Marketing Design Tips and Trends For Success

Posted by Andreas Christodoulou

Description:

With website design impacting 94% of first impressions, one of the main factors impacting if a user will stay on your website or not is your design and its elements.

An ideal website design is simple, functional, and also consistent with the branding of your business. Most good-looking websites use a grid-based layout to make content aligned, they have short load times, are mobile-friendly, and use inviting copy.

Use these website design hacks and trends to make informed decisions for your website in 2021.

Keep Design Clean and Simple

Use minimalistic elements, simple fonts, easy colors, and compelling copy to create a clean website design.

A rising trend in 2021 is comfortable colors. We suggest thinking outside of the box and avoiding the classic black and white. While these can work for certain industries, we suggest using soft color palettes to create a calm and relaxing environment for your visitors.

Use Stunning Visuals

No matter if it’s for your product pages, blog posts, or about us page, always use high-quality images and videos (of course while, at the same time, keeping in mind size limitations).

In 2021, 3D graphics and parallax animation are increasingly popular among web designers and website owners. That will help you stand out from your competitors and keep your users engaged and longer on your website (which also brings benefits in terms of SEO and conversions)

Make Your Web Design Responsive

All the pages on your website need to be responsive and render well on all devices and screen sizes.

To stay updated with the latest industry trends, you can try using vector graphics. These are points on a vector map that web designers use to resize images without losing quality. That ensures your site is responsive without compromising the quality of your visual assets.

Make Your Website Engaging

No matter which industry you’re in, your website shouldn’t be boring. Try to capture the attention of your readers by using elements of interactivity.

In 2021, we’ve seen a rising trend in 360-degree views, as well as micro-interaction elements. These, again, engage users and also keep them on your site longer.

Create a Simple Navigation Experience

The structure of your content should be easy to understand and your website easy to navigate through.

A growing trend in web design is infinite scroll technology, which makes it a seamless experience for users to navigate your website, especially on mobile devices.

As you’ve seen there are some marketing design tips you can take advantage of to create a stunning website.

However, you should adapt your layout to the type of content you share. The design of your website will vary depending on the industry you’re in and the content you share. Because of that, you must find inspiration from some of the best-designed websites on the internet.

Website Design Examples:

1. Avoriaz 1800 – Visite Virtuelle

This website uses animation, 360-degree technology, storytelling, and stunning visual assets to make users feel like they’re part of the experience. Definitely consider creating something like this if you’re in the travel and hospitality industry.

Technologies Used: CSS3, HTML5, Apache

2. Playbook

This cloud storage platform for designers website uses clean design, stunning photography, and an innovative UI experience that captures the user’s attention. The website also uses interactive design elements to create a personalized and engaging experience. Make sure your web design is clean and simple, especially if you’re a technology company targeting designers.

Technologies Used: Ruby, GraphQL, React

3. Animus Studios

This video agency uses animation, videos, and lots of colors to stand out from competitors and also show the company’s capabilities in terms of videos. Try using a similar web design if you’re a creative business agency that wants to make work more fun.

Technologies Used: Craft CMS

4. PUBLIC DOMAIN

This website, founded by Virgil Abloh to show his collections and to tease upcoming product launches, uses big background images, a horizontal menu, and innovative content architecture

Technologies Used: JavaScript, HTML5

5. Globalance World

Globalance World is an investment platform that creates an interactive experience for users to make investment decisions by looking at economic, societal, and environmental factors. To do this, the website designers used interactivity, a fully responsive design, and 3D data visualization.

Technologies Used: next.js, CSS3, Three.js, React, D3, GraphQL

6. UXPERT

This website chose to use elements like animation, clean design, graphic design assets, and an innovative user interface. For example, on the homepage, users can play a showreel to learn everything about the brand.

