We often talk about what it takes to make a successful mobile initiative, and stress that mobile is not an extension of a Web site. In fact, it is the opposite and the detailed, granular functionality that makes sense in a desktop application or web site do not necessarily translate to the mobile channel. Mobile is all about immediacy, and when determining what capabilities to extend to the mobile channel, you should focus on the high value, common transactions and keep it simple.
Why simple? Because mobile, by its very nature, is often used “on the go”, while standing in line for coffee, waiting to board an airplane, or otherwise. Mobile users want to, and need to, be able to quickly access and transact with the information they are looking for, without sifting through volumes of introductory text or other menu items. This is one reason why simply adopting your existing web site through responsive design often results in a negative experience.
To make mobile applications simple to use, they need to be contextually aware. That means not only adapting to the screen size that they user is interacting from, but also using other external capabilities to adapt the experience to their needs. Use physical cues, such as the GPS and accelerometer to understand where the user is and what they are doing, so as to automatically show nearby locations, or perhaps even changing to a “dashboard” view if they are travelling at high speeds. Thomas Husson, Principal Analyst at Forrester, recently echoed this concept. “The future of mobile is user context – where the user is and how they got there and what information would be useful for them. You need to sense their environment and the give them a user experience which, as always, is built around intimacy and immediacy.”
Husson also expands on the concept of contextual adaptation, encouraging developers to use not only environmental factors to adapt the experience, but also the state of the users’ transactions. As a recent article in Mobile Marketing explains, “When catching a flight, for example, Husson believes the future of engaging at a deeper level with customers will be to offer information based on where they are in the process. This changes considerably depending on where they are in their journey, from booking a flight to checking in bags, and on their individual circumstances, such as access to a lounge or information on connecting flights.”
Setting context for mobile transactions will continue to become increasingly important to the success of a mobile strategy. As users seek out solutions which allow them to transact where they want and how they want to, context will be key to maintaining user engagement and driving adoption.
