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June 26, 2023

How to Build a Killer MVP App, Step 1: Agile Development Methods and Divergent/Convergent Thinking

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How to Build a Killer MVP App, Step 1: Agile Development Methods and Divergent/Convergent Thinking

Over the last 15 years, Grio has collaborated with companies of all sizes to create hundreds of exceptional software solutions. Though there is no one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to building an app, we’ve discovered that starting your journey with your Minimum Value Product (MVP) is a great way to set yourself up for long-term success. In this blog series, we are taking our hard-won wisdom and sharing Grio’s ten essential steps for building a killer MVP.

An MVP, or minimal viable product, is essentially the bare-bones version of your app. Building an MVP, rather than a full-fledged app, allows you to test your product viability, engage investors, and go to market sooner, all while saving you time and money.

You can read all about the benefits of an MVP and why it’s imperative to the success of your app in our first post, How to Build a Killer MVP: Introduction.

In this week’s blog post, we cover the first step for building a killer MVP: Agile development methods and divergent/convergent thinking, both of which are essential for optimum software development.

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June 19, 2023

How to Build a Killer MVP App: Introduction

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How to Build a Killer MVP App: Introduction

Over the last 15 years, Grio has collaborated with companies of all sizes—from Bay Area startups to Fortune 500 companies—to create hundreds of exceptional software solutions, including MVPs, B2B apps, and consumer-facing products for global brands.

Though there is no one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to building an app, we’ve discovered that starting your journey with your Minimum Value Product (MVP) is a great way to set yourself up for long-term success. 

In this blog series, we are taking our hard-won wisdom and sharing Grio’s ten essential steps for building a killer MVP. However, before we dive into each of the steps, let’s discuss what an MVP is and why you need one.  

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posted

May 26, 2023

Technical Evolution in Theme Park Attractions: Disney’s Space Race

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When you hear the phrase “theme park,” it’s hard not to simultaneously picture a mouse named Mickey. However, while the colorful attractions and whimsical characters of theme parks feel effortless, in reality, their success is based on the ongoing technological advancements that keep the attractions safe and fun.

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May 5, 2023

Building Custom UI Components with SwiftUI for Reusable and Consistent Design

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In modern app development, maintaining a reusable and consistent design is crucial for creating a seamless user experience. SwiftUI, Apple’s declarative user interface (UI) framework, provides developers with a powerful toolset for creating custom UI components that can be used throughout an app to ensure consistency and streamline the development process. In this blog post, we’ll explore the benefits of custom UI components, how to create them using SwiftUI, and best practices for maintaining a consistent design across your app.

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April 28, 2023

Updating React Native Firebase from v5.6.0 to v14.2.0

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The software developer’s job is not done once an application is created. As device operating systems are updated, apps must be updated as well to remain compatible. To demonstrate a typical app upgrade, this post goes through an upgrade I recently performed on a React Native mobile app. 

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April 21, 2023

Debugging Difficult Things

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One of the unfortunate realities of any application is that it requires maintenance. As technology continues to evolve and operating systems undergo improvements, applications must be updated to continue running smoothly. However, installing updates isn’t as simple as simply hitting the “update” button. In this post, I will explore our recent updating and debugging adventures on a Ruby on Rails application. 

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April 14, 2023

Applying Composition to the Digital Web Experience

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Good composition occurs when every visual element of a photograph has been placed with intent and plays a precise role that adds to the overall story the photo is conveying. By maintaining a balance of detail and space within a frame, the photographer can create pleasing visual aesthetics while communicating a message. 

While some photographers have a natural instinct for good composition, others aren’t so lucky. To help others understand these nuanced elements, photographers have simplified certain compositional structures that are known to work into mathematical elements. These elements are then applied to basic grids that can be taught and reused by any and all photographers, old and new.

But can this rule be used in other forms of media? Say, in digital web experiences?

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posted

March 17, 2023

Creating a Custom WordPress Plugin: Rendering a SPA and Exposing a REST API

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If you’ve been on the Internet, chances are you’ve used a WordPress site. WordPress, a free, open-source content management system (CMS) that allows you to host and build websites, is currently responsible for 43% of all websites on the Internet. With so many WordPress websites out there, finding ways to increase your site’s useability and efficiency is key. One easy way to do that? By rendering a SPA and exposing a REST API. 

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posted

March 2, 2023

iBeacon: Reconnecting an iOS App to a Bluetooth Device if the App is Terminated

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While working on a recent iOS project in which an iOS app connects to a Bluetooth device, we discovered an issue: the connection between the app and the Bluetooth device could not be re-established if the app was terminated unless the user manually relaunched the app. Our Bluetooth device was turned on and off periodically throughout the day, so it was essential that it was able to reconnect automatically, even if the app was in the background or had been terminated.

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posted

March 1, 2023

Gaining Wisdom from the Ghost of Lotus Notes

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Rapid application development has always been the Holy Grail of information technology. The idea that someone with little to no technical expertise could automate their own processes by creating a functioning application is a powerful concept. 

Low-code and no-code developments promise to make this elusive Holy Grail a reality. But they are not the first. Promising the same results as Lotus Notes did in the 1980s, will these developments be able to succeed where Lotus Notes could not? 

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