Technologies Used: WordPress, CSS3, HTML5

7. MAD

MAD is a creative digital design website taking a creative approach to interactivity. The result is an unusual design that surely captures the attention of users, who can play with the logo, move objects, and more. By using experimental and unusual design, transition elements, filters and effects, an innovative user interface, and micro-interactions, this website creates interest and curiosity.

8. Glob

Do you own an eCommerce website? This is the example you’re looking for. Glob sells reusable bags for a plastic-free lifestyle. On their website, they use filters and effects creatively to grab the users’ attention and making web design elements entertaining. For example, users can move their mouse around and interact with designs with a liquify effect.

Technologies Used: WebGL

9. Gucci Beauty Foundation

This website offers a quiz game, shades palettes, and interactive video tutorials to allow users to discover the uses in an entertaining way. Consider creating a subdomain or subfolder of your website, similar to this example, to present a product you offer and create a buzz.

Technologies Used: CSS3, HTML5, React, Anime.js

10. Mario Russo Archive

Using features like responsive design, appealing typography, and storytelling, artist Mario Russo’s archive offers a simple way of showing creative work online. More specifically, typography (font style, appearance, and structure) is an extremely important factor when it comes to improving the user experience.

Technologies Used: CSS3, HTML5, jQuery, Typekit

11. Yusuke Fukunaga

Yusuke Fukunaga’s portfolio uses infinite scroll, parallax, scrolling, and various filters and effects for a simple yet innovative design. Consider experimenting with something similar if you’re a creative professional and want to showcase your portfolio.

Technologies Used: WebGL, GSAP Animation, Three.js

12. IdeaRocket

IdeaRocket is an animation studio making its website popular for its uncommon user experience work presentation. Design features that stand out here include animation, video, scrolling, and great use of storytelling.

Technologies Used: WordPress, CSS3, HTML5. GSAP Animation

13. Omega Funds

Are you in the B2B space? We suggest taking a look at the way this website uses animation features, transition elements, and micro interactions to communicate information in a fun way without distracting users. This is perfect for inspiration especially if you have a corporate website.

Technologies Used: WordPress, CSS3, GSAP Animation, Three.js, Matter.js

14. Low Five Brewing

Single page, uncommon navigation, and responsive design are the features that stand out when users enter this website. Low Five Brewing is one of the best single-page websites on the internet. This technology includes all the content on one page, with no menu at all. As a result, navigation is simple and the website is fast and responsive.

Technologies Used: Vue.js, Nuxt.js

15. Swissdent

Swissdent created a website that uses photography, animated visuals, clean design, minimalistic elements, and parallax technology to tell a story. The minimalistic and clean web design creates a simple and fun shopping experience for visitors.

Technologies Used: WordPress, CSS3, HTML5, GSAP Animation, PHP

16. Goodfight

Using a horizontal menu and layout, responsive design, transition elements, and fun filters and effects, this website creates a more interactive experience for users who want to learn about the brand.

17. Hanwag – 100 Years

Experimental and retro design. This is what users think of when looking at this website. The entire site consists of a single page, which details the history of the Hanwag shoe brand from the first shoemaker’s shop in 1921 to 2021.

18. Vintageria

Definitely, get inspired by this website if you’re looking for a retro web design for your eCommerce store. The website is colorful and uses fun storytelling elements and an innovative user interface to stand out from other clothing brands.

Technologies Used: Node.js, GSAP Animation, PixiJS, Webpack, Vue.js, Nuxt.js

19. Fabulatorij

Take a look at this event agency’s website if you’re planning to use vector graphics for your website design. It uses geometric shapes to create high-quality images that render well on all devices.

Technologies Used: GSAP Animation, VideoJS, Vue.js, Nuxt.js, Netlify

20. BURGER & SAUCE

What elements stand out on this website? Big background images, vector graphics, and responsive design. This restaurants chain focuses on these elements on its website to picture its handmade burgers, with an impressive and memorable user experience.

Technologies Used: WordPress, SVG, Cloudflare

Conclusion:

If you’re launching a new website and blog or are looking to redesign your existing one, it’s important you have original and cohesive design elements.

