How to build a massively successful mobile web app

HTML5 is considered by many the future of mobile web design. It has been heralded as the mobile web’s saviour by more than a few bloggers and fortune 50 companies (Silicon Angel, Mashable and Apple).

Leveraging a post from a fellow mobile web app advocate (Pinch/Zoom) I am going to quickly walkthrough what it takes to build out the correct infrastructure for a massively successful mobile web app.  This is not meant to be a technical discussion but more of a commentary on the key point made in the original blog post.

Device Detection

The core to device detection lives within a file that outlines all the different user agents (mobile software provider).  Your user agent script needs to always be updated to reflect the changing market conditions, especially now that Google has purchased Motorola.

Offline Browsing

15% of all mobile browsing is done offline so it is important to think about how the data is cached on the phone and how many levels deep someone can browse.  By having a offline mobile data strategy you can guarantee that your users’ experience is optimal even when data connectivity is lost.

Interactions and Transitions

Javascript and CSS are the main building blocks to a solid user experience.  With tools like jQTouch, Sencha Touch or jQuery Mobile making mobile sites look and interact beautifully is easy.  However, these libraries are just a base to build off of, the first step is to identify the your mobile business objectives.  After you have identified your business objectives you can pick and choose the components that support those objectives, giving the customer what they want, when they want it.

Conclusion

When considering your mobile marketing strategy you should consider:

• Device Compatibility – Native apps only work on 1 device type, mobile web apps work on all devices
• First identify business objectives, then build interactions to fulfill those goals
• Have a offline mobile data strategy to ensure your visitors experience is consistent whether they have connectivity or not.
• Consider the options. Without proper planning any technology project can be expensive, especially a mobile one. By focusing on what your customers need you can optimize your marketing
• and technology dollars in the most efficient maner.