2011 dmo mojo gruber

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5 Steps to a Successful Mobile Strategy in Travel Glenn Gruber AVP, Travel Technologies Ness Software Product Labs

description

Presentation on how to develop a successful mobile strategy for travel companies. Presented at DMO Mojo event in New Orleans on March 3, 2011.

Transcript of 2011 dmo mojo gruber

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5 Steps to a Successful Mobile Strategy in Travel

Glenn GruberAVP, Travel Technologies

Ness Software Product Labs

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Poll

• Who already has a

Mobile-optimized Web Site

Mobile App

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Mobile is Not a “Nice to Have”

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Mobile is Not a “Nice to Have”

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Mobile Devices at the Center of Traveler Interactions

• Mobile is for when you’re not at home

• Always-on, always-available communications channel– The Local Resource Guide:

What can I do and when can I do it?

– Reminders

• Mobile is social

Dream

Plan

BookExplore

Share

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Determine Use Cases

Prioritize Mobile Device

Support

Evaluate Technology

Options

Create Your Development

Roadmap

Analyze and Adjust

5 Steps to Success

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Step 1: Determine Use Cases• Understand what role mobile

plays within the traveler lifecycle, how it supports, extends other channels

• What are the gaps in current communication, interaction channels?

• What changes in behavior do you want to achieve?

• Complex decisions v. Spur of the moment

• Social, Location-based Services• Do not lose sight of your Brand

Dream

Plan

BookExplore

Share

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Step 1: But Don’t Lose Sight of Your Brand

Source: Forrester Research

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Mobile Application Development Challenges

• Hardware diversity– Screen Parameters, Keyboard features– Memory– Processing power etc

• Software diversity– Platforms– User preferences

• Environment– Deployment Infrastructure– Carrier Restrictions

• Difficulty to “write once and run any where”

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Step 3: Evaluate Technology Options/Process

• App-centric v. Mobile Web-centric

• Consider which device capabilities will be leveraged

• Optimized for Smartphone specifically, or “Write Once Run Anywhere?”

• Flash v. HTML5• Leverage proprietary

development platform or industry standards?

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So, where do you start?

Mobile Web Mobile App

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Mobile Web• Pros

– 35% of mobile subs use browser– Search discoverability– Cross-device support

• Cons– Latency– Loss of screen real estate– Not all browsers created equal

• Best Practices– Browser re-direct to

m.domain.com or .mobi– Provide mobile appropriate

content– Design with mobile users in mind– Use tools that optimize by platform

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Mobile Apps• Pros

– More than 60 apps downloaded for every Apple device sold

– Robust user experience– Fully leverage native device– Placement on device

• Cons– Cost & resources to develop for

multiple platforms

• Best Practices– Don’t rely on AppStores– Provide true utility – Android is just as important as

Apple

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Mobile = Location

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• Run mobile development like a product, not a project– Develop release schedules– Spend appropriate time on mobile architecture,

don’t rush to code– Estimation

• Be agile, don’t wait for “the big release”

Step 4: Create Your Roadmap

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• Roadmap shouldn’t be static– Anything changing in the user base?– Evaluate new devices, platforms, access methods– Analysis of usage – where, when, features– Re-evaluate UI accordingly

• Continuously changing mobile ecosystem may demand change in strategy

Step 5: Analyze and Adjust

In 2009, smartphone ownership in the US grew by 61% and daily mobile Web browsing grew by 89%. Annual planning cycles for a mobile product road map will result in dated plans.

With mobile Web and application development cycles running at three months or more for the custom design of complex services with deep integration into existing infrastructure, we're not suggesting rethinking mobile every three months.

We are suggesting that companies revisit their proposed offerings at least every six months to ensure that they are keeping pace with consumer expectations and skills.

-Forrester: Creating a Mobile Services Product Roadmap (July 8, 2010)

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Thank You for Your Time

Glenn M. Gruber AVP, Travel TechnologiesNess Software Product [email protected]: 781.249.4049

@ggruber66