Having said that, the specific characteristics and technologies you’ll include will change based on your industry and your company’s goals. Follow the infographic below to choose the right web design elements for your website.

Source: WebsiteSetup

STAY INSPIRED: Launching a Small Business (and the Tools You'll Need)

Keep up the good work! 😎👍

*by andreascy*

How Semantic Web Technology Promotes E-learning Efficiency

Posted by Andreas Christodoulou

Description : 

Online learning is an emerging paradigm. Having gained success in the wake of social networking and video sharing tools, it is inherently dependent on an e-learning system. 

The World Wide Web or Web 2.0 can be considered as a repository of resources that can be harnessed for educational purposes. Also, tweaks can be added to enhance its efficiency in the learning pedagogy. 

Semantic web is a connotation used to describe protocols that allow machines to decipher the meaning of information present on World Wide Web. Crucial to understand is the fact that web that we use is tailored for human consumption. It is, on a principle level, machine readable but not ‘understandable’.

This represents a limitation of sorts with regards to progress that is being seen in the online education paradigm.

The Need for Semantic Web

Semantic web tools such as Resource Description Framework (RDF), Web Ontology Language and Uniform Resource Identifier (URI) can be used to build a concrete e-learning management model that presents information in a manner a machine can interpret. 

Some online educational aspects have been able to use such informatics to beneficial use. Healthcare is an ideal example of an area where semantic web has been put to good effect. Virtualization has led to heterogeneous data sources emerging, indicating the need for semantic web.

There are some successful models in the status quo that show semantic web can succeed at the data management infrastructure level. Pennsylvania is one of the states that took an early initiative in this regard. It laid down protocols for information integration within semantic web and how it can impact various stakeholders such as educational institutes and businesses. 

This can be seen with the development of electronic health records (EHRs) and how they are advancing the profession of nursing. A specific ‘Semantic Web for Health Care and Life Sciences Interest Group’ was initiated few years back to capitalize on the advancement.

The impact of EHRs and other new technologies can be seen in the accelerated nursing programs in PA, the demand for which has increased in just the last few years. Such programs also focus on decision-making and communication skills, establishing the ever-important connection between improved web integration and better online education.

Benefits of Semantic Web for E-Learning 

Semantic web represents a newer generation of world wide web use, and provides numerous advantages. First of all, it can improve the metadata that is linked with e-learning resources. Secondly, it can also expand the existing opportunities for e-learning customization.

The semantic web integration process presents an adaptive concept of composing new learning materials. From the device point of view, different specialized pedagogical information resources become accessible to all. 

This approach also equips machines with an intelligent learning model, enhanced reasoning and optimal management of learning material. The connection of online resources present on the web and its affiliation with the end user is a unique relationship, which can be enhanced using semantic web. 

Using semantic web, an ontology based e-learning method can be generated. It allows the program controller to add aspects such as student management, teacher management, security management, course management and ontology management. All of these aspects are linearized and fed unique responses based on the connection with the respective user. “Piazza” is a data management infrastructure built on the principles described above. It epitomizes the benefits of utilizing metadata and improving ‘understanding’ of machines.

Conclusion 

Based on the analysis that has been provided above, it is clear that the impact of online learning can be greatly enhanced with the help of optimal web usage. With a large segment of the population looking to virtual tools for enhanced learning, semantic web can offer significant assistance.

RECOMMENDED READ: The Potential of Blended Learning for Steering Education

Please, comment down your questions. 

*by andreascy*  

What's The Big Deal With Software Bugs?

Posted by Andreas Christodoulou

Description :

Just about everyone knows that software glitches can be a nuisance, which is why precision in programming is absolutely essential. While most software bugs may fall into that "nuisance" category, however, software bugs can cause some alarming issues for business owners, web properties, and even whole governments. Consider this: according to a recent Cambridge University study, software bugs cost the economy more than $300 billion anually.

