Selling to existing customers has a 60-70% success rate, compared to only 5-20% for new customers.
65% of a company’s business typically comes from existing clients.
These statistics underscore the critical importance of maintaining a user-centric focus in mobile project management. By prioritizing user needs and experiences, companies can significantly improve customer retention, boost sales to existing customers, and ultimately drive business growth.
Best practices for user-centric project management include continuous user research, data-driven insights into user behavior, and rapid prototyping with A/B testing. However, challenges persist. One major hurdle is balancing innovation with user familiarity. While it’s crucial to introduce new features that keep the product competitive, drastic changes can alienate existing users.
An effective strategy is to implement gradual feature rollouts and extensive A/B testing. This approach allows for the introduction of innovative elements without disrupting the overall user experience, ensuring that users can adapt to changes over time.
CASE STUDY: monkii
The monkii app exemplifies how user-centric mobile project management can deliver exceptional results. InspiringApps developed the app to enhance the usability of monkii’s physical product. As stated by the monkii team, “InspiringApps consistently went above and beyond our expectations and refused to settle for anything less than the best product.”
User-centric design is evident in several key features, including offline functionality, intuitive categorization, and adaptive content. But it extended beyond just features. User feedback enhanced the app and provided valuable insights for the company’s product development.
The keys to a user-centric approach in mobile project management: user insights and data-driven improvements. By deeply understanding user needs and preferences, we can create mobile solutions that function flawlessly and resonate emotionally with users, strengthening brand loyalty.
Intelligent Enhancements to Mobile Project Management
The adoption and impact of AI in project management are significant and growing. According to Gartner, by 2030, 80% of project managers’ tasks will be run by AI, powered by big data, machine learning (ML), and natural language processing. The high satisfaction rates among early adopters suggest that AI is delivering significant benefits.
AI functionalities that are revolutionizing project management include:
Predictive Analytics: Advanced algorithms analyze historical project data to forecast potential risks and delays.
Automated Task Allocation: AI-powered tools can assign tasks based on team members’ skills and availability, potentially improving resource utilization.
Natural Language Processing: AI can analyze project communications to identify potential issues or bottlenecks, flagging them for human review.
This shift towards data-driven decision-making in project management aligns with the growing role of AI in the field. However, integrating AI into project management processes isn’t without challenges. There’s often concern about losing the human touch in decision-making. The key is to view AI as a complement to human expertise, not a replacement.
“Success in project management will not be defined by how well an organization follows a process, but by how well it uses project data.”
Successful projects use AI to handle data-intensive tasks and provide insights while relying on human judgment for creative problem-solving and stakeholder management.
The Rising Importance of ROI in Mobile Project Management
As mobile projects become more complex and resource-intensive, demonstrating clear ROI has become crucial. This trend is reshaping how digital product roadmaps and associated mobile projects are planned, executed, and evaluated across all sectors. In an era of expected increasing returns, ROI helps in prioritizing projects and features, discovering unexpected benefits, and enabling product owners to make the right decisions.
Key ROI metrics being integrated into mobile project management include:
User acquisition cost
Customer lifetime value
App Store ranking improvements
User engagement rates
Revenue per user
Best practices for ROI-focused project management focus on establishing clear, measurable KPIs aligned with business objectives from the project outset, implementing real-time dashboards to track ROI metrics, and using predictive analytics to forecast long-term ROI based on early project data.
A common challenge is demonstrating ROI in the early stages of a project when tangible results may not yet be visible. Setting realistic expectations and using predictive modeling based on early data and industry benchmarks is important to address this. By establishing a clear framework for measuring success from the beginning, teams can show progress towards ROI goals even in the initial phases of a project.
CASE STUDY: Spark Your Channel
Spark Your Channel demonstrates the importance of ROI-focused mobile project management in B2B settings. InspiringApps developed a custom marketing platform for Spark Your Channel to revolutionize demand generation across enterprises.
The project’s ROI was so impressive that it contributed to a successful exit for the company. Our client, Heather Margolis, was able to attract customers to her platform and attract industry attention. That ultimately led to Heather’s successful exit when she sold Spark Your Channel™ (only 2 ½ years after our first conversation) to 360insights—one of the largest Channel Incentives Management companies.
A well-managed, ROI-focused digital project can improve business processes, drive revenue, and significantly increase a company’s market value. Beyond this, effective digital solutions can transform entire business models.
Integrating User-Centricity, AI, & ROI
The most effective mobile project management strategies find ways to integrate these three pillars. This might involve using AI to analyze user data and predict future needs, employing machine learning to optimize user experiences while maximizing ROI or using AI-driven analytics to prioritize feature development based on potential return on investment.
As these approaches often involve handling large amounts of user data, maintaining privacy and security is a critical challenge. It’s essential to incorporate privacy-by-design principles from the outset, use advanced encryption, and ensure compliance with data protection regulations. This protects users and builds trust, which is crucial for long-term success.
Industry Success Stories
The power of user-centric, AI-driven, and ROI-focused mobile project management is evident across various industries.
Healthcare
The Cancer Exercise app, developed for world-renowned cancer and exercise oncology pioneer Dr. Anna L. Schwartz, demonstrates the power of user-centric design in healthcare. This app provides individualized exercise prescriptions tailored to cancer patients’ fatigue levels, current treatment, and treatment type. The app’s adaptive nature and easy-to-use interface led to its nomination for a Best Mobile App Platinum Award in 2020 and an AVA Digital Gold Award in 2021, showcasing its impact on patient engagement and health outcomes.
Finance
The inHere app, created for Fidelity National Financial, revolutionized the real estate transaction process. By focusing on user needs and leveraging technology for secure communications, the app has been used by over a million buyers, sellers, and borrowers. It has increased transparency and efficiency in more than 875,000 transactions, demonstrating significant ROI in finance and real estate.
Ecommerce
Artifact Uprising, an award-winning app for creating personalized photo products, showcases the power of user-centric design in e-commerce. The app saw remarkable growth by improving existing features and adding new product lines based on user feedback. In just its second year, the mobile app generated 16% of the company’s revenue, highlighting the significant impact of user-focused development on sales and customer satisfaction in the retail space.
Aerospace & Technology
The Explore Orion app, developed by InspiringApps for Lockheed Martin, showcases the innovative use of AI in mobile project management for the aerospace industry. This app provides users with an interactive experience of the Artemis I mission and incorporates AI in its backend Content Management System (CMS). The AI was used to identify proper names and detect foul language in user submissions intended for display in the spacecraft during missions. This application of AI ensured content moderation efficiency. It maintained the integrity of user-generated content in a high-stakes environment, demonstrating how AI can be crucial in managing complex mobile projects with user-generated content.
Cross-Industry AI Integration
InspiringApps, featured for our artificial intelligence capabilities on the Inc. 2023 Power Partners list, demonstrates how AI can be integrated across various industries to enhance mobile project management. Our approach focuses on leveraging AI to create exceptional customer experiences, improve efficiency, and drive better company outcomes. InspiringApps helps companies better utilize corporate data and improve user experiences by employing thoughtful AI solutions beyond generative AI. Intelligent solutions make critical information readily accessible, enhancing user satisfaction and decision-making capabilities across different sectors.
Key Takeaways: The Future of Mobile Project Management
Embrace user-centricity to improve customer satisfaction and retention.
Integrate AI tools to enhance efficiency and decision-making in project management.
Maintain a strong focus on ROI to demonstrate value and guide project priorities.
Balance innovation with user familiarity through gradual rollouts and continuous testing.
Leverage data analytics for insights across all aspects of mobile project management.
The future of mobile project management is undeniably user-centric, AI-enhanced, and ROI-focused. By embracing these trends and overcoming the associated challenges, organizations can create mobile solutions that truly resonate with users, leverage AI to enhance efficiency and demonstrate clear value through measurable outcomes.
And, if you’re curious about how InspiringApps would respond to questions like the ones we’ve just shared, find our answers in Your Journey With InspiringApps.
Emotional responses: Different colors can evoke distinct emotions. For example, blue often instills trust and calmness, while red can create excitement or urgency.
Physiological reactions: Colors can trigger physical responses. For instance, red can increase heart rate and create a sense of urgency, while blue can have a calming effect.
Attention and focus: Warm colors like red and orange naturally draw the eye, making them useful for highlighting important elements or calls to action.
Color in Digital Products: From UI to UX
In user interface (UI) design, color is a silent guide. It creates visual hierarchies, drawing attention to important elements like call-to-action buttons or key information.
But color’s role extends beyond the surface level of UI into the deeper realm of user experience (UX). Here, color choices can reduce cognitive load by grouping related information or distinguishing between different types of content.
Colors can guide users through a desired flow of actions, provide feedback on user interactions, and even influence the perceived personality of a digital product.
In the end, color in digital design is about communication. It’s about using this powerful, silent language to speak directly to users’ emotions and needs, inform usability, and create experiences that resonate on a deeper level than words alone can achieve.
Key Color Psychology in Digital Branding
Red
Red, a primary color of unparalleled intensity, commands attention and ignites strong emotions. It pulses with energy, action, and passion, evoking associations ranging from love and desire to danger and excitement. Red’s power lies in its ability to quicken pulse rates and create a sense of urgency.
In the realm of digital products, red’s bold presence can be leveraged to create impactful, emotion-driven experiences. Its ability to grab attention and provoke immediate responses makes it particularly potent in user interfaces and branding strategies.
Red excels in:
Creating urgency: Its association with alertness makes it ideal for notifications, alerts, or time-sensitive data and offers.
