The bulk of the world’s population spends quite a lot of time online each day. We use apps and websites. We watch videos and listen to podcasts. We read stories and news. Sometimes (more often than not) we use smartphones to get our fix. Other times, the Mac or PC at home. There are tons of great apps, games, and websites out there that put a lot of effort into their user experience design – which can range from the definition of their brand or visual design of their website, to the way their app works, or even the specific experience someone has interacting something (submitting a support request, for example).

Connecting with your customers effectively isn’t usually as simple as defining just one way for them to interact with your business – or getting someone to visit your website or download your app. An authentic experience is one where your customer interacts in harmony with your brand. And in an age where every device has a data connection, it’s more important than ever to create a lasting connection with customers – by recognizing them and speaking to them in a way that not only meaningful to them, but in a way that leaves a lasting meaningful impression of the interaction with your brand.

You might think that building a business around a great product or service idea is enough to be successful. For some (the exceptions), that might even be true. In real life, building a successful business generally takes a lot of hard work. You’ll need to define and build the product. You’ll need to design and build a website (most likely). You’ll need content that convinces people your product is worth purchasing. And you’ll need to market the product. Anyone worth their salt can tell you: no matter how great your product is, if it isn’t marketed correctly, and to the right audience, it’s never going to live up to its potential. It may not even get off the ground. Don’t worry, there’s good news. That’s exactly what user personas are for, and why their use is so widespread.

If you follow trends in the software development world, you know that serverless architecture is becoming quite popular. Before diving into this new technology, however, it is wise to consider whether there will be anything gained by abandoning a traditional server. Is it worth using a serverless platform for your API gateway, or is it just a fad that will soon pass?

The easiest part of launching a product is building the product. It doesn’t matter if it is software, hardware, a brand of potato chips or a new snowboard, this is the fun stage. You have an idea, it is (obviously) brilliant, you are passionate about it, you know it is going to be successful. Turning your dream into a tangible product is fun, fulfilling, and the challenges are ones that are able to be overcome because you (by and large) have control of what you are building.

Product development can often seem like a race. Whether a race to corner an emerging or untapped market or just a race to get something out before you lose sight of the goal. And, like any great endeavor, you should know what you’re getting yourself into before you set foot on the starting line. You should map out and plan your checkpoints in advance. If you want a product that endures, you’ll need to keep in mind that the release is just the first leg. If you start off at a sprint you could lose your way or run out of steam before you’re done.

It’s easy to forget that the span of time that development of applications exclusively for mobile devices is just over ten years. Throughout this time we’ve witnessed the growth of the mobile app space and the considerable power that is brought to bear in our lives by this new and developing industry. Something that is not often well understood by the app consuming public is how much of a moving target the mobile app development space has been. When the iOS and Android stores opened back in 2008 there were disconnects between them wide enough to spawn entire competing industries. Those industries thrived due to the complexity of taking an app idea from concept to distribution was at least doubled due to the nature of the platforms and marketplaces being fundamentally opposed to homogenization.