That's a "b," not an "m." $300 billion. Remember the European Union bailouts? Those cost less than half of what software bugs cost in a single year. Food for thought, for sure. And even though individual software glitches might seem like a laughing matter, the fact is, the aggregate of software bugs worldwide are a huge problem. Consider a couple examples.

Manage Your Money 

Shoddy coding and testing are often the reason for software bugs, but research has demonstrated clearly that it's more cost-effective in the long term to spend the money to get it right. Speaking of money - who doesn't love some free cash? In 2011, some folks down under won the proverbial jackpot when they came across an ATM that was spitting out free money. Due to a software bug, the machine didn't recognize the actual account balances of the customers showing up for withdrawals. Wait, did we say an ATM? We actually meant 40 ATMs across the city of Sydney, Australia. Consider that this bug lasted for five hours, and imagine the mess it created. 

Not to belabor the point, but again - wouldn't that money have been better spent ensuring that automatic teller machines didn't spit out free cash as if by magic? 

Glorious Freedom: A Jail Tale 

You do the crime, you pay the time. It's a clever little rhyme used in convenience stores and road signs all over the English-speaking world. Of course, sometimes software glitches can get in the way of this little truism. Earlier this very year, a software bug caused prison cell doors to be opened in a Florida jail. Not just a few cells, either: the glitch affected hundreds. It's also worth mentioning that the cells in question were in the prison's maximum security wing, where some of the most dangerous prisoners in the state were invariably kept. 

The issue was fixed right away, naturally. At least it seemed like it was until it happened a second time in the same week. 

Fortunately, this story has a happy ending (for the prison and the public, not necessarily for the inmates), as the prison declared a security emergency and not a single prisoner escaped. Nevertheless, to think about the damage such a bug could have caused will invariably make just about anyone's palms sweat. 

And the Take-Home Point Is... 

Look, software glitches can be a minor nuisance, but they can also have absolutely disastrous results. Most won't fall into the "fool me once" category of a potential prison-break as outlined above, but with the myriad systems in modern life that depend on solid programming for safety and asset management, glitches are a huge deal. 

These aren't the only software bugs that'll make you double-check your programming. Check out the infographic below for some other insane glitches that caused huge trouble!

Source: Qualitest Group

RECOMMENDED INFOGRAPH: How Google Built Android

Hope you've liked our post, and we'll catch up with you again very soon. Please get in touch if you want to say hello or kindly take a few seconds to share this story. 

Thanks for your time! 💖

*by andreascy*

The Future Landscape of Software Development

Posted by Andreas Christodoulou

Description :

The advent of laptop computers marked an important milestone in the history of mobile computing. Laptops made it possible for people to bring their work with them almost everywhere they went. The evolution of Palm Pilot-style digital planners further fueled the trend and defined what it meant to "stay connected" while out in the field. However relevant or essential these products were, no technology changed the digital landscape more or pleased consumers as much as those wireless handheld devices put out by the now-famous technology giants BlackBerry and Apple.

Future technology trends are expected to continue to extend the nebulous bounds of the cloud, and further leverage the capacity and reach of the 4G mobile spectrum. Of course, the most impressive and stunning technology trends always seem to spring from unexpected places and are generally the most difficult for industry insiders to forecast.

The Future of Software

Current and emerging trends in the field of software development are being driven by new programming languages and platforms, new development methodologies, updates to core Internet technologies (HTML5), changes in customer expectations, and the unstoppable ascendancy of powerful new mobile computing devices.

Rapidly expanding demand for greater numbers of mobile computing devices has put pressure on software developers to create more mobile applications. Key stories circulating in the industry press seem to concentrate on a shift toward revamping familiar and standard software packages so that they run smoothly and easily on tablets and smartphones. Indeed, future launches of the most popular and time-honored business applications written for the PC are expected to become available for tablets and hybrids in the months ahead. 