Highlighting key elements: Red naturally draws the eye, perfect for important buttons or focal points in a design.
Evoking excitement: For entertainment or gaming platforms, red can amplify the thrill and engagement factor.
Building brand recognition: As a memorable and impactful color, red can forge strong brand identities.
Stimulating appetite: Useful for food delivery apps or culinary-focused digital products.
Red ignites digital interfaces with passion and intensity. Netflix harnesses this power, transforming streaming into a thrilling adventure. The bold red palette fuels anticipation, sparks binge-worthy excitement, and amplifies storytelling drama. Netflix doesn’t merely offer content—it creates an immersive world of narratives, inviting users to dive deep into captivating tales. In the competitive streaming landscape, Netflix’s red isn’t just a color choice—it’s an emotional catalyst, embodying the very essence of entertainment and cinematic allure.
Orange
Drawing from its parent colors of red and yellow, orange exudes energy, positivity, and a sense of adventure and rejuvenation. Orange nods to natural moments—a colorful sunset, changing leaves, or fresh fruit. Its playful and youthful connotations are hard to escape, which leaves it feeling less conventional than other color options in certain contexts.
However, this unconventional nature is precisely what makes orange a powerful choice for brands looking to stand out and make a bold statement. Its vibrant personality can be leveraged to great effect in digital products aiming to convey enthusiasm, creativity, and approachability.
Orange is particularly effective in:
Encouraging action: Its energetic quality makes it excellent for call-to-action buttons or elements that require user engagement.
Promoting social interaction: The warmth of orange can foster a sense of community and openness in social apps or platforms.
Highlighting innovation: For tech products or services that want to emphasize their cutting-edge nature, orange can signal forward-thinking and originality.
Appealing to younger demographics: Its youthful associations make it ideal for products targeting millennials or Gen Z.
Creating a sense of affordability: Orange can convey good value, making it useful for e-commerce or budget-friendly services.
Orange is a color that has the power to enhance digital interfaces. SoundCloud effectively leverages the vibrant energy of its orange color to ignite creativity and foster community connections. This distinctive approach sets SoundCloud apart from its competitors, transforming the act of streaming music into an exhilarating adventure that perfectly encapsulates the essence of musical exploration.
Yellow
Yellow, the brightest hue in the visible spectrum, radiates with the warmth and energy of the sun itself. This vibrant color embodies optimism, creativity, and clarity, evoking feelings of cheerfulness and vitality. In the digital landscape, yellow’s dynamic nature offers a powerful tool for brands seeking to convey positivity, innovation, and attention-grabbing impact.
In digital product design, yellow’s versatility allows it to inject energy and enthusiasm into interfaces while maintaining clarity and focus. Its ability to stimulate both the mind and emotions makes it particularly effective in creating user experiences that feel engaging, uplifting, and mentally stimulating.
Yellow excels in:
Capturing attention: Its high visibility makes it ideal for important notifications or calls to action.
Promoting optimism: Yellow can create a positive user experience, perfect for motivational or lifestyle apps.
Stimulating mental activity: Useful for educational platforms, brainstorming tools, or productivity apps.
Enhancing readability: When used correctly, yellow can improve the legibility of text on dark backgrounds.
Creating visual interest: A splash of yellow can enliven otherwise muted color schemes.
Yellow electrifies digital spaces with vibrant energy. Snapchat’s bright branding exemplifies this, pulsating with youthful spirit and creative expression. It sparks playfulness, energizes social interactions, and celebrates the joy of fleeting moments. Snapchat doesn’t just enable messaging—it cultivates a dynamic platform for self-expression, inviting users to embrace spontaneity and digital creativity. In the fast-paced world of social media, Snapchat’s yellow isn’t merely visible—it’s visceral, capturing the essence of in-the-moment communication and the thrill of living unfiltered.
Green
Green, nature’s dominant hue, draws its harmonious essence from the vibrancy of yellow and the serenity of blue. This versatile color embodies growth, renewal, and abundance, evoking the lushness of forests and the promise of new beginnings. In the digital landscape, green’s multifaceted character offers a powerful tool for brands aiming to convey sustainability, health, wealth, or natural harmony.
In digital product design, green’s adaptability allows it to thrive in various contexts while maintaining its core associations with positivity and balance. Its ability to simultaneously calm and invigorate makes it particularly effective in creating user experiences that feel both fresh and familiar.
Green excels in:
Promoting eco-friendliness: Its strong association with nature makes it ideal for sustainability-focused apps or environmentally conscious brands.
Encouraging financial growth: Green’s link to money makes it effective for finance apps, investment platforms, or e-commerce sites.
Enhancing well-being: Useful for health, fitness, or wellness apps, as green evokes feelings of vitality and balance.
Improving readability: Light green backgrounds can reduce eye strain and create a soothing reading environment.
Signaling safety and permission: Green’s universal association with “go” makes it perfect for confirming actions or indicating system status.
Green infuses digital interfaces with vitality and harmony. Spotify’s vibrant green embodies the power of musical exploration and growth, fueling creative discovery and seamless listening experiences. It sets Spotify apart by transforming music streaming into a journey of constant renewal and personal curation. Through green, Spotify cultivates musical landscapes, nurtures artistic growth, and invites users to explore an ever-expanding universe of sound.
Blue
Blue, the color of vast skies and deep oceans, embodies trust, stability, and tranquility. Its calming presence and universal appeal have made it a go-to choice in design, sometimes to the point of overuse. However, blue’s versatility and psychological impact make it an enduring powerhouse in the digital product landscape.
In the realm of digital branding, blue’s strength lies in its ability to convey professionalism and reliability while maintaining a sense of approachability. Its cool tones can create a sense of depth and expansiveness in user interfaces, offering a canvas for both simplicity and complexity.
Blue excels in:
Building trust: Its association with dependability makes it ideal for financial, healthcare, or security-focused apps.
Enhancing readability: Light blue backgrounds can improve text legibility and reduce eye strain.
Promoting productivity: Cooler blue tones can aid focus and efficiency in work-related tools.
Creating a sense of space: Blue can make interfaces feel more open and less cluttered.
Evoking calmness: Useful for meditation, sleep, or wellness apps.
When harnessed skillfully, blue infuses digital interfaces with a sense of reliability and depth. Facebook’s iconic blue exemplifies this power, creating a familiar and trustworthy environment for social connections. It fosters a sense of community, encourages open communication, and provides a stable backdrop for diverse content. This thoughtful choice sets Facebook apart, transforming social networking into a dependable daily ritual. Through blue, Facebook doesn’t just connect people—it cultivates trust, facilitates sharing, and invites users to navigate a vast social landscape. In the ever-evolving world of social media, where trust is paramount, Facebook’s blue isn’t just seen—it’s felt, capturing the essence of reliable, global connectivity.
Purple
Purple, a regal blend of fiery red and calming blue, exudes an air of mystery, luxury, and spiritual depth. This complex hue bridges the gap between warm and cool colors, embodying both the confidence of red and the assurance of blue. In the digital realm, purple’s unique character offers a potent tool for brands seeking to convey sophistication, creativity, and a touch of the extraordinary.
In digital product design, purple’s versatility allows it to adapt to various contexts while maintaining its air of distinction. Its ability to evoke both excitement and tranquility makes it particularly effective in creating immersive and emotionally resonant user experiences.
Purple excels in:
Conveying premium quality: Its association with luxury makes it ideal for high-end products or exclusive services.
Stimulating creativity: Purple can inspire imaginative thinking, perfect for design tools or creative platforms.
Enhancing mystique: Useful for apps dealing with astrology, spirituality, or esoteric subjects.
Balancing energy levels: Purple can create a sense of calm excitement, which is beneficial for meditation or mindfulness apps.
Differentiating brands: In a sea of blue and red logos, purple offers a distinctive alternative.
Purple transforms digital interfaces into places of imagination and prestige. Twitch’s vibrant purple color fosters creativity, community, and real-time interaction. It distinguishes Twitch and elevates the gaming and live content experience. Purple embodies the essence of live, interactive entertainment and shared experiences in the digital realm.
Pink
Pink, a soft blend of red and white, embodies delicacy, youth, and nurturing warmth. This charming hue radiates playfulness and good health while also evoking deep feelings of harmony and friendship. In the digital landscape, pink’s versatile character offers a powerful tool for brands seeking to convey approachability, care, and a touch of romance, all while challenging traditional color stereotypes.
In digital product design, pink’s adaptability allows it to thrive in various contexts, from playful apps to sophisticated interfaces. Its ability to evoke both gentleness and vibrancy makes it particularly effective in creating user experiences that feel inviting, fresh, and emotionally resonant.
Pink excels in:
Promoting inclusivity: Its evolving associations make it ideal for brands targeting diverse audiences.
Enhancing approachability: Pink can soften interfaces, making complex tools or services feel more accessible.
Conveying care and support: Useful for health, wellness, or community-focused apps.
Stimulating creativity: Light pinks can inspire imaginative thinking, perfect for design tools or artistic platforms.
Creating visual interest: In a sea of blue and green interfaces, pink offers a refreshing alternative.
Lyft’s pink color isn’t just a visual choice in the digital world. It creates a warm and friendly feeling, encouraging social interaction and connecting people. This bold color stands out in the competitive ride-hailing app market and embodies an inclusive and welcoming urban travel experience.
