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Author: Anthony Hannon

UX vs. UI Designer

The difference between a UX and a UI Designer

UX and UI designers are used interchangeably, but they are not the same thing.  To start, UI is user interface, and UX is user experience.  Each one is incredibly different, and so are the tasks of a designer.

What does a UI designer do?

A UI designer is typically a more visual person.  A UI designer creates the look and feel of the product through branding and graphic development, user guides and storylines, design research, and customer analysis.  The UI designer is also responsible for the interactivity and responsiveness through UI prototyping, animation, and the adaptation for all screen sizes.

What does a UX designer do?

Unlike the UI designer, a UX designer is responsible for a variety of tasks.  The UX designer is typically 33% marketer, 33% designer, and 33% project manager, and 1% anything else the project requires.  A UX designer’s typical tasks vary from strategic to execution with content, wireframing, prototyping, and analytics in between.

As the differences are apparent between UX and UI designers, why do companies use the term interchangeably?

The answer to why they are used interchangeably isn’t too clear as these are relatively new fields. Still, most of the time, they are used together because the company is demonstrating that they have both designers or are versatile enough to be both.

Now that you know the difference between UX and UI, hopefully, you’ll be able to make a more informed decision when hiring a designer or even to look for a job as one.

If you’d like to learn more about UX and UI design, please visit our website at pioneerapplications.com.

 

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From Idea

From Idea To 500,000 Users – An App Success Story With Christian Perez

In Appfigures latest App Success Story, we talked with Christian Perez, indie designer, and entrepreneur behind The Name App. Christian’s journey started with an idea that evolved into an app used by more than 500,000 users all around the world. In this #aftalks Christian told us more about the app’s development, marketing, monetization, and more.

Click here to read the full article. 

 

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A Beginner's Guide to Starting and Marketing an App

A Beginner’s Guide to Starting and Marketing an App

If you’re building a mobile app for the first time, you no doubt have many questions: Is it worthwhile? Does it make sense? How will people know about it?

I’ve helped build more than 100 apps in categories ranging from utility to social networking, so I field a lot of questions on the process from entrepreneurs. Here are the most common queries — and the answers.  Continue reading.

 

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6 Apps That Help You Stick to Your Goals

6 Apps That Help You Stick to Your Goals

We all know the importance of setting goals — they hold you accountable, tell you what you truly want and help propel you forward. Whether we strive to get started on that new project, spend more time at home, launch a new product or want to lose weight, many of us simply state our goals but fail to set deadlines and track our progress toward achieving them.  Read more.

 

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How Pioneer Mobile Applications Got Its Start

Pioneer Mobile Applications was founded in 2012 by Phil Scarfi and has been in business for over eight years. They’ve brought the visions of many individuals and companies to life with mobile app development and design. They’ve worked with Buzzfeed, UMass Amherst, and All in One Music Applications, to name a few. I wanted to virtually meet with Phil and discuss his experiences and where he sees Pioneer going in the future.

So, Phil, what made you want to start Pioneer?

When I first started developing apps, I was making them for everyday tasks that would make my life easier. Eventually, my friends started finding out that I had this skill, and they asked if I could make some apps for them. As time went on, I was able to see the effect I had on other people by being able to bring their ideas to life. It made me feel incredible, so I continued to pursue the mission of helping others turn ideas into reality through mobile apps, and now I’m here!

Do you remember your first client? What was it like to have your first project, and how did it go?

Believe it or not, one of my first clients was also one of the biggest, UMass Amherst. I initially made an app that I could use to gather all of the dining hall menus and put them in one place to quickly see what they were serving for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. My RA in my residential hall found out that I made this and had me tell the Dean of Students about it. The Dean of Students then sent me over to the head of the dining services, and they were interested in building the app out to provide it to all of the students at the universities. Working with large institutions like this had a lot of hoops you had to go through, but it was an incredible learning experience.

Now you’ve worked with some very notable clients, what was that like? Were you nervous about taking on such a client, and what was one of the biggest challenges you faced on that project?

When it comes to working with the more notable clients, I was absolutely nervous. The biggest thing that I have learned is that it’s important to be yourself and act like it is any other client. All of our past client relationships were successful, so as long as we stuck to what we did best, everything should go as planned. The biggest challenge when it comes to working with larger clients is that there are usually many more people involved in the process. It was essential to have a single point of contact for any concerns for issues, but simultaneously have an environment where we can efficiently get feedback from numerous members. Since Pioneer’s clients are based throughout the United States, we turn to platforms to manage communications such as Slack.

If a company, business, or individual was on the fence about having a mobile app, what would you say to them?

