Rapid Iteration & Context – In a mobile world
Launch then iterate, iterate, iterate – a paradigm of the start-up world – agile, scrum all frameworks to speed up and broaden the feedback loop. The goal is fairly simple; get the product into the hands of as many customers as possible and enable and gather useful feedback. Then through multiple development/feedback cycles, hone the offering, to deliver as effectively as possible on the metrics defined for success.
Context spectrums – the range of situations a particular technology platform is generally used in to consume content in addition to the user’s relationship with that platform. Mobile devices have the widest context spectrum of mass-market content delivery platforms. They are used in wide range of physical locations versus a more narrow set for more traditional platforms like personal computers and TV – home and work versus anywhere you are. The main activity you’re engaged in ranges greatly for mobile devices versus a more focused attention on the platform itself for TV and personal computers – watching TV, working on the computer versus getting the latest movie time while walking down the street. Finally the primary function of a mobile device is to connect to the owner’s social network all the time, this ensure a more personal relationship with mobile devices than other platforms.
As brands a position themselves against competitors and deliver information and experiences via the mobile channel. It is import that they understand the context(s) in which their customers are occupying when using this mobile content.
Mobile content present the opportunity to deliver real value to the consumer and brand – but only when used effectively especially within the often limited context it is deliver, be this technical limitations e.g. smaller screen requiring effective user interface design or situational limitations e.g. time limitation of user getting the phone number urgently from a mobile site while rushing to a meeting versus shifting through a large amount of content.
A more rapid development, iteration process and broader feedback mechanism is one way to aid in understanding the multiple and often new scenarios consumer use their mobile devices to interact with content and adjust accordingly[1].
Lastly, on a connected but separate note, please view the video below for what I think it one of the best ad campaigns in a long time for a mobile device.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K-QhxjJFl7E&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0&color1=0x006699&color2=0x54abd6]
[1] When drawing this connection another aspect of the mobile platform is important to note – the inherent limitations of many mobile devices force a scaled down version of content delivered through other platforms. This limited scale tends to mean that iteration can be performed more easily.