Black
Black, the absence of visible color, has a unique power in its depth and versatility. This bold hue embodies contrasting concepts—from sophistication and luxury to mystery and the unknown. In the digital landscape, black’s multifaceted nature offers a potent tool for brands aiming to convey strength, elegance, or cutting-edge modernity while also carrying the potential to evoke more somber or intense emotions.
In digital product design, black’s adaptability allows it to create striking visual impacts and set distinct tones. Its ability to both recede and dominate makes it particularly effective in crafting user experiences that feel sleek, powerful, and immersive.
Black excels in:
Creating contrast: Its stark nature makes it ideal for improving readability and highlighting key elements.
Conveying luxury: Black’s association with sophistication makes it perfect for premium or high-end digital products.
Enhancing focus: Black backgrounds can reduce distractions, which is beneficial for productivity or content-focused apps.
Evoking mystery: Useful for entertainment platforms, especially those dealing with thriller or noir genres.
Signaling power and authority: Effective for professional tools or platforms targeting executive users.
Black lends sophistication and refinement to digital spaces. Uber strategically employs this in its app, conveying efficiency and exclusivity. This choice communicates reliability while creating an atmosphere of professionalism in ride-hailing. Uber transcends basic transportation services, instilling confidence and modernizing mobility for users navigating urban landscapes. In the competitive transportation app market, Uber’s use of black isn’t just a design choice—it’s a powerful brand statement, encapsulating refined, on-demand urban transit.
White
White, the color of light, embodies purity, openness, and new beginnings. This pristine hue radiates clarity, peace, and infinite possibility while also carrying the potential for a sense of sterility or emptiness if not balanced properly. In the digital landscape, white’s expansive nature offers a powerful tool for brands aiming to convey cleanliness, simplicity, and a fresh start while providing a blank canvas for other elements to shine.
In digital product design, white’s versatility allows it to create a sense of spaciousness and clarity. Its ability to enhance readability and highlight other elements makes it particularly effective in crafting user experiences that feel clean, organized, and easy to navigate.
White excels in:
Maximizing readability: Its high contrast with dark text makes it ideal for content-heavy platforms.
Creating visual breathing room: White space can reduce cognitive load and improve user focus.
Conveying modernity: A minimalist white interface often suggests cutting-edge design.
Enhancing other colors: White backgrounds allow other hues to pop, useful for showcasing products or artwork.
Projecting professionalism: White can create a sense of efficiency and competence in business-oriented apps.
Google’s white search page is like a fresh sheet of paper, ready for your ideas. It’s clean, simple, and puts your search front and center. There are no distractions here; it’s just you and the world’s information at your fingertips. In a web full of noise, Google’s white space is a breath of fresh air. It’s not just a color choice—it’s an invitation to explore, learn, and discover without limits.
Brown
Brown, the color of earth and wood, embodies groundedness, reliability, and organic simplicity. This warm, natural hue evokes feelings of comfort, stability, and connection to the physical world. In the digital landscape, brown’s earthy character offers a powerful tool for brands seeking to convey authenticity, durability, and a return to basics while providing warmth and approachability.
In digital product design, brown’s versatility allows it to create environments that feel both rustic and sophisticated. Its ability to evoke a sense of history and craftsmanship makes it particularly effective in crafting user experiences that feel trustworthy, sustainable, and rooted in tradition.
Brown excels in:
Creating a sense of comfort: Its association with nature can make interfaces feel more welcoming and less sterile.
Conveying durability: Brown can suggest reliability and longevity, useful for productivity or archival apps.
Enhancing eco-friendliness: Its natural associations make it ideal for sustainability-focused or outdoor lifestyle apps.
Providing visual warmth: Brown can soften harsh digital environments, reducing eye strain.
Evoking nostalgia: Useful for vintage-inspired designs or platforms dealing with history and heritage.
Etsy’s use of rich brown tones brings warmth and authenticity to its digital interface, fostering a sense of discovery and connection with handmade treasures. This deliberate selection distinguishes Etsy and elevates online shopping to a worldwide marketplace of individual craftsmen.
Gray
Gray, the perfect balance between black and white, embodies neutrality, subtlety, and sophistication. This versatile hue conveys a sense of practicality and stability while also evoking feelings of elegance and maturity. In the digital landscape, gray’s nuanced nature offers a powerful tool for brands aiming to project reliability, professionalism, and timeless design, though it can also risk evoking feelings of detachment or melancholy if not used thoughtfully.
In digital product design, gray’s adaptability allows it to create a wide range of moods and atmospheres. Its ability to recede into the background or step forward as a focal point makes it particularly effective in crafting user experiences that feel polished, balanced, and user-friendly.
Gray excels in:
Creating visual hierarchy: Its various shades can guide users’ attention subtly through an interface.
Enhancing readability: Light gray backgrounds can reduce eye strain without the starkness of pure white.
Conveying professionalism: Gray is often associated with seriousness and competence, ideal for business-oriented apps.
Balancing vibrant colors: It can serve as a neutral backdrop, allowing other colors to pop.
Evoking calmness: Certain shades of gray can create a soothing, distraction-free environment.
Gray infuses digital interfaces with understated elegance and functionality. Apple’s macOS exemplifies this, blending minimalism with user-centric design. It fosters focus, boosts productivity, and elevates the operating system’s professional feel. This thoughtful choice transforms daily computing into a streamlined, almost zen-like experience. Through gray, Apple crafts a visual ecosystem where technology and sophistication coexist. This isn’t just any gray—it’s the perfect backdrop for your digital life, letting your content shine while fading into the background. Apple’s strategic use of gray captures the allure of clean, uncluttered design. It’s the silent helper that makes using your Mac a joy, day in and day out, embodying Apple’s commitment to intuitive, elegant user interaction.
Multicolor
Multicolor schemes embrace the full spectrum of hues, creating vibrant, dynamic, and eye-catching designs. This approach embodies diversity, inclusivity, and a celebration of variety. In the digital landscape, multicolor palettes offer a powerful tool for brands seeking to convey playfulness, creativity, and a wide-ranging appeal that speaks to multiple audiences or services.
In digital product design, multicolor schemes allow for creative expression and visual storytelling. Their ability to evoke a range of emotions and associations makes them particularly effective in crafting user experiences that feel energetic, inclusive, and engaging across diverse user groups.
Multicolor excels in:
Capturing attention: The variety of colors can make interfaces stand out in a crowded digital space.
Representing diversity: Useful for platforms that cater to a wide range of users or services.
Enhancing brand recognition: A distinct multicolor scheme can become a strong brand identifier.
Creating visual interest: Multiple colors can guide users through different sections or features of an app.
Evoking positivity: Bright, varied colors often elicit feelings of happiness and excitement.
When used thoughtfully, multicolor palettes bring digital interfaces to life, as Microsoft’s Copilot icon demonstrates. The vibrant colors signify the diverse range of capabilities Copilot offers, fostering creativity and adaptability. Copilot redefines the computing experience, offering an intelligent and ever-evolving journey through its multicolor strategy.
Battle of the Brands: Industry Examples
Color Psychology in the Music Industry: Spotify vs. SoundCloud
SoundCloud’s fiery orange and Spotify’s vibrant green exemplify how color can define a brand’s digital identity and user experience.
While SoundCloud’s orange ignites excitement for musical discovery and creation, Spotify’s green cultivates a sense of reliability and sophisticated curation. SoundCloud’s branding encourages users to dive into the unexpected, whereas Spotify’s suggests a more refined, tailored journey through the world of music.
Both colors serve their respective brands brilliantly. Orange amplifies SoundCloud’s identity as a platform for emerging talent and eclectic tastes, while green reinforces Spotify’s position as a polished, user-friendly service for everyday listening. These color choices not only differentiate the platforms visually but also subtly communicate their unique value propositions in the competitive landscape of music streaming.
Color Psychology in the Ride-Share Industry: Uber vs. Lyft
Uber’s sleek black and Lyft’s vibrant pink demonstrate how color can shape a brand’s digital identity and user perception in the ride-share industry.
While Uber’s black conveys a message of professionalism and reliability, Lyft’s pink communicates approachability and community. Uber’s branding encourages users to expect a seamless, business-like service, whereas Lyft’s suggests a more laid-back, socially conscious ride experience.
Both colors effectively serve their respective brands. Black reinforces Uber’s image as a sophisticated, efficient transportation solution, while pink amplifies Lyft’s identity as a friendly, community-oriented service. These color choices not only set the brands apart visually but also subtly communicate their distinct approaches to ride-sharing, helping to carve out unique positions in a competitive market.
Creating an Effective Color Palette for Digital Products
1. Understanding Color Theory
Before selecting colors, it’s crucial to understand basic color theory. This knowledge provides a solid foundation for creating harmonious color schemes:
Analogous: Colors adjacent on the color wheel (e.g., blue, blue-green, green) create a unified look.
Complementary: Colors opposite on the wheel (e.g., blue and orange) offer high contrast and visual impact.
Triadic: Three colors equally spaced on the wheel (e.g., red, yellow, blue) provide a vibrant, balanced scheme.
Monochromatic: Different shades and tints of a single color create a cohesive, sophisticated look.
2. Selecting Your Palette
Start by choosing:
Primary Color: This should align with your brand identity and evoke the desired emotions. For example, blue for trust (Facebook) or red for excitement (Netflix).
Secondary Colors: 1-2 colors that complement your primary color, adding depth to your design.
Accent Colors contrast with your primary and secondary colors, making them perfect for call-to-action buttons or highlighting important information.
Pro Tip: Limit your palette to 3-5 colors to maintain visual harmony and avoid overwhelming users.