More Programming Languages

It should surprise no one in the industry that coders are going to need to know more languages. Today, Java and Objective-C with a little jQuery thrown in account for most of the heavy lifting with respect to building complex software applications and mobile apps. The performance requirements of modern mobile computing devices will create a need for developers who are conversant in such languages as Ruby, Python, Node.js, and certain exotics such as Clojure and Haskell. No examination of this subject could be considered thorough or complete if it did not touch on HTML5 and CSS3, or if it ignored how cross-platform app design is greatly enhanced when developers are comfortable with the development and implementation of bespoke programming languages.

Customer Satisfaction is Paramount

New ways of thinking, along with an increased demand for multi-paradigm solutions are driving the accelerated rate of change in the development process itself. At present, Agile principles many not make one agile enough to satisfy today's consumer because customers today are no longer happy just being satisfied, they want to be delighted. According to Forbes, organizations such as Apple and Amazon have conclusively shown that delighting customers is a worthy, profitable part of the development process.

Finally, other future trends that software developers and engineers can look forward to hearing more about in the months to come include more current philosophies concerning version control systems, where most versions of a product will be staged in the cloud. Other trends to be aware of include the potential for removal of certain highly important open source products from the public domain. If this should occur, developers will need to brush up on alternative database solutions such as MariaDB, SQLite, PostgreSQL, and MongoDB.

ALSO OF INTEREST: What's The Big Deal With Software Bugs?

We hope this information has been helpful. 👍

*by andreascy*

Real Life Super Humans Via Robotic Software

Posted by Andreas Christodoulou

Description :

Research for robotic-type suits for the military has been under the microscope, so to speak, since the 1990’s. 

The first actual suit was unveiled in 2002 but it lacked power. As the advancement of technology birthed smaller and more versatile sensors as well as faster microprocessors, many researchers were becoming convinced that a wearable robot - exoskeleton -- should be further considered, developed and perfected; and it has, pending a few tweaks here and there. A compact box on the back of the robot-suit houses the on-board computer and the control systems.

Continued perfection is moving forward; and one research company, out of several, is working under a two-year, $10 Million grant from the U.S. Army. The realization of a motorized human is on the verge of completion. A handful of engineers are on the thresh-hold of fulfilling the military’s fantasy of mechanically-enhanced soldiers that would have the super-human ability to lift equipment weighing 200 pounds as if it were only 30-some ounces.

Using a sensor attached to the wearer’s skin, the exoskeleton detects brain signals sent to muscles. The on-board computer analyzes these signals to determine how it must move and with how much force. 

Medical and Military Applications:

Medical: 

The software that commands artificial muscles, as well as control systems, has applications beyond the military. For those who are wheel-chair bound, the possibilities are wide open and remain extremely tantalizing. Developed technology in the field of robotics software has been eagerly embraced by a variety of medical organizations which recognize and have responded to the need for better mobility beyond the wheelchair. An artificially-intelligent brace is being developed to allow paraplegics and the elderly to walk once again. The technology and mechanics involved very much parallel those of the military counterparts.

In 2009, intelligent braces and exoskeletons were used in more than 100 hospitals and welfare centers throughout Japan, with encouraging success. America’s medical arena has followed suit.

Military:

As stated, the military exoskeleton responds to movements of the wearer; and provides astonishing load-bearing assistance over any terrain. The user can support up to 220 pounds and walk continuously at a steady pace and cover over 12 miles without stopping and without exertion. Research is looking into using advanced fuel cells to provide up to 72 hours of continual use without impeding a soldier’s movements in any way.

Overview of Functioning:

Mechanical engineering as well as software engineering combine forces to prompt computer-assisted sensors to control the exoskeleton’s systems. A variety of sensors work in perfect harmony to determine force and position factors. The sensors are connected through the Ethernet to computer processors in each leg and arm joint, which stimulate the actuators which are, simply, mechanical devices that convert energy into motion. This delivers up to 200 kg per square centimeter of force through high-pressure hydraulics. As if that weren’t astounding enough, it should be noted that each joint in the arms and legs has its own processing capability and the joints stay in communication with each other on a constant basis.

