Some
schools are developing mobile apps for a variety audiences: students, faculty, and
staff, even the general public. The purposes also vary, from news alerts, security
warnings, and event information to campus maps, bookstore purchases, and mobile
access to school systems.
The one
thing all of these apps have in common is their likelihood of failure. According to CIO magazine, most people download
an app, use it once, and that’s it. Some 78% of apps never get used again.
“This is part of the reason why the majority of mobile strategies stall,
according to a recent Accenture survey of nearly 1,500 C-level executives,”
noted writer Tom Kaneshige.
Ongoing promotion
and helpdesk support are among the key factors for getting people in the habit
of using an app regularly. Usability testing with the target audience,
especially early in the development process, can help resolve confusing
interfaces and clumsy or unwanted features before they get in the hands of
users.
Once an app
has been released, tracking and parsing analytics can reveal how people are
actually using the app. “Follow the launch with social media and internal
forums for users to provide feedback and increase app awareness,” the article
suggested. “In fact, feedback is so valuable that a CIO might want to offer a
monetary or recognition reward for it.”