3. Employing Color Theory for Balance
Use color theory principles to create balanced, appealing designs:
60-30-10 Rule: Use your primary color for 60% of the design, secondary for 30%, and accent for 10%.
Consider Color Psychology: Remember that colors evoke emotions. For instance, green can represent growth or nature, while purple often signifies luxury.
4. Ensuring Consistency Across Platforms
Develop a comprehensive brand guide that includes:
Color Palette: Primary, secondary, and accent colors with their hex codes.
Usage Guidelines: How and where each color should be used.
Examples: Show correct and incorrect color usage in various contexts.
Ensure this guide is shared across all teams and implemented consistently across all platforms—from your website and mobile app to social media profiles and marketing materials.
5. Leveraging Color Tools
Utilize these resources to refine your color choices:
Adobe Color: Offers color wheel and harmony rules to create and explore color schemes.
Coolors: Generates color palettes and allows you to adjust and lock colors.
Colorhunt: Provides curated color palettes for inspiration.
Paletton: Offers advanced color scheme designer with preview in website examples.
Additional Color Considerations for User-Centered Digital Products
Color Considerations: Culture
When designing for a global audience, it’s crucial to consider the cultural significance of colors:
Red: Symbolizes luck and prosperity in China, but danger or warning in Western cultures.
White: Associated with purity in Western cultures but with mourning in many Eastern cultures.
Green: Represents nature and environmental concerns in many cultures but is sacred in Islam and can represent infidelity in China.
Purple: Often linked to royalty in Western cultures but to mourning in Brazil.
Yellow: Signifies courage in Japan, but cowardice in some Western contexts.
Always research the cultural connotations of colors for your target audience. Consider conducting user research or consulting with cultural experts to ensure your color choices resonate positively across different cultures.
Color Considerations: Accessibility & Inclusivity
Ensuring your color choices are accessible to all users is essential for inclusive design:
Color Contrast: Aim for a contrast ratio of at least 4.5:1 for normal text and 3:1 for large text against backgrounds
Don’t Rely Solely on Color: Use additional visual cues (like icons or patterns) to convey information.
Consider Color Blindness: Test your designs with color blindness simulators.
Customization Options: Consider allowing users to customize color schemes or offering a high-contrast mode.
Text Overlays: Ensure text is legible over colored backgrounds or images.
Selecting the right colors for digital products is a dynamic process that combines creativity with data-driven decision-making. A/B testing allows you to objectively compare different color schemes by measuring key metrics like engagement and conversion rates. Tools like Optimizely can facilitate these tests.
User feedback, gathered through surveys or interviews (via UserTesting, for example), provides valuable insights into emotional responses to your color choices. Heat mapping tools like Hotjar help visualize user interactions, showing whether your colors effectively guide attention to key elements.
Analytics tools such as Google Analytics can track user behavior across different color schemes, helping identify effective combinations. Remember, color selection is iterative. Don’t hesitate to make gradual changes based on your findings, and consider seasonal adjustments to keep your design fresh.
Combining these methods and maintaining a willingness to evolve will ensure that your color choices effectively serve your brand and users in the ever-changing digital landscape.
The InspiringApps Brand Colors
When InspiringApps rebranded in 2020, we employed color psychology for our own brand as the design team replaced the original logo’s prominent black, white, and primary colors with a fresh, unique color palette. The new palette features two blues as our primary colors, which ground the design visually and evoke the sincerity and professionalism at the heart of all we do. While accents of magenta and peach help to encapsulate the creative energy and passion our team brings to every project.
Conclusion: The Power of Color in Digital Product Design
Color is far more than just an aesthetic choice in digital product design—it’s a powerful tool that can shape user experiences, influence behaviors, and communicate brand values. From the energetic orange of SoundCloud to the sophisticated gray of Apple’s macOS, every color choice tells a story and evokes specific emotions.
As we’ve explored, selecting the right colors involves understanding color psychology, considering cultural nuances, ensuring accessibility, and aligning with your brand identity. It’s a process that requires both creativity and data-driven decision-making.
Remember, there’s no one-size-fits-all approach to color in digital design. What works for one brand may not work for another. The key is to understand your audience, test your choices, and be willing to iterate based on user feedback and performance data.
As you embark on your color selection journey, keep these key takeaways in mind:
Use color purposefully to guide user attention and actions.
Consider the emotional and cultural implications of your color choices.
Ensure your color palette is accessible to all users.
Maintain consistency across all touchpoints for strong brand recognition.
Don’t be afraid to test and refine your color strategy over time.
By thoughtfully applying color psychology principles, you can create digital products that not only look great but also resonate deeply with your users, enhancing their experience and driving engagement.
Apple announced its “AI for the rest of us” plan. But what does that mean for the future of digital products in enterprise, mid- and small-sized businesses? In this article, we’ll explore the implications of Apple’s AI strategy and share key takeaways for business leaders navigating the evolving landscape of AI-driven innovation.
But first—a little “AI housekeeping.”
A Working Definition of AI
Artificial Intelligence (AI) focuses on creating smart machines that can learn from data, identify patterns, and perform tasks typically requiring human intelligence. Unlike traditional software solutions that rely on explicit programming and predefined rules, such as “if the customer’s age is greater than X, do this” or “if the bank balance is greater than Y, do that,” AI systems can make decisions without being explicitly programmed for every scenario.
Recommendations for Businesses
A little over a year ago, Brad Weber, CEO of InspiringApps, spoke with Tim Hayden about AI and more, as the above video captures (for the full conversation, see the playlist AI & Data Privacy: InspiringApps & Brain+Trust webinars). Considering the latest announcements at Apple WWDC 2024, we followed up with Brad to capture more insights and business recommendations. We found that Apple’s approach to intelligence mirrors our own in many ways: seamless integration, user-focused design, privacy, and business efficacy.
1. Focus on enhanced user experiences.
Recommendation: Through seamless integration, focus on delivering tangible benefits to users that take advantage of Apple’s AI-driven user experiences, such as personalized recommendations and predictive features.
“AI has enhanced the Apple user experience for many years. Has your phone predicted your commute time to work when you are a few blocks away from home? Has your watch calculated the total yards of your swim workout and broken down the distance by stroke? Both features (and many more) are driven by AI, but Apple treats that as an implementation detail users don’t need to know about. They should just experience the surprise and delight.” —BRAD WEBER, INSPIRINGAPPS CEO
Most people have experienced AI without realizing it. “Hey Siri, read my messages” is a prevalent example of AI in everyday life. With Apple adding more ways to engage with app functionality through Siri and system-level features, properly defining and configuring App Intents may become a new strategy for businesses to ensure their in-app content and services are discoverable and intelligently integrated into users’ queries and workflows.
For example, the improved typing interface with Siri could make Apple devices and apps more accessible for users with certain disabilities or situational impairments that make voice input challenging. If these intelligent features prove useful for accessibility, businesses may be able to reach and serve a broader audience.
Businesses using messaging platforms for customer engagement could also leverage the new intelligent writing and summarization tools to streamline communication and quickly synthesize key points from lengthy customer inquiries or feedback, improving response times and quality.
2. Prioritize user privacy.
Recommendation: Be transparent about data collection and usage, give users control over their data, and take every precaution to protect user information.
AI enables computers to tackle complex problems and operate in the “gray areas,” where they can develop their own solutions based on the given goals or outcomes. To achieve this, AI relies on extensive data to effectively train models and make precise predictions or decisions, such as identifying objects in images or determining the optimal course of action in a given situation. This reliance on large datasets for training AI models raises important questions about data privacy and the implications of using personal information in developing AI systems.
“With the new generative AI features in iOS 18, Apple will continue to prefer the privacy of on-device processing. When server capabilities are required, limited data is sent to Apple, and none of it is stored beyond the current ‘session.’ And if Chat GPT (and other engines/providers in the future) are beneficial, users will explicitly approve each data share. It is highly unlikely that any user-identifiable data will be sent to OpenAI as part of those interactions unless the user specifically opts in with their OpenAI account details.” —BRAD WEBER, INSPIRINGAPPS CEO
In short, Apple’s commitment to privacy is a key differentiator, and businesses should follow their lead.
3. Consider Swift 6 adoption.
Recommendation: Consider adopting Swift 6 for your development projects to reach a wider audience and streamline your development processes.
“I’m excited to see Apple’s Swift 6 push on Windows and Linux, including improved Swift language support in Microsoft’s Visual Studio Code editor. Our team enjoys Swift development, and the language’s safety features have definitely reduced incidents of crashes on Apple devices. I look forward to those same benefits on other platforms.” —BRAD WEBER, INSPIRINGAPPS CEO
4. Stay adaptable.
Recommendation: Businesses should explore the full spectrum of AI and machine learning technologies to find the most effective solutions for their specific needs.
From predictive analytics and recommendation engines to computer vision and natural language processing, there are numerous ways to harness intelligence to benefit users and drive business growth.
“It’s important to remember that generative AI is not the only form of AI. Although it has captured headlines for the last year or two, there are loads of other ways to benefit users with the thoughtful use of AI and ML.” —BRAD WEBER, INSPIRINGAPPS CEO
Advanced predictive analytics can provide valuable insights into future trends and user behaviors. Intelligence can use data analysis to predict popular features, design elements, and evolving user needs. This foresight can inform decisions, helping to create digital products that meet current user expectations and are well-positioned to adapt to future demands.