While the world is accustom to helpful software applications like file sharing by RLink, this goes beyond the normal realms of technology. With everything in place, the wearer can lift 50 pounds placed in each hand while leaving the arm in a horizontally, extended position for a prolonged period of time with no effort --- Astounding!

*by andreascy*

Web Design Trends For 2013

Posted by Andreas Christodoulou

Description : 

With technology ever changing and becoming more advanced, each year holds a host of new web design trends. As such, it can be easy to get left behind and end up with an outdated site. 

If you want to stay ahead of the curve, take a look at these new web design trends that are bound to be seen in 2013.

1. Responsive Web Design

Responsive web design is when a website is able to detect the type of device it is being accessed on, and adjust its dimensions accordingly. This means that you won't have to design separate websites to be viewed on different mobile devices, which can be both costly and time consuming.

2. Fixed Header Bars

Having a fixed header bar on your website will allow visitors to have access to its support and navigation buttons without having to scroll back up to the top of the page. This is a simple piece of web design, which can be used on almost any type of web page, but it is surprisingly useful and effective.

3. Large Buttons

Due to the increase in popularity of touch screen devices, such as mobile phones and tablets, large buttons are likely to become a big new trend in web design for 2013. This will make navigating the website much easier for those who are using a touchscreen device.

4. Simple Landing Pages

Simple or minimalist landing pages are set to be a popular web design trend this year. For many, a minimalist design is far more effective and appealing, and therefore may encourage them to stay on the website. A simple design can also help those whose website offers a product, as it strips back all the unnecessary extras and focuses on the product at hand.

5. Social Media Buttons

Social media is big, and it doesn't seem to be getting any smaller. Social media shares are the new marketing and can really make or break your site. As such, you want to make it as easy as possible for the user to share your page on whatever social media site they prefer. If you don't want to clog up your page with buttons for too many different sites, be sure to keep abreast of which social media sites are currently the most popular.

Conclusion

No matter what kind of website or websites you run, it is imperative that you keep up with web design trends so that your site looks fresh and remains relevant. Think about incorporating one or more of these hot new web design trends into your existing design.

CHECK ALSO: 10 Serious Usability Mistakes, You Must Never Do

We keep on top of industry developments and we hope that this article will make web designers try out different styles. Let us know what you think.

*by andreascy*

Bringing Different Website Elements Together

Posted by Andreas Christodoulou

Description :

When business owners set out to create a new website, they usually have their own vision of what the site will look like and its purpose, but not the different parts and pieces required to make it happen and do well in search. 

To create a successful website, great graphics, content, programming and knowledge of search engine optimization must unite. What the business owner doesn’t realize is most IT people specialize in one of these areas and don’t know much about the others.

The Disconnect

You can have a website with the most spectacular images, but if your home page is done all in Flash, the search engines won’t be able to read it. Your programmer is all about function and probably not very good at design. He’ll give you 50 sort options for your products, but doesn’t realize he’s creating thousands of pages with duplicate content. SEO people understand some of what the other guys do and can explain to them how to do what they do to better optimize the website, but neither the programmer nor the graphic designer is too happy about it. The programmer doesn’t understand what difference it makes and the graphic designer thinks your suggestions will ruin the design. The SEO guy cares most about the content, the keywords, internal linking, code, crawl errors, etc. None of these issues are obvious to anyone else because they are not obvious when looking at a webpage. Each person in each specialty contributes an important part of the website, but all these aspects must co-mingle.

Executing a Good Website from the Onset

If you hire someone who is only familiar with one area, you can’t expect all the elements were taken into consideration. Often, the SEO person enters the scene later and there is more work to fix the issues with the website than if they had been addressed during the developmental stages. Often, the biggest hindrance is money. You’re better off with a simple site design that is well executed than a fancy one with all kinds of problems.

