Freemium apps can be downloaded for free, but have unlockable or consumable elements that cost money. These apps are popular with consumers because they can try an app before paying for it. They are popular with app developers because free apps often have greater on-line visibility. Some of the most financially successful apps available are free to download.
While freemium apps are free for consumers, they can still cost a lot of money to produce. For your project you will work in teams of 2 or 3 people to plan and create a prototype app that can be pitched to potential investors.
Plan
Create a plan for your team’s app. The document should consist of two sections, a business plan and a design plan. The business plan should include a description of the app including:
- The purpose of the app in terms of the problem it solves or the need it satisfies
- How the app will make money for investors (read this article on app monetization for ideas)
The design plan should describe how the app will work. It should include details like:
- What the user interface will look like (an illustration makes this easier)
- How the user interacts with the app (details such as, when a user wants to do something, they do this, which results in this)
Writing about an app that doesn’t exist yet, can be difficult. Read this article for lists of questions a good design plan should answer.
Submit your design document on the course Inquire site before class on Thursday December 1st. Only one person per team needs to submit.
Create
Use App Inventor to create a prototype of your team’s app. The app is a prototype so it does not need to be a complete app that could be immediately released on an app store. It should, however, demonstrate all of the app’s core functionality so that potential investors have a better idea of how good your idea is and will want to invest in it.
Submit your app as an HTML link on the course Inquire site before the class on Thursday December 8th. You will need to publish your app to get the HTML link.
Pitch
During class on Thursday December 8th each group will demonstrate the features of their apps to the rest of the class. The presentation should take the form of a pitch to potential investors. The purpose is to convince investors that you have a idea for an app that will make them loads of money.