A Setback Leads To Mobile App Design

I’m on crutches again. Last week I re-injured an old knee injury from 30+ years ago.

I don’t know when or if it will heal completely this time, but I’ve lived with it long enough to know my attitude will play a major role in the process.

Attitude Is Everything

Setbacks like these happen to everyone. Whether it’s a broken bone, broken heart or broken business, the only thing you really have control over is how you respond to it.

The thoughts you think, the actions you take, and how you manage your emotions affect everything that does or does not happen to you.

If I let it, this experience can work for me instead of the other way around. For example, it’s forced me to slow down. That’s a good thing. It’s also helped me do some much needed soul-searching.

Usually I’m in a mad rush to check things off my to-do list. Getting lost in this “busy-ness” is probably just a convenient excuse to avoid some larger, more challenging issues in my life.

Instead, sitting quietly with my leg propped up is an opportunity to face some of those things. And let some of them go.

Finding New Opportunities

This temporary setback is giving me a chance to really think about what I want from my life and my business. I’ve been working on corporate websites for 20 years. It’s been a great career and I’ve learned a ton.

But mobile is where it’s at. Mobile apps have moved well beyond the Internet frontier. Now they are part of everyday life. I want to design and build some of those apps. I want to help people figure things out on those tiny little screens.

Why I’m Focusing On Mobile App Design

This summer my extended family visited us from California for a week. I clearly remember everyone staring into pocket-sized screens one night after dinner.

What really struck me was that all of us were using mobile devices, even my 10 year-old niece. The conversation came and went between random texts, Facebook posts and whatever individual app each family member was using.

From a UX perspective, mobile apps must solve clearly defined, focused problems easily and effortlessly. Besides designing for smaller screens, we also need to carefully consider the user’s context.

Truly useful mobile apps account for the who, what, where, when, how and why of several different user stories and situations. That’s a tall order and absolutely fascinating.

Mobile Apps Are Everywhere

People use apps in the field, at their desks, and even on the couch as they recover from a hard day, illness, or an old sports injury.

Designing and developing high quality mobile apps is an amazing opportunity to do great work and really help people. I’m excited to move forward.

Next Steps

My knee injury has actually helped me discover a new direction for my business. What setbacks have you had in your life or business? Have they helped you or held you back? How can they serve you in the future?

Over the next few weeks I’ll be writing a lot more about mobile app design. I have a lot to learn and hope you’ll join me on this journey. As always, thanks for reading!