Smart Business Moves
Apple’s advancements present both opportunities and challenges for businesses of all sizes. By focusing on seamless integration, user privacy, and delivering tangible benefits through smart algorithms and machine learning, businesses can position themselves for success. The key is to approach all development decisions with a user-centric mindset, focusing on how technologies can solve problems, streamline processes, and create meaningful benefits for your target audience. In other words, always prioritize creating value for your users.
“Accessibility has a clear ROI. With accessible apps, you attract a larger user base.” —CLARA BEAR, IOS ENGINEER, INSPIRINGAPPS
The Good Nutrition Ideas app, My Meals, My Way, stands out in the saturated market of food and calorie tracking by focusing on enabling users to become their own nutritionists. Applying a science-backed, fun “plug and play” approach, it offers personalized meal planning for individual health management.
Client Background
The client, Good Nutrition Ideas, is a nonprofit organization committed to promoting healthy lifestyles. Their mission is to empower people with disabilities and older adults with nutritional support needs. The mobile app My Meals, My Way was created in collaboration with InspiringApps to aid in this mission, streamlining meal planning and responding directly to diverse and complex dietary needs.
Project Goals & Challenges
The primary objective of this project was to create a digital platform that makes meal planning accessible to everyone, including users with disabilities. Embracing WCAG, W3C, and Apple Accessibility for Developers, the team followed a strict and comprehensive list of standards, which included the POUR principles:
Perceivable: Information is presented in multiple ways (for example, text descriptions for images, captions, good color contrast).
Operable: Users can navigate and interact with the app using various methods (e.g., clear structure, descriptive links, and keyboard accessibility).
Understandable: The app’s interface and content are easy to comprehend (in other words, clear instructions, consistent design, and plain language).
Robust: It is compatible with various assistive technologies and user needs (e.g., descriptive metadata and accessibility testing).
A key challenge involved structuring the founders’ extensive knowledge of food types and meal portions into a back-end data system that could be translated into a clear and accessible UI for users with assistive technologies.
Design & Development Process
The InspiringApps team—comprised of development, design, and project management professionals—worked hand-in-hand with Good Nutrition Ideas to bring the My Meals, My Way app to life. The success of our development process was driven by weekly check-ins with the client from start to completion, with design and development teams working closely together. The team used wireframes early on and conducted regular accessibility audits of the codebase and user interface, using cutting-edge Apple tools to ensure a comprehensive, efficient, and repeatable testing process.
The app’s development was characterized by its iterative nature, allowing for ongoing improvements. Key questions were addressed throughout, such as the design and development approach stressing a user-focused methodology and regular pivot points to integrate feedback, including accessibility feedback.
Inclusive Design Features
The app development and design were driven by a commitment to both accessibility and user feedback. Inclusive features include:
Custom Profiles: Users can create profiles unique to their dietary and eating needs, which adds a sense of personalization.
Animated Tutorial Videos: Embedded videos guide users through using parts of the app. They include AI-generated voiceovers and captions for added accessibility.
Dynamic Type: Compatible fonts and scalable UI elements give users the ability to set preferred reading sizes.
Text Descriptions & Captions: All images include text descriptions for users with visual impairments, while closed captions and transcripts accompany video content.
High Color Contrast: Additional tones have been added for higher color contrast, in case a user has that accessibility setting turned on their native phone.
Operable Navigation: The app features a clear structure with headings and descriptive links and is fully navigable via keyboard inputs.
Intuitive User Experience: The app is crafted to be understandable, with clear directions, consistent design, and plain language throughout the platform.
“The content presented in the app is highly dependent on the user’s unique profile and needs, and there are clear actions that are suggested based on the time of day. I also implemented animated tutorials that guide the user on how to use certain parts of the app. So the storytelling piece is brought into that as well.” —BECCA COLLINS, UI/UX DESIGNER, INSPIRINGAPPS
Rigorous Accessibility Testing
To ensure the app’s accessibility for all users, the team employed a comprehensive testing approach that combined automated tools, accessibility audits, user feedback, and quality assurance (QA) across multiple platforms and teams.
Results & Impact
Empowering users to take control of their dietary needs, My Meals, My Way concentrates on nurturing self-sufficiency in nutrition and fostering support systems by enabling users to effortlessly share their dietary plans with caregivers, enhancing compliance and enjoyment of meals. Currently available for iOS and iPad devices, My Meals, My Way extends its reach with a free month trial, encouraging users to experience comprehensive support for healthy living first-hand.
“Working with the InspiringApps team of designers and developers was an excellent first app experience for us. They were already familiar with accessibility issues in apps and app development, and they continued to learn and deliver on this app directed at people with disabilities. We anticipate working with them again, which is the best recommendation there is!” —GOOD NUTRITION, INC.
The app’s development was partly supported by a notable grant from the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR), underscoring its commitment to accessibility and empowerment for individuals with disabilities.
Get the App
Improve your health and quality of life by simplifying healthy, balanced eating with My Meals, My Way. Download My Meals, My Way here, on the App Store.
Future-worthy or failing to meet the moment? Rocked by copyright and labor issues with generative AI, many, especially creatives, are wary of big tech. However, Apple’s recent Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) keynote aimed to address these concerns head-on, introducing a suite of AI-powered features designed to enhance user experience while prioritizing privacy and security.
Was it a cringe-worthy attempt to jump on the AI bandwagon, or did Apple manage to provide a template for the responsible integration of AI into our daily lives? Let’s take a closer look.
Apple’s Personal Intelligence
One of the most significant announcements at Apple’s WWDC keynote was the introduction of “Apple Intelligence,“ a suite of AI-powered features designed to enhance the user experience across Apple’s ecosystem. This marks a significant step forward in AI integration, as Apple aims to create a more intuitive and personalized experience while prioritizing user privacy.
“Apple’s continued innovation in AI and user experience is setting the stage for the future of enterprise marketing.” —STEPHANIE MIKULS, DIRECTOR OF BRAND MARKETING, INSPIRINGAPPS
Enhanced Siri
Siri, Apple’s virtual assistant, has undergone a major upgrade with the introduction of Apple Intelligence. Users will be able to communicate with Siri in whatever way feels most natural, whether through voice commands or typing.
Siri’s capabilities have been expanded thanks to its extensive product knowledge and the new App Intents API for developers. This API enables Siri to take actions across various apps, making it a more versatile and powerful tool for users.
For example, users can ask Siri to perform specific tasks within third-party apps, such as “Order my usual pizza from my favorite restaurant app.“
System-Wide Writing Tools
Another significant component of Apple Intelligence is the introduction of system-wide writing tools powered by AI. These tools offer a range of features designed to make the writing process more efficient and enjoyable, including the ability to rewrite, proofread, and summarize text.
One of the features is the “Rewrite“ tool, which suggests alternative ways to phrase sentences or paragraphs. The tool offers multiple suggestions, allowing users to choose the one that best fits their intended tone and message.
The “Proofread“ tool helps users identify and correct grammatical errors, spelling mistakes, and stylistic inconsistencies. And finally, the “Summarize“ tool can condense long passages of text into concise summaries, making it easier for users to quickly grasp the main points of an article or document.
Image Generation
Apple Intelligence also introduces new possibilities for image generation and manipulation. Genmoji, in particular, allows users to create custom emoji characters based on their own appearance and style. By leveraging advanced machine learning algorithms, Genmoji can generate many emoji variations that capture the user’s likeness and personality.
Image Playground is a more extensive tool that enables users to create and edit images using natural language phrases. Users can describe the image they want to create, and Image Playground will generate a corresponding visual based on that description.
In addition to these creative tools, Apple Intelligence includes the Clean Up tool in the Photos app. This feature uses AI to analyze and edit images based on natural language phrases. For example, users can ask the Clean Up tool to “Remove the background“ or “Make the colors more vibrant,“ and the AI will automatically apply the requested changes.
Privacy & Security
While the AI features introduced are impressive, Apple has made it clear that they are built on a foundation of privacy and security. On-device processing means that most AI tasks are performed locally on the user’s device rather than being sent to the cloud for processing. This approach minimizes the personal data that leaves the device, reducing the risk of unauthorized access or data breaches.
Private Cloud Compute is a privacy-preserving technology that allows certain AI tasks to be performed in the cloud without compromising user privacy. When data is sent to the cloud for processing, it is encrypted and anonymized, ensuring it cannot be linked back to individual users. This enables Apple to leverage the power of cloud computing for more complex AI tasks while still maintaining a high level of privacy protection.
By prioritizing privacy and security, Apple sets a strong example for the industry and demonstrates that AI can be implemented responsibly and trustworthy. This commitment to user privacy will likely be a key differentiator for Apple as more consumers become aware of the importance of protecting their personal data.
“I’m glad to see Apple’s privacy-centric generative AI strategy. They favor on-device processing when possible, share limited context data with their own servers without storing it after processing, and require an explicit opt-in from users before sharing it with third parties.” —BRAD WEBER, CEO, INSPIRINGAPPS
The Power of Integration
Another potential strength of Apple’s approach to AI is the company’s tight integration. Apple emphasized the importance of empowering developers to create intelligent, AI-driven apps that integrate deeply with the Apple ecosystem.
“Apple’s bolstered app suite may soon replace tools with a small moat. So I can access my iPhone and its apps from my Mac. These ‘beyond mobile’ applications are enticing for users and a call to action for digital product owners—we can leverage the Apple Intelligence framework to make our products seamless in the AI future. It’s time to get started now!” —KRISTIN MOLINA, MARKETING MANAGER, INSPIRINGAPPS
At InspiringApps, we believe that the responsible integration of AI into digital products is essential for creating user-centric experiences that drive business success. If you want to learn more about how AI can benefit your business, we invite you to contact InspiringApps for a personalized consultation. Together, we can build a future where AI and human creativity work hand-in-hand to create products and experiences that inspire, educate, and delight.
