technologies present on most phones. e.g. bluetooth, wireless, location detection

Make things. Make things easier. Make things work better. Make things more attractive. Make things that move people. Make things that solve problems.