If a company, business, or individual was on the fence about have a mobile app, I would be completely transparent with them and list out both the pros and cons. In about 99% of the cases, having a mobile app developed is beneficial in one way or another. We are living in a world where people are spending hours per day on their mobile devices. More and more people are moving away from their computers and getting tasks done on their iPhones, iPads, tablets, and other mobile devices. Whether you are looking to make your business more efficient, solve an everyday problem, or make money, having an iPhone or Android app developed is a route worth exploring.

Lastly, where do you see Pioneer 5 years from now?

In 5 years, I see Pioneer working with a wide variety of clients, both small and large. We hope that some of our smaller clients will grow and turn into larger clients down the road. New technology comes out every day, so Pioneer will continue to stay on top of that and integrate all of these technologies into the apps that we build. Pioneer also has the mission to solve everyday problems through mobile apps, so we have some platforms our team is working on that should be released soon, so we hope you’ll Pioneer with us and stay tuned!

 

 

Wow, that’s great! I’m excited to see what platforms Pioneer has coming out. It’s been great to chat with you and hear about your experiences and advice to others. I think this has been eye-opening for people who are not in the developer world and even those who are. Thanks again and I hope we can catch up soon!

Phil Scarfi, Founder of Pioneer Mobile Applications
Phil Scarfi, Founder of Pioneer Mobile Applications

If you’d like to stay up to date with Pioneer Mobile Applications, follow their social accounts (Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | LinkedIn) and check them out at pioneerapplications.com.

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Mental Health and Mobile Apps

Mental Health and Mobile Apps

In previous posts, we explored the world of mobile applications helping first responders save lives, but did you know mobile apps can also protect your mental health? The healthcare industry has been hard at work developing mobile apps, but so has the mental health industry. I’m sure you’ve seen the commercials where you can text or talk with a therapist with your mobile device. This is just the tip of the iceberg for mobile therapy apps, but how can mobile apps improve mental health?

Breaking the Stigma (or at least bypass it)

Most patients with mental health disorders are afraid to seek treatment because of the stigma surrounding mental health. Mobile therapy apps have given patients the ability to seek help right through their phone. This type of innovation has given psychologists the ability to innovate their offerings and help people with mental health disorders without the patient fearing judgment by their peers.

You’re never alone

When you have a mobile device, you’re never alone. Mental health mobile apps allow you to be able to get in touch with anyone around the world at any time. If you feel like you need to talk to someone, you can.

Sharing Their Story

Some of the mental health issues are driven by depression and anxiety. Another way mobile apps have broken down those walls is by allowing people to share their stories anonymously. If you have heard of the Whisper app, then you know that sharing your story or experience anonymously to groups of people is possible. Mobile apps like the Whisper app can help people cope with depression and anxiety because they have a platform to share their story and still keep their identity hidden.

With all areas of the healthcare industry rushing to be up to date with the latest technologies, mobile apps are genuinely changing the way we interact and send and receive information.
No more are you the days you need to drive to your therapists’ office and hope you aren’t seen by someone you know. You can now pick up your phone and download a mobile app.

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Boosting Employee Engagement with a Mobile App

Whether you are a large company or a small business, employee engagement is essential in the happiness and retention of your employees.
Boosting Employee Engagement with a Mobile App

Did you know you could be boosting employee engagement with a mobile app? Whether you are a large company or a small business, employee engagement is essential in the happiness and retention of your employees.  According to a survey conducted by Adobe, 85% of employees who felt that their company’s technology was ahead of others said they loved their job.  70% believed that enhanced technology helps improve work-life balance.  This study determined that there is a direct correlation between technology, employee engagement, and retention.  So how can a mobile app help make your employees happier and more engaged?

 

Connecting the Team

There is nothing harder than trying to get all of your team members in one room, especially if you are a company that has a diverse group of roles i.e., remote workers or international offices.  A mobile app can break down distance barriers and bring the entire team together.  This collaboration can enhance the productivity of your employees as well as cutting overhead costs.  Studies have confirmed that employees that feel connected with their co-workers are more engaged with their work.  It also allows easy contact between team members to streamline questions and collaboration, creating a more efficient and connected team.

 

Instant Updates

Forget about drafting up a lengthy email and hoping your team reads it.  With a mobile app, you can send instant updates to your team with the click of a button.  A mobile app will keep your entire team on the same page in real-time.

 

Training

No more lengthy training sessions where you all gather in a conference room for a day, getting slammed with presentations and PowerPoints.  Instead, host your training through your mobile app.  Your team can work on training on their own time and even have a guidebook handy if they ever ran into trouble.  Training via a mobile app is one of the most efficient ways to train your employees.

