Top 5 iOS 18 Features That Will Transform Your Digital Product Experience

The landscape of mobile project management is evolving rapidly. As digital experiences become increasingly central to business success, three key trends are reshaping how we approach mobile projects: user-centricity, artificial intelligence integration, and a heightened focus on return on investment (ROI). These shifts are fundamentally changing how organizations across all sectors—from large enterprises to nimble startups and resource-conscious nonprofits—conceive, execute, and evaluate their mobile initiatives. Mobile Project Management Across Different Sectors Enterprise Enterprise CMOs face unique challenges in mobile project management, such as coordinating large, cross-functional teams and aligning mobile initiatives with broader digital transformation strategies. User-centric approaches can help by ensuring that mobile projects deliver tangible value to internal and external customers. For instance, implementing a feedback loop that includes input from sales, customer service, and end-users can lead to more impactful mobile solutions. Nonprofit Nonprofit organizations often grapple with limited resources and the need to demonstrate impact to donors. User-centric mobile project management can help by ensuring that every feature developed directly serves the needs of beneficiaries or improves operational efficiency. AI-assisted project management tools can be particularly valuable in this sector, helping to optimize resource allocation and predict potential roadblocks in program delivery. Startup Founders In the fast-paced world of tech startups, agility is key. User-centric mobile project management and AI-assisted analytics can help startups iterate quickly based on user feedback and market trends. ROI-focused strategies are crucial for startups seeking funding or aiming for rapid growth, as they help demonstrate the concrete value of mobile initiatives to potential investors. The User-Centric Revolution in Mobile Project Management Actionable Insight: Incorporate user feedback early and often through surveys, usability testing, and beta programs. At the heart of modern mobile project management is an unwavering focus on the end-user. This shift goes beyond surface-level UI considerations; it’s about integrating user needs and feedback into every stage of the project lifecycle. Recent customer retention studies have highlighted the importance of this approach. Selling to existing customers has a 60-70% success rate, compared to only 5-20% for new customers. And 65% of a company’s business typically comes from existing clients. Best Practices Continuous user research and feedback loops Data-driven insights into user behavior Rapid prototyping with A/B testing Challenges persist, such as balancing innovation with user familiarity. While introducing new features is crucial for competitiveness, drastic changes can alienate existing users. Gradual feature rollouts and extensive A/B testing help introduce innovative elements without disrupting the user experience. User-Centric Phygital Products InspiringApps helps develop digital products to enhance the usability of physical ones. In the monkii app, for example, user-centric design extended beyond just features. User feedback enhanced the app and provided valuable insights for the company’s product development. AI Integration in Mobile Projects Actionable Insight: Explore how AI integration can help automate repetitive tasks, freeing up your team to focus on strategic initiatives. Picture this: By 2030, 80% of project managers’ tasks will be run by AI, powered by big data, machine learning (ML), and natural language processing (NLP). That’s the future, according to Gartner. As Paul Boudreau, AI researcher and author, envisions it: “Success in project management will not be defined by how well an organization follows a process, but by how well it uses project data.” Key AI Functionalities Predictive Analytics: Advanced algorithms analyze historical project data to forecast potential risks and delays. Automated Task Allocation: AI-assisted tools can assign tasks based on team members’ skills and availability, improving resource utilization. Natural Language Processing: AI can analyze project communications to identify potential issues or bottlenecks, flagging them for human review. Effective data use, facilitated by AI/ML and NLP, requires a cautious approach. Maintaining privacy and security is crucial when handling large amounts of user data. Incorporating privacy-by-design principles from the outset, using advanced encryption, and ensuring compliance with data protection regulations protect users and build trust. Emphasizing ROI in Mobile Project Management Actionable Insight: Set clear, measurable KPIs at the outset of your project to track progress and demonstrate ROI. Despite the growing complexity and resource demands of mobile projects, a clear focus on ROI is essential for success. Emphasizing ROI reenvisions how we plan and evaluate digital