Disclosure: The author is involved with PR and Marketing for Bottle Rocket Apps and the NPR News application listed.

It’s not just independent developers who are sketching iPhone UI elements for the great apps of the future. Almost every corporate entity, website or brand is brainstorming ways to port their product or service to mobile platforms and leverage the new markets being carved out by the iPhone. However, unlike independent developers, corporations are generally looking to build a single, powerful application that compliments their preexisting services and brand image, and they aren’t necessarily sitting on the required talent. They need a polished app but don’t have the resources. This, of course, presents a classic conundrum as they decide either to develop the skills in house, or hire an expert to do the sketching for them. The New York Times elected to go the former route with their app, while the recently released NPR application (currently the #1 most downloaded app in the News category) was contracted out to Bottle Rocket Apps. This kind of development on a contract basis is a niche of the application market that isn’t frequently examined and, not only presents great opportunities, but is a process that goes well beyond the steno pad.

From the developer’s point of view, these sorts of projects are unique opportunities to creatively expound on proven concepts and services, while often having access to an immense amount of data and robust API’s. Before NPR decided to build their own application, they had already created their Story API that allowed others to access their stations content to foster creativity in that vein. These are powerful tools for brands with powerful objectives. Bottle Rocket CEO, Calvin Carter says his company “doesn’t just develop apps, but help craft solutions based on clients’ business goals.” Developers get to harness brands resources when building their app and ideally, leverage the clients’ legacy content in a revolutionary way.

Clearly, far from simply programming what they’re told to program, good developers embrace the consultative nature of contract development. It’s important for them to take ownership of the app, the process, the business goal of the customer, and to drive that road map. This includes all the steps involved in making an app that go well beyond the programming. Everything from planning and designing the app, to building app icons, creating app store promotional images, and getting the app through the review process.

It may be difficult for corporations to entrust app development to another entity, but it is increasingly essential given the integral nature that apps play in modern branding initiatives. Demian Perry, product manager for portable media at NPR says that “what we liked most about Bottle Rocket was that its CEO, Calvin Carter, listened carefully to our project plan, made notes, and patiently convinced us that everything we thought we knew about the iPhone was wrong.” This is why initial development stages of apps on contract must be an extremely collaborative process. Where the clients bring the initial audience metrics, functionality, and feature list, the developer leverages a true understanding of the platform, and its users in order to take full advantage of the devices capabilities.

Tasked with turning the brand into a functional, tangible extension of its services, developers must be skilled in building an aesthetically pleasing, intuitive and creative UI. Calvin Carter says Bottle Rockets’ success in this arena is directly correlated with an “adherence to a strict development methodology that involves hand drawing screens of the entire application before moving to a functional spec… this is where we can start getting really creative.” It was in this stage that Bottle Rocket suggested the “Playlist” functionality for NPR’s new application that enables users to actively create their own list of favorite shows to listen to or read full text. Perry, at NPR, says “for our app to succeed it couldn’t just be a radio-like experience. We needed to create a place for active listening as well.” This understanding of the needs of the brand and its consumers is vital in order to build elegant IU elements to address them. This is essential to providing richer and deeper apps.

As more and more brands extend the reach of their product into the mobile market, the impetus is clear for enlisting outside expertise. However, while certainly knowing a great deal about their product and its market, corporations want to hit the store quickly with an app that reflects the quality of the brand, without learning to build one from scratch. Similarly, it is a great opportunity for developers to provide that expertise. They benefit from the abundance of PR and marketing resources that established brands use to guarantee their apps reach their audience. Working with names like CNN and NPR ensures the visibility of a developer’s app and ultimately showcases their creativity. The value here is in the collaboration of corporate entities and contract developers, the confluence of established brands and app development expertise that results in great apps with game-changing functionality, letting developers develop and companies further their brand.

More on Bottle Rocket Apps.

More on The Making of the NPR News App from NPR.org.

Macworld UK Interview with Bottle Rocket Apps on the making of the NPR News app.

Share