 

Measure Employee Engagement

The concept of having a mobile app is to keep your employees engaged, but how do you know if they are engaged?  With a mobile app, you can measure engagement.  You can track employee interactions, what content employees are participating in, and capture feedback from employees.  Having a mobile app for your company is an analyst’s dream.  Tracking engagement and collecting analytics can improve communication and the level of commitment and happiness for employees.

 

A mobile app can set you apart from your competition. It can increase your business’ profits, efficiency, and effectiveness with minimal overhead. It provides you the ability to connect your team in ways others cannot, and it is a powerhouse when collecting feedback and analytics to improve your everyday operations.  If you’d like to learn more about how a mobile app can change your business, reach out to Pioneer Applications and discover the world of mobile applications.

 

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If you don’t have a mobile app, are you keeping up?

Benefits of having a mobile app

Every year the techies of the world come together to unveil the newest mobile hardware and software innovations, and each year mobile app development companies and the app industry are to thank for the growth of such an influential industry.  Apple and Google or iOS and Android provide the most tangible and valuable platforms for the app ecosystem. As smartphones and apps grow in popularity, an urging question emerges, are you keeping up?  What are the benefits of having a mobile app?

To answer the first question, are you keeping up?  There is no one size fits all answer.  For some, a mobile app doesn’t make sense, but for others, a mobile app is your best asset.  To answer this question, you’ll have to look at the benefits of having a mobile app.

If the benefits outweigh the non-benefits, then you probably should have a mobile app to keep up with competitors.

What are the benefits of having a mobile app?

 

Customer Contact

When you have a mobile app, it is much easier to stay in touch with your customers, because let’s be real, everyone has their phone in their hand at all times of the day and night. This is a considerable advantage of having a mobile app; you can easily send notifications to promote sales or keep your customers engaged.

 

Personalization

Now having a mobile app developed gives you the opportunity to have a highly personalized platform with fantastic mobile app design, and this goes both ways.  The main advantage of a mobile app is your customers can set their preferences and have a highly personalized experience when interacting with your app. This personalized experience gives you the upper hand when building relations with your customers.

 

Engage with your Customers Longer

It’s no secret that consumers spend more time on mobile devices, but did you know that 86% of mobile users spent their time on mobile apps?  That is compared to only 14% of those who spent their time on mobile websites.  If you don’t have a mobile app, your customers aren’t going to be engaging with you for long periods.

 

Brand Presence

This is a no-brainer.

Brand. Brand. Brand.  When your customers install your mobile app on their smartphone, your customers will see the icon of the app numerous times a day, which acts as a mini-advertisement for your brand.  It’s also known that when a customer has your app on their phone, it influences their perception of your brand.

 

ROI and Conversions

This benefit could be one of the most important benefits when it comes to conducting business.

Will you get a return on your investment in a mobile app?  The answer is most likely yes.  A mobile app development company can bring your app to life, and once that app is published, you are more likely to reach more people—new customers.  Once your app is in the hands of your customers, it can be used as a tool to increase conversions.  Since mobile apps are so targeted, you can easily ping specific customers and push them down the conversion funnel, which generates more sales, which makes your investment completely worth every penny.

 

If you’ve made it to the end of this article, you spent valuable time reading about the benefits of a mobile application.  You saw value in each benefit and can most likely answer the overarching question if you don’t have a mobile app, are you keeping up? Most likely, if you don’t have a mobile app, you are falling behind your competitors, but it is never too late to get back in the game!

 

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Tips for Deciding Who Develops Your App Idea

Nothing can be more challenging than swimming through a sea of mobile app developers and
trying to pick one to bring your vision to life. It can be a very challenging decision and a poor
one if you don’t do your research. Below are five tips Pioneer suggests for choosing your next
app developer.

iOS or Android

Make sure the developer can build on the platform you are looking for. The first thing
to do is to make sure they have the capability.

Specializations

Understand the market you want your app to service. For example, if you are in the
travel industry, try to find a developer who understands the industry and can work with
you to bring your app to life.

Capabilities

Every vision has a unique feature, and so can every app. Ensure that the developer you
are looking for can bring specific special features to your app.

Enthusiasm

This can seem like a non-technical aspect of searching for a developer. Still, it is just as
important as technical expertise. If you are communicating with a developer and they
do not have enthusiasm for your vision, it may not be the right choice. You want a
developer that is going to be just a passionate and excited as you are.

Portfolio

Lastly, you’ll want to consider the developer’s portfolio. This is the last tip on the list
because it isn’t the first thing you should consider. Some developers may have large
portfolios and well-known clients, but that doesn’t mean that the developer is right for
you. You should use a developer’s portfolio to get an idea as to what the developer has
accomplished.

We hope these tips will help you choose your next app developer!

 

pioneerapplications.com | #Pioneerwithus