As the dust settles on Google’s annual I/O event, it’s clear AI is the star of the show. From search engines to mobile apps, AI integration permeates nearly every facet of Google’s products and services, promising to reshape our interactions with technology. But as AI’s prominence grows, so does the skepticism surrounding it and the need to ground our realities in practical use cases.
The Power of AI
One of the most impressive demonstrations at Google I/O was the latest upgrade to Gemini, an AI model capable of processing and understanding vast amounts of information from documents, audio recordings, and even videos. The potential applications are inspiring. Imagine having a virtual teacher who can explain any topic and answer your questions in real-time or a mobile app that can anticipate your needs and provide tailored recommendations based on your behavior.
“Google’s really gone all-in on AI. The quality of the integrations appears to be better than I was expecting. They’re going for something more useful than just a ‘ChatGPT window on the side.’” —BRENDAN GREGOS, DEVELOPER | INSPIRINGAPPS
AI & Privacy
Google also showcased how AI can enhance privacy and security. For example, they introduced an AI feature to detect and alert users to potential phone scams. While some may find this invasive, it could be a lifesaver for those more susceptible to fraudulent schemes. As we embrace AI, finding the right balance between innovation and privacy protection is crucial.
AI Limitations
While AI can mimic and replicate patterns, it lacks the depth, originality, and emotional resonance that human creators bring to their work. Additionally, AI systems can perpetuate existing biases in the data they are trained on, leading to discriminatory or unfair outputs. Furthermore, AI currently struggles with critical thinking and applying reasoning outside the vast data it has been exposed to.
At InspiringApps, our take is, well, a human one. We envision AI as a powerful tool in our digital product toolbox, offering benefits such as saving time, improving quality, and slicing data in new ways—but it must serve a specific business purpose. By leveraging AI’s strengths while recognizing its limitations, we can create products and experiences that are not only efficient but also meaningful and impactful.
“AI can help brainstorm product features for software, but you can’t ask it to write the entire thing—it needs guidance, even while exploring ideas.” —JEFFREY PEACOCK, DEVELOPER | INSPIRINGAPPS
Transparency & Ethics
As we explore the possibilities of AI for our clients, transparency, and ethics must be at the forefront of our approach. Public perception of AI is still evolving, and there may be hesitation or skepticism regarding its use in certain contexts. It’s our responsibility to have open and honest conversations with our clients about how AI can be applied ethically and responsibly to address their specific needs and goals.
We must also be vigilant in ensuring that AI is developed and deployed in a manner that respects privacy, promotes fairness, and minimizes potential biases. This requires the involvement of experts from various fields, such as design, science, and ethics, to provide guidance and oversight.
“Are we more interested in what other humans are creating or what a robot made? A key part of this is ethical use. It’s the blood, sweat, and tears that give design meaning and value. We study what inspired us to get to this outcome and learn to keep creating novel designs." —AARON LEA, ART DIRECTOR | INSPIRINGAPPS
The Future of AI
Google I/O 2024 has given us a glimpse into the future of AI and its potential to revolutionize how we live and work. However, AI’s success will depend not only on technological progress but also on our ability to use it to serve business purposes. As business leaders and innovators, we must ensure that AI is developed and applied to solve problems, not create hype.
“AI is a powerful tool in the digital product toolbox, offering benefits such as saving time, improving quality, and slicing data in new ways—but it must serve a specific business purpose.” —BRAD WEBER, CEO | INSPIRINGAPPS
At InspiringApps, we are committed to helping our clients navigate the AI landscape with integrity, transparency, and a focus on user-centered design. Together, we can unlock artificial intelligence’s full potential while staying true to our values and creating better, more immersive, and helpful digital products.
To make informed decisions about your digital product, it’s essential to have a deep understanding of the market landscape and your competitors. Our team conducts thorough research to identify the latest industry trends, consumer preferences, and best practices. By analyzing your competitors’ strengths, weaknesses, and strategies, we help you identify opportunities to differentiate your product and capitalize on untapped market potential.
Our market research and app marketing services include:
In-depth industry trend analysis
Detailed customer behavior and preference insights
Comprehensive competitor benchmarking and SWOT analysis
Identification of market gaps and growth opportunities
Armed with these insights, you can make data-driven decisions that optimize your product’s features, pricing, and positioning to meet your target audience’s evolving needs.
User-Inspired Innovation
At InspiringApps, we believe the key to creating digital products that truly resonate with users is putting them at the heart of the innovation process. Our user-centric approach involves employing a range of research methods to gain deep insights into your users’ behaviors, preferences, and pain points.
Our user research services include:
In-depth user interviews and surveys
Usability testing and user experience (UX) audits
Persona development and user journey mapping
Comprehensive analysis of user feedback and analytics
By incorporating user insights throughout the product design and development process, we help you create digital experiences that not only meet but exceed your users’ expectations, fostering engagement, loyalty, and advocacy.
Success Through User Experience Feedback
Our client, Fidelity National Financial, used user feedback from their product inHere to align the user experiences for multiple personas and ensure the best possible experience.
“Early on, we thought the consumer would have their own view. That they would have something different than what the real estate professional saw. We’re learning that part of the continuity between the parties involved is being able to feel comfortable that what you are seeing as the real estate professional is the same thing that the consumer is seeing, the buyer or the seller.” —BRIAN MAUGHAN, FIDELITY NATIONAL FINANCIAL
Compelling Brand Experiences
Every interaction a user has with your brand is an opportunity to create a lasting impression. Our team works closely with you to understand your brand’s unique identity, values, and market position to craft digital experiences that authentically represent your brand and resonate with your target audience.
Our branding services include:
Brand personality and visual identity development
Brand messaging and storytelling
Tone and voice guidelines
Consistency across all digital touchpoints
“Your customer’s experience includes the entire journey and relationship that a customer has with a brand or a company. So that includes all interactions, whether they’re digital or in person, and across different touchpoints, like interactions with customer service, and marketing, and sales, and if a company has a physical store. It would be anything that shapes a customer’s perception of a brand. And the goal of this is to create consistent, positive, memorable experiences.” —BECCA COLLINS, UI/UX DESIGNER AT INSPIRINGAPPS
Creating a cohesive and compelling brand experience allows you to differentiate your product, build emotional connections with your users, and drive long-term success in the digital marketplace.
Outcome-Driven Partnerships
At InspiringApps, we are committed to being your strategic partner and invested in your long-term success. We bring an owner’s mentality to every project, focusing relentlessly on driving the outcomes that matter most to your business. Our success is measured by your success, and we work tirelessly to ensure that our digital solutions deliver a measurable impact on your key performance indicators.
Are you ready to use user-centric insights and market-driven strategy to elevate your digital product? Contact InspiringApps today to learn how our expertise can help you achieve your digital goals and drive meaningful results.
The importance of connecting with customers through digital products.
Insights on the impact of AI and automation on businesses, emphasizing the need to focus on solving specific challenges.
Differentiators from creating a strong company culture and retaining long-term employees.
The significance of leadership and team collaboration in driving success in the industry.
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Read the Transcript
Adam: I’d like to welcome you to another episode of Mission Matters. My name is Adam Torres, and if you’d like to apply to be a guest on the show, just head over to Missionmatters.com and click on be our guest to apply. All right. So today is a special episode, maybe even a commemorative episode.
We’re celebrating the launch of our very first audiobook as a company. This has been a long, long time coming. If we were musicians, this would be our greatest hit, but since we’re not, it’s our best-of series. For all of the books, we published over 400 authors, curated some of the top authors in that collection, and put them all together.
They were game enough to want to read their chapters and participate in the creative and construction process, so that’s what we’re here to celebrate today. I brought one of the authors—he’s wonderful—back onto the show. Brad has been a guest multiple times. Brad Weber, for those who do not know him, is the President and CEO of InspiringApps. Welcome back.
Brad: It’s great to be back.
Adam: So, Brad, we’re going to get into, of course, your content in the book and the audiobook. I’m curious to hear how the recording process was for you.
Because that’s always interesting, but before we do all that, we start this episode with our “Mission Matters minute.” So, Brad, at Mission Matters, our aim is to amplify stories and get them out there for business owners, entrepreneurs, and executives. That’s what we do. Brad, what Mission Matters to you?
Brad: I’m passionate about helping brands connect with their customers by designing and building digital products that their customers love.
Adam: I love it. It’s great to have you back, and I’d like to jump right in here to celebrate recording the audiobook.
I know one of the engineers who worked on the book. He’s actually in the background doing the controls, so it’s okay. Jack, close your ears. Brad, what was it like recording your portion of the audiobook?
Brad: It was fantastic. I’ll return to your opener, inviting others who want to be guests on your show to endorse you and say that Adam, you, and your team have been professional and great to work with through the book and the audiobook process. I can’t say enough good things. It was also nice to connect with some other authors along the way.
Yeah, but it was great, and honestly, the audiobook was easier to record and produce than I expected.
Adam: Yeah. Isn’t it fun to finally hear it and like the end product, and then you hear all the voices?