If a company can offer you all these services together, you’ll have a website that’s set to go when it launches, but maintenance with the same amount of integrity is important. If the company that creates your website only specializes in certain areas, you can hire someone to create optimized, quality content and provide that to your web designer, but you still have other web issues to be concerned with.

The only way to know what you’re getting is to ask. It will cost you more to go back and fix than to do things the right way initially.

Have you read this?

Be sure to leave your feedback. We'd like to know what you think. :)

*by andreascy*

How Long Does it Take to Build an iOS or Android App?

Posted by Andreas Christodoulou

Description: 

How long do you think it would take to go from concept to store submission for a native iOS or Android app? Include everything from spinning up servers, to managing users, to integrating with social networks, to developing a protocol for versioning, to wireframing, designing and polishing your UX.

While the question isn’t as timeless as “How many licks does it take to get to the center of a Tootsie Pop?” (spoiler alert: 3481), it is one that’s very dear to our community of mobile app developers. The duration obviously varies with the complexities and increased functionality of the application to be developed.

Progress Kinvey - a mobile Backend as a Service startup - put this question to 100 mobile developers (43% enterprise, 57% individual). Based on this survey, they came up with an answer: about 18 weeks, the same amount of time that it takes to build 1.3 Boeing 777 airplanes and to drill 3 3,000 foot oil wells. 

This infographic depicts how much time developers will spend on each component of their native apps front - and backend. Check it out...

Source: Published by Progress Kinvey

Joe Chernov, VP of Marketing at Kinvey says:

"Backend functions accounted for 10 weeks, with data storage, data integration and versioning accounting for the biggest blocks of time (13 days each). The UI represented the bulk of the eight weeks of frontend development. On average, developers felt it would take about 40 days to wireframe, design, develop and polish their app’s user interface."

"73% of developers surveyed agree it would take a week or less to enable offline usage and data synchronization, yet a core backend feature like integrating data from third-party APIs yielded a wider range of responses. In fact, nearly as many developers (25) anticipated data integration would take a month or more as those (29) who said it would take three days or fewer."

Many of the aspects listed, especially the back-end aspects and 3rd party data integration, are of course not unique to a particular mobile platform or even to mobile platforms in general. So the 18 weeks would only apply if you had no previous targeted infrastructure across all these areas.

Conclusion

While the above infographic doesn’t purport to be the definitive timeline for app building - after all, it’s based on the development of an MVP-quality app and it doesn’t take into account the approval process - it was intended to be a conversation starter. 

So to that end, how long do you think it would take to build v1 of a native app? And do you think time requirements frontend items are easier to plan than backend components? 

Let us know down below.

YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE: Mobile App Security Threats To Plan For

As always, I'll catch you next time. 💖

*by andreascy*

Five Software Development Trends To Watch Out For In 2013

Posted by Andreas Christodoulou

Description : 

Current Technological Trends 

Technology has never been static. It is a work-in-progress, a discipline that responds to the needs and demands of the people who use it. The constant evolution is so fast that some people might be overwhelmed with all the changes and find it hard to keep up. For software developers, being left behind on the current technological trends is a huge no-no. Software development, in particular, is a very dynamic field. The rise of semantic web (billed as the future of the Web, aka Web 3.0) and the improvement of IT opened up whole new paths for software engineers and developers to take. 

Here are some of the trends in software development that are expected to take hold in the software industry in 2013:

Agile Methodologies

Building software from the ground up is an unpredictable affair. Requirements change from time to time, and release/testing cycles can become uncontrollable. Because of its irregular nature, managers and teams working on the creation of software are now using agile methodologies in the software development process. Instead of the usual "waterfall" approach to development, agile methodology involves dividing the work cycle into repeating intervals called sprints or iterations. This method keeps things flexible; it gives teams a chance to constantly revisit and revise the projects they are working on without decreasing productivity.

