Smartphones on the brain

Before I even look at my first post from our summer smartphone class, I am going to throw out a few gut reactions. First, this program is still blowing my mind. I love the MCDM.

The readings for this class were the best I’ve had in the program so far. Our book, The Business of iPhone App Development, was easy to follow and incredibly detailed, though it could have used an extra editor. The PDFs we were given made everything fall into place, from the chapter on cognitive friction to the essay on designing for power. I really did take them to heart and learned a lot about why developers and designers need to work together.

The speakers were great, too. I heard T.A. McCann speak in the economics course, but his presentation this time around was different and he really cut to the chase about why a smartphone app works for Gist. I also enjoyed hearing from Michael Schneider, who inspired me with his “Developers rock!” attitude. To me, that’s what digital media is all about. Putting great minds together and making even greater things happen.

Our final project was a perfect fit. What better way to learn about the application process than to dive right in? Working on FreshFinder was a thrill not only because of the mobile element, but I gained valuable experience marketing and research-wise. These are critical skills to have as a professional and it’s wonderful to have the chance to learn them hands-on.

Now, if you’ll excuse me a moment I will go back and read my first post from class. Save my seat, please.

Wow. It’s clear that I’ve come a long way in a few short months. My initial post speaks to my being “green” when it comes to smartphones in general. I had just purchased an iPhone and was still learning how to use it, much less how to think about it professionally. I listed as goals the desire to grasp the psychology of smartphones as well as the marketing and branding that goes into a smartphone strategy.

I told myself that I wasn’t going to think about how this class can benefit me right now. I had done that previously and it worked out well. But I really wanted to get a feel for smartphones before I went ahead and proposed an app idea to my bosses. Mission accomplished. I had been distracted in the past because I kept thinking about how to apply this idea or that technology to my own business situation, but I kept the two separate this quarter and I was rewarded with a much deeper experience.

The work stuff will come later. Maybe even now. But it was never a distraction to me this summer, and I hope to continue this trend moving forward. I really do feel good about what I’ve learned in this class and have already seen myself refer to the smartphone market differently in conversation. I have a solid understanding of the material now, and that’s only going to help me navigate this exciting new field. I also felt that our small class size helped us to learn because in the MCDM program it’s all about the discussions. I come to class every day wanting to hear what my classmates have to say, and it was clear that this group was anxious to learn about smartphones.

Good group. Good teacher. Good speakers. Good books. I’m pleased with the entire course and look forward to my next one. I’ll never look at my iPhone the same way, and that’s a good thing. This little baby has loads of potential. School is out now, and it’s time to see what I can do with it.

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