The audiobook is made up of about 15 different chapters, and each one has the author reading their own story. So think about it as you hear from the author in every chapter you listen to, except one that I recorded for them. But other than that, all of the authors read their stories. So, to me, it’s kind of like this surreal experience because I’ve interviewed you and talked to all of the authors before, but it’s almost like a collection of friends. Because I know everybody and I’ve worked with everybody.
What was it like for you to go through and hear all of the different stories, hearing them from their voices?
Brad: Yeah, it was nice for that same reason. I have not had the pleasure of speaking with everyone with whom I co-authored, so it was fun to hear.
They are passionate about telling their stories as well.
Adam: Yeah, it’s different to me. It was different. I was like, just as a work and a creative work, it was like, normally one person reads the whole book or this or that, or maybe even sections, but to see like each one be something different and to hear their passion for what they, you know, what, what their particular story was.
It was a unique work in the marketplace. And I hope that many, many people go out and grab it because I think it’s worth listening to. That’s why we made it.
I want to take a couple of steps back for some of our new listeners here, Brad, who may not have caught some of our previous work together.
So, talk a bit more about InspiringApps, what you do, and how you got started to set the tone before we get into some of the content you submitted.
Brad: Sure. Yeah. By way of background, InspiringApps creates digital products for companies. We develop custom digital products for enterprises and funded startups across a wide variety of industries.
There has been a heavy emphasis on financial services and medical lately, but there is lots of innovation happening. The market has been really fun for us to work in. You talk about starting it. So I had my start after my master’s program, a large consulting firm, one of the global, you know, what they called the big six at the time. I don’t know how many are left now.
While I learned things for sure, I realized, most importantly, that that was not the environment for me to thrive in. After a few years in that environment, I ventured out on my own and had a number of experiences starting my own thing, developing software for small businesses. Well, I tried to build up a client base, but I did not have enough clients, so I took a job for a while and went back to trying to build my own business.
Adam: You have to love the entrepreneurial journey.
Brad: I had a series of those until I found something that worked, and I did so independently for about a dozen years before I founded InspiringApps. As I mentioned, we’re in our 17th year and have built an all-US-based team that designs, develops, and tests various products.
Adam: I love to work in a pay-it-forward question when I can. And I think I got my opening here, Brad. What kept you strong during those times when it went up and down? What kept you moving forward?
Brad: Oh, my goodness. It was easier in some respects when I was on my own; there were just fewer moving parts.
I think that having that success on my own helped me once I started to grow a team as things got challenging. I needed to hear my inner voice saying, “You’ve done this before; you know how to push this forward; you know how to succeed.” And that, along with having a great team to support me through this, led to the success that we’ve enjoyed.
Adam: So, going further into what you’re doing right now, I know it’s been a while since we last spoke. I mean, you’re my guy when it comes to apps, anything like this, just period. I’m like, okay, Brad, what should I be thinking about? I’m hearing all this noise. All I’m hearing right now is AI, AI, AI.
Brad: It’s part of almost every project conversation now. And having done this for as long as I have, it reminds me of some other trends that I’m sure your viewers will be familiar with. There was a time in my business when everybody needed a website. That was the craze, and then when the iPhone came out...
Adam: We have to pause there for a second, like that’s... Some of our younger audience members will say, “That was the craze?” We have to at least laugh at this, and yes, I was around for that craze, too. Dotcom, anything with dot com, would be an amazing investment. Go ahead, please.
Brad: Yes, I appreciate you calling that out, Adam. I’m sure several people just decided to tune out the old guy.
Adam: No, I was there too. They better not tune out.
Brad: But after that, in 2007, when the iPhone was introduced, there was another craze.
Adam: It was a great craze. I think I was too busy working at that point to understand what was going on. I had just graduated college, so I was too busy doing that to have the time, but that was a great craze. I was like, what are all these lines about? What’s all this other stuff going on? What sold out the phone? Who cares? That was amazing.
Brad: Yeah. During that time, it was apparent, but there were years in there when every business felt like they needed an app. They needed a mobile app to be relevant, just like the web before. And I see some commonality.
The AI craze that’s happening now is fabulous. I mean, much like the introduction of the iPhone and the Android platform to follow, it’s going to impact our lives in really meaningful ways.
But what I recommend to businesses who are getting caught up in the frenzy is to focus, as you do for all things like this, on what problem you’re trying to solve. What is the challenge specifically? Then, we have loads of tools in our toolbox.
AI is a big one right now. It’s kind of a sledgehammer at the moment, but there are a lot of tools in the toolbox to solve a variety of business problems with a digital product. And that’s just one way that we can help either save people time, improve the quality of whatever it is that they’re producing, maybe offer suggestions, or slice and dice data in ways they hadn’t considered before.
Those are all some of AI’s benefits, but they must serve a specific purpose and not just jump on the bandwagon because you see your competitors doing it.
Adam: What excites you about AI right now? You mentioned its ability to help us or to progress us. What excites you about AI right now? It could be technology. It could be how it’s helping businesses. I mean, whatever, it doesn’t matter. It could be something just for fun. I don’t know. What excites you about AI right now?
Brad: It’s phenomenal and honestly amazing to witness the rapid advancements in our industry, even for someone like me who has been in it for a long time.
Not long ago, we were impressed by the ability to point your camera at a piece of fruit and have it differentiate between an apple and a banana. I thought that was great. Now, it’s writing entire articles and categorizing data in unique ways, which is impressive, as I mentioned before.
What’s happening with mixed media, including photos and videos, is also noteworthy. It’s not just about working with text; it’s about generating original video or photo content from the prompts we give it, which is pretty cool. It’s interesting to think about how we might apply that for business purposes.
Adam: It’s interesting to see how fast everything is moving, especially with the original written content. I don’t even need to start on video because that’s evolving rapidly as well. It changes my concept of five-year planning.
Anyone in a creative field used to plan their studio for five years in advance, but now you can’t plan for more than two. For example, we are investing in large amounts of equipment used to make sense.
There’s a notion that AI isn’t replacing jobs, but I can provide a specific example that contradicts that. It didn’t replace a job per se, but it replaced the need for an entire person at a conference we covered. We bought an AI camera at the last minute when the person couldn’t come, which was phenomenal. It did exactly what we needed for the size of our production.
This was the first instance that directly impacted our business, Mission Matters, in terms of production. Before this, everything we added, whether to increase video quality or something else, just added a layer of improvement. This moment was more like a fork in the road. I wondered how one could plan for the next five years.
Brad: That’s a great point. There’s a lot of talk about AI not taking jobs or replacing people.
Jobs will disappear as a result of this technology. It might make our existing team more productive, so we don’t need to hire more people. This doesn’t necessarily mean someone gets fired because AI took their job.
Adam: That’s been our experience. I’m not trying to be politically correct, but that’s just how it’s been. Now, we can accomplish more with higher-skilled individuals trained on better tools. Every employer wants their employees to feel needed, wanted, and invested in, especially when it comes to training. In my opinion, it creates a better work environment. (I wanted to clarify that in case someone thought people were losing their jobs.)
Brad: I completely agree. Regarding technological advancement, ChatGPT/OpenAI has been quietly innovating for years and made significant progress last spring. I was fortunate to attend a Microsoft event in New York, where they demoed their capabilities.
It was impressive even then. The updates I received in November showed tremendous progress in just six months. Now, Google is holding its developer conference this week, and they will announce new developments.
We’re now about six months after that, and some of the things they’re adding to their platform are beyond what I could have imagined a year ago. It’s an impressive pace of innovation.
Adam: It’s an exciting space. I tell people they should get involved in their personal and business lives. For example, Amazon updated its publishing platform, allowing you to record audiobooks using an AI voice.
This completely changed our business strategy. I was debating whether to read my book myself or go to the studio, but then I participated in their beta. Within 10 minutes, an audiobook of my book was published with an AI voice. The quality was surprisingly good, making me question whether I could have done a better job myself.
Considering the entire audiobook industry, if you’re a voiceover actor or own a studio, this could significantly affect your business. With the ability to produce an audiobook with a click of a button, the demand for traditional recording may decrease. I’m amazed at how quickly everything is shifting.
It feels like it’s only been a year with the whole ChatGPT thing, yet it feels like it’s been a decade in my life.
Brad: It’s hard to imagine what next year will hold.
Adam: Oh, well, I’m going to bring you back, and I’m like, Brad, what else should I be thinking about? I want to jump around a bit here.
I want to go further into the book. Everybody, I want you to pick up a copy for sure. The audiobook is live and out there, so you can hear Brad reading his chapter and work. But your title and section are important. The section was to meet business challenges and build an inspiring business.
And you go through things on your journey. And lay those out for people. I think it’s a great entrepreneurial story. And I think what I like about it, too, is you don’t sugarcoat it. It’s not all fun and games, right? Why did, so why did you choose this topic? There are a lot of different things you could have written about from a lot of different angles.
Why did you choose to present this?
Brad: Yeah, I think your last comment about it not all being a bed of roses, so to speak, was important to me. I learn from the mistakes and trials of others. I don’t. Sometimes, it’s easier to hear those lessons and apply them and avoid those problems in your own life than it is to hear someone’s perfect path and think about how you’re going to stick to that.
It’s not going to happen. There are going to be challenges. There will be things that throw you off your journey, your intended route. I think it’s valuable for me to hear how other people have dealt with adversity, and so I wanted to share some of what I walked through in my process, and hopefully, that’ll benefit someone else in a similar way.
Adam: You wrote about a lot of different things, but growing a company fraught with risk and cultivating a winning culture requires an employee-based team. A flat organizational structure will only take you so far.