Using (and Mastering) Multiple Programming Languages

IT and web technologies are constantly expanding. For example, there are lots of applications and software that work on an interoperational level among a multitude of platforms (like PCs, smartphones, and tablets). It is necessary for a software engineer to be able to create a product that can be accessed from these different devices and other access points. Using multiple programming languages can be a huge boost in developing software for interdependent web technologies. Modern scripting languages like Ruby on Rails (ROR) or Python can also make software development easier.

Cloud Computing

More and more businesses are embracing cloud computing as an integral part of their day-to-day operations. Cloud services and software aid in making business processes more flexible and convenient for business owners and their clients. This means that the demand for software that use cloud technology are at an all-time high.

Mobile Technology

The number of people who use mobile devices is steadily increasing. The value of mobile ecommerce is expected to hit $10 billion by 2013, according to a study by reportlinker.com. These gadgets have almost replaced the standard desktop PCs and laptops that people use for their daily computing needs. Android, Windows Phone, iOS, Blackberry OS and other mobile operating systems are the new battlegrounds for software developers. Providing consumers with software and applications on these platforms is highly essential to the future of IT and software development.

Location Based Computing

The integration of GPS into mobile devices has resulted into the popularity of apps and web services like Foursquare and Facebook location (Former Places). This phenomenon shows the great appeal of location based software among consumers and businesses. The burgeoning technology already shows great promise; there are various developments on its application in the fields of education, health and entertainment.

RECOMMENDED ARTICLE: The Future Landscape of Software Development

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*by andreascy*

Software Development Classes - A New and Dynamic Frontier

Posted by Andreas Christodoulou

Description : 

Software development has become increasingly popular over the years, and is one of the most lucrative careers you can get into if you have the needed skills. A strong background in a math-related subject, analytical skills and strong communication and leadership skills will put you on the fast track towards becoming a stellar software developer. Let's take a look at what goes on in your typical software development class. 

These classes are typically conducted in institutions of higher learning or accredited institutes. They can be offered in your run-of-the-mill bricks and mortar type of class, or conducted online. Once you're registered, you'll be introduced to the world of computer applications and their usefulness in the real world. Computer programming has to do with creating code for applications that seek to help human beings make their work more efficient and accurate. 

The software development class typically covers aspects such as:

- Object-oriented programming

- Database creation

- Logical and arithmetic analysis of design

- Web scripting

- Software development cycles

- Ethical impacts of software development and application

To be Considered a Software Developer

For you to be considered to be a fully-fledged software developer, formal training is more or less required given the competitiveness of this career choice. There are numerous industries you can land in, and some of these include video game design, software development, hardware manufacturing, as well as working for major ecommerce websites.

It helps to have a degree in computer science, but this isn't a hard and fast rule. If you have any training that touches on math, software development classes will be accessible to you. This is because coding requires you to understand many mathematical principles, as well apply logic and principles of probability to predict the behavior of a computer program even when it's at its conceptual level.

Software Development Consultant

A software development consultant can work as a freelancer and serve a number of clients at the same time. One area that is seen as lucrative and carries a lot of potential is mobile development. This is because of the proliferation of mobile phones and their accompanying software as well as the numerous platforms available to the end consumer. With products such as the Apple iPhone and Android-based mobile phones, software developers find themselves in a domain that needs their services day and night.

After finishing your software development classes, be prepared to be thrust into an industry that will expect you to work more than 40 hours a week, and possibly weekends as well, depending on the stage at which a software engineering project is at. Software development, unlike software programming, seems to have escaped the vagaries of outsourcing. According to market opinion, software developers' skills have been in high demand, and the department of labor predicts that this sector will grow by up to thirty percent in the next ten years. Lastly, you need to be aware of the different certifications that you'll need to take for you to achieve career progression. These include Siebel, Oracle and SAS. The world is poised to up its ante when it comes to demand for software developers, so taking classes will put you at the right place to benefit from this windfall.

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*by andreascy*