To provide a brief background, business intelligence or BI is the process of collecting and analyzing data that will allow companies to make sound decisions for their operations. In short, it’s about making informed choices based on facts.
In the past couple of years, mobile app development has been booming with the introduction of various devices such as tablets, smartphones, and smart watches. As technology continues to evolve, there are a lot more opportunities to create new apps using different platforms. With this comes an increased demand for relevant information from users, which can be used by developers in order to improve their future products. The primary goal here is to design mobile applications that cater to specific needs of particular audiences. This way, they’ll get better chances at achieving success.
The use of BI in mobile app development can help boost its marketability. For instance, it can be used to identify user preferences and needs through surveys and interviews, then follow up on these findings to develop solutions and suggestions for improvement. On top of that, insights provided by BI can also help save time and money by allowing developers to focus on the development stage rather than spending too much effort in researching about audience’s preferences.
When it comes to developing mobile apps, it is essential to have a comprehensive understanding of user behavior and preferences. Having an idea of what type of content your target audience would want to see next will help you come up with appropriate features and functionalities to integrate into your product. It is important to take note, however, that BI tools are not guaranteed to deliver perfect results 100% of the time. This is because the information provided can only give you a general direction towards the right path. At times, developers need to use their own judgment to determine if their assumptions regarding users’ behaviors are accurate.
Here’s How BI Can Help Improve Your Mobile Application
It all starts with user research – the process of gathering insights about your users’ preferences, behavior, and other related details. Once enough data has been gathered, you’re ready to start the actual analysis. This includes looking for trends and patterns in the data collected. A good tool for this purpose would be Google Analytics. Aside from helping developers track traffic sources, it also provides valuable information regarding user behavior including demographics and geographical location.
Once the analysis phase is done, it’s now time for developers to make some decisions based on the insights provided. They should carefully evaluate whether their ideas will work or not, and if they do, how to implement them accordingly. If necessary, additional testing needs to be done to ensure that the changes made are effective.
There are many ways to improve user experience within a mobile application. However, it is crucial to choose one approach and stick to it. With the proliferation of devices and platforms out there, it would be impractical to try to please everyone. Instead, it would be best to select a group of audience segments to focus on. By doing so, you’ll know whom to address when creating content, features, and functionality for the app.
One of the most common approaches is to provide useful and relevant information for each segment. Based on the information gathered during user research, you can assess the types of content your target audience would like to see next. For instance, if you’ve determined that a certain demographic is interested in reading news updates, then you can build your app around this feature.
Aside from providing information that is relevant to your target audience, another thing you need to remember is to always keep them engaged. After all, you don’t want them to lose interest in your app after just one day of use. To encourage longer engagement, you might consider integrating social media sharing capabilities into the app. There are several ways to do this:
- Create a unique hashtag for the application. Encourage users to share their thoughts and feedback on the platform.
- Integrate social media buttons to facilitate easy access to social media accounts.
- Offer incentives for sharing posts. You may offer rewards such as discounts, freebies, or even points redeemable for real-life prizes.
- Make sure to regularly update the app to keep users coming back. New content, features, and functionalities should be added every few weeks at least.
More importantly, you must understand that your audience is constantly changing. As such, it’s imperative to conduct regular research and analysis to stay ahead of the curve. This is where business intelligence plays a vital role. Remember that BI is a continuous process. As soon as you discover new insights and patterns, you need to act on them immediately.
How Do I Choose The Best BI Solution?
Choosing the right BI solution for your mobile app development project can be quite challenging. There are many options available today, each offering different features and services. One of the first things you need to take into account is your budget. Make sure to set aside an amount that’s appropriate for the size and scope of your project. Then, compare your options based on the following factors:
- Security – Security is perhaps one of the most important aspects to consider when choosing a BI vendor. Before making any purchase, review the vendor’s security measures. These include encryption, authentication protocols, and other relevant technologies.
- Data storage – It’s important to find a BI provider that can store large volumes of data. Large databases require adequate space to ensure smooth operation. Moreover, a reliable service should be able to accommodate any future growth requirements of your organization.
- Data availability – You also need to look for a BI provider that offers fast access to important data. In most cases, this means that the software should be able to provide near-real-time data.
- Support – Like any technology, BI solutions also require proper support. The last thing you want is to be stuck in a situation where you’re unable to get the answers you need. Look for a vendor that offers 24/7 customer care or has a robust online community for quick resolution of issues.
- Price – It goes without saying that cost is an important factor to consider when choosing a BI solution. Make sure to go over the terms of payment such as subscription fees, upfront payments, and other related costs. Additionally, review the price and see if there are any hidden charges involved.
There are many things to think about when choosing a BI provider. Start by considering the above factors then compare multiple vendors before deciding which one to go with.
Final Words
As a business owner, it is your responsibility to keep up with the latest trends in the industry. This is especially true for apps. If you want to succeed, you need to continually come up with innovative ideas while staying connected to your target audience. By using business intelligence tools in your apps, you can gain invaluable insights that can help you create better products and improve user experience.
What are you waiting for? Get started today by implementing BI solutions in your applications.