You gave a lot of different nuggets in your journey, which is the one that I want to talk about today. The one that I want to pick out, though, is that you create cool stuff for clients. You build a real business. Talk to me about that, Brad.
Brad: Yeah. This evolves a little bit. If we go back to the story of my journey that I shared, where I was working independently and what I enjoyed was making cool stuff,
It was fun to demo, not only for the client that I was working with at the time but also to share with friends and others, which helped generate more business. As I founded InspiringApps, I carried those habits and practices along with me in the new business. I was trying to grow a team that worked for a while, but it wasn’t a sustainable business strategy.
So, the message in that section that you’re referring to is that there are valuable business lessons to be learned, not just from other technology companies but across industries. It is extremely valuable to have a leadership team, for instance, to support me and for them to focus on parts of the business that are blind spots for me or not necessarily my strengths.
It touches a bit on another section that you’d talk about growing the organization, but having team leads to be a point person for our technology teams, our developers specifically, who are really thinking about best practices and their area of focus, is critical to building something that’s sustainable longer term.
We still build cool things. That’s just not the business strategy.
Adam: Yeah. And what I’ll tell you is that this is something I feel all business owners kind of make these trade-offs. They just don’t word it well. Like building cool things, everybody wants to serve their company or clients. Now, with AI, this is a funny part—I didn’t even mean to tie that into the book, but when you think about all the new toys for people to start exploring with and doing. Even if it is a new technology or a new thing. I like your thinking, “Okay, well, who will lead that project? Are you going to just implement a new piece of software or a new thing because you were able to get it? Otherwise, how are you going to implement that? What’s going to be the tracking? Does it make sense for your business? Does it add to whatever objective you thought it would, or will it just be cool?”
I’ll use one example that we come across often. Speaking of AI, it’s like, “Oh, now, everybody can spend 30 bucks and make a million pieces of content constantly and put it out there with the click of a button.” I’m exaggerating, but not by much. So now, for a business to think about, “Okay, does that solve the problem? Does that solve your branding presence or your presence in the marketplace, assuming that’s what you’re going for? Does that help your reach, or are you taking away from your brand by putting out a bunch of things that weren’t well thought out, and now it’s going to be hard to clean those up?”
So, it’s this constant trade-off between what you’re doing publicly, obviously, and what you’re doing to build, but also what you’re doing internally, how you’re designing those processes. As you mentioned again in one of the previous segments, you talk about the organizational structure, what’s next with that, and how it develops.
So, I’m a fan of the way you laid this out because it really does give an overview and some really good milestones and touchpoints, if you will, for people to reassess after they read it or, in this case, listen to it in the audiobook and go back and say, “Huh, do I need to revisit that in my organization or my situation?”
There are many different takeaways and nuggets here, but if you had to narrow it down to one, what do you hope your readers will take away from this experience and from reading your work?
Brad: As you mentioned, there’s a lot in there. We’ve touched on some of them.
I’ll bring up a new topic that has been extremely valuable for me: the importance of company culture and how I tried to build a team of contractors in the early days. It was challenging for many reasons. Still, it’s particularly challenging to establish a company culture because if you’ve got contractors coming and going pretty frequently over time, there’s not a common thread running through your projects, running through the people who stay. Having employees on our team exclusively has made a huge difference for us. We just celebrated somebody’s 14th year at InspiringApps this week, and we’ve got another 14-year celebration coming up next month.
Adam: Congratulations. That’s amazing.
Brad: Many of our employees have been with us for 5, 10 years or more. This is a differentiator for us. Not only is it a pleasure to work with people you get to know over that period, but there’s so much institutional knowledge that stays in the company from project to project, which also benefits our clients. It’s been incredibly valuable.
Adam: Wow. That’s amazing. Well, Brad, thank you again for participating in this most recent release of our best-of-series, volume one of Mission Matters. I’m so excited about it, and for everybody who’s watching, we’re going to put some links in the show notes so that you can click on them and head right on over and pick up a copy.
Brad, if somebody wants to connect with you and your team and talk more about what you’re up to at InspiringApps, how do they do that?
Brad: Our website is InspiringApps.com, and we’re fairly active on LinkedIn. You can find us there—it’s @InspiringApps.
Adam: Perfect. We’ll also put those links in the show notes for everybody watching so you can head right over to InspiringApps. Speaking to the audience, if this is your first time with Mission Matters, make this show a part of your daily routine.
We’re bringing you new content, thought leaders, and episodes. If that interests you, hit that subscribe button. We welcome you so you don’t miss any upcoming thought leaders and experts. And Brad, thank you again so much for coming on.
Take the CreatingWe app, for instance. This web app, developed by InspiringApps, specifically addresses the challenge of fostering stronger client connections for consulting firms. The app facilitates ongoing communication and collaboration between coaches and clients. The app strengthens client relationships and allows for a more personalized consulting experience by providing a platform for continuous engagement.
Mobile Apps: Streamlined Functionality for On-the-Go Users
Mobile apps are specifically designed for mobile devices like smartphones and tablets. Downloaded and installed through app stores like Google Play Store or Apple App Store, they require dedicated storage space on the device. However, they compensate for this by offering tailored functionalities and deeper engagement optimized for the mobile user experience.
Mobile apps use the inherent features of mobile devices, such as touchscreens, cameras, and GPS, for enhanced functionality. Their focus on personalized interaction and convenience has led to their widespread adoption, with social media platforms, ride-hailing services, and countless other apps becoming integral to our daily routines.
Choosing the Right App Solution for Your Digital Product
Identifying Your Goals
The first step in choosing the right app is clearly defining its purpose. Ask yourself:
What problem are you trying to solve?
What need are you fulfilling for your users?
Do you want to inform, educate, entertain, or facilitate specific tasks?
Understanding your objectives will guide your selection process. For example, if your goal is to educate users about a complex topic, a web app might be suitable because it offers in-depth information and interactive elements. Conversely, if your goal is to provide a convenient on-the-go shopping experience, a mobile app might be more appropriate due to its offline functionality and integration with device features like cameras for product scanning.
Considering Your Audience
Once you know your goals, analyze your target audience and their digital habits:
Who are you trying to reach?
What devices do they use most frequently?
How do they typically access information?
Aligning the app type with your audience’s preferences is crucial for its success. A mobile app might be essential if your target demographic primarily uses smartphones. However, a website or web app could be sufficient if the focus is on desktop users. Understanding your audience’s platform preferences and digital behaviors will help you choose the most accessible and engaging format.
Prioritizing Your App’s Core Features
Next, identify the essential features needed to achieve your goals and meet your target audience’s needs. Consider:
What core features are necessary for your app to function effectively?
What additional features could enhance the user experience?
Are there any limitations specific to different app types (e.g., offline functionality)?
Balance your essential functionalities with potential limitations. For instance, if real-time notifications are crucial for your app, a mobile or web app might be better than a website. A mobile app might be most suitable if extensive offline functionality is critical.
Cost & Development Considerations
Finally, compare the development costs, ongoing maintenance needs, and resource requirements for each app type:
What is your budget for app development and maintenance?
Do you have the technical resources or plan to outsource development?
Research development costs associated with each app type (websites, web apps, mobile apps) and consider ongoing maintenance needs. While websites might be initially cheaper to develop, they might require more maintenance depending on their complexity. Mobile apps often have higher development costs but offer unique functionalities and deeper user engagement. Weigh the cost and resource implications against your budget and available resources to make an informed decision.
Ideal Use Cases
Consider social media giant Instagram and ride-hailing service Uber as successful examples of mobile-first applications. These apps leverage smartphone features like GPS, contacts, and cameras to deliver a seamless user experience. While both offer web versions, their key functionalities and user experiences are optimized for mobile use.
On the other hand, platforms like Canva, a graphic design tool, launched as web apps to allow users to work on larger screens better suited for design work. They extended to native mobile apps later to provide mobile users with accessibility for lighter tasks.
When & Why To Opt for Each
Situations Favoring a Web App
Web apps are particularly beneficial when you need an application that processes and displays large volumes of data.
If you want broad accessibility and functionality across various devices without forcing users to download and install your software.
Why a Mobile App Might Be Your Best Bet
For businesses aiming to engage deeply with their users on a personal level, offer a highly interactive UX, and leverage device-specific features, a mobile app may be the more strategic choice.
Additionally, apps that require regular offline access, such as note-taking apps or e-reading apps, work better as mobile apps due to their ability to sync data when online and continue functioning in offline mode.
Websites or a Platform Approach
Think of a digital brochure for your business or an educational blog combined with an online store. Search engines easily index websites, making them a great way to attract and educate your customers.
You may benefit from a platform approach—in other words, a digital ecosystem with a website and a web and mobile app, meeting users where they are.
Additional Considerations
Security & Data Privacy
Regardless of the app type you choose, it’s crucial to prioritize user data security and privacy. This includes implementing robust security measures, adhering to data privacy regulations, and being transparent with users about how their data is collected, stored, and used.
Consider the potential for future growth and technological advancements when choosing an app type. Choose an option that can scale with your business needs and adapt to evolving technologies. Consider the flexibility and adaptability of each app type in terms of future updates and integration with emerging technologies.
Beyond the Screen: Where Your Customers Live & the Apps They Need
Deciding between a web and mobile app isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution. Your choice should align with your business needs and target user preferences. By following these steps and considering these additional factors, you can make a well-informed decision about the app type that best suits your needs. Your goal: deliver the right features at the right place to your customers.