product roadmaps against business goals. Key ROI Metrics User acquisition cost Customer lifetime value App Store ranking improvements User engagement rates Revenue per user Best practices for ROI-focused project management include establishing clear, measurable KPIs aligned with business objectives from the outset, implementing real-time dashboards to track ROI metrics, and using predictive analytics to forecast long-term ROI based on early project data. Leading Industry Market Value  A well-managed, ROI-focused digital project can improve business processes, drive revenue, and significantly increase a company’s market value. Beyond this, effective digital solutions can transform entire business models. For example, our client, Heather Margolis, was able to attract customers to her platform, Spark Your Channel, and attract industry attention. The project’s ROI was so impressive that it contributed to a successful exit for the company. Integrating User-Centricity, AI, & ROI The most effective mobile project management strategies integrate these three pillars. For example, you might use AI to analyze user data and predict future needs, employ machine learning to optimize user experiences while maximizing ROI, and use advanced analytics to prioritize feature development based on potential return on investment. Industry Use Cases Integrating project management, AI, user-centricity, and ROI focus in digital products can significantly enhance various industries. Here are some specific use cases for non-profits, health & fitness, finance & real estate, eCommerce, and manufacturing & transportation for mobile apps: Nonprofits: Mobile Donor Platforms Predictive analytics platforms can identify potential donors, optimize fundraising campaigns, and measure program impact. Effective project management ensures these initiatives are executed efficiently and aligned with the organization’s mission. A strong focus on the needs of both donors and beneficiaries is crucial for success. By measuring increased donor retention, acquisition, and overall impact, nonprofits can demonstrate their value and secure continued support. Health & Fitness: Personalized Health Plans AI can analyze user data to create personalized health and fitness plans, improving user engagement and outcomes. Mobile project management ensures these plans are developed efficiently and meet user needs, while user-centric design ensures the plans are easy to follow and effective. Finance & Real Estate: Automated Financial Advisory Intelligent chatbots can provide personalized financial advice based on user data. Product managers help develop these systems efficiently, while user-centric design ensures the advice is understandable and actionable. An ROI focus ensures these systems are cost-effective and provide value to users. Retail: Inventory Management AI can predict inventory needs based on sales data, reducing overstock and stockouts. Product management ensures the development and integration of these predictive tools, while user-centric design ensures they are easy to use. ROI focus ensures these tools reduce costs and improve efficiency. Manufacturing & Transportation: Supply Chain Optimization AI can optimize supply chain operations by predicting demand and managing logistics. Project management ensures the development of these optimization tools, while user-centric design ensures their user-friendliness. An ROI focus ensures that mobile apps reduce costs and improve efficiency. Key Takeaways: The Future of Mobile Project Management Embrace user-centricity to improve customer satisfaction and retention. Integrate AI tools to enhance efficiency and decision-making in project management. Maintain a strong focus on ROI to demonstrate value and guide project priorities. Balance innovation with user familiarity through gradual rollouts and continuous testing. Tap into data analytics for insights across all aspects of mobile project management. The future of mobile project management is undeniably user-centric, AI-enhanced, and ROI-focused. By embracing these trends and overcoming the associated challenges, organizations can create mobile solutions that truly resonate with users, implement AI to enhance efficiency, and demonstrate clear value through measurable outcomes.

Image Source: Apple Newsroom Apple announced its “AI for the rest of us” plan. But what does that mean for the future of digital products in enterprise, mid- and small-sized businesses? In this article, we’ll explore the implications of Apple’s AI strategy and share key takeaways for business leaders navigating the evolving landscape of AI-driven innovation. But first—a little “AI housekeeping.” A Working Definition of AI Artificial Intelligence (AI) focuses on creating smart machines that can learn from data, identify patterns, and perform tasks typically requiring human intelligence. Unlike traditional software solutions that rely on explicit programming and predefined rules, such as “if the customer’s age is greater than X, do this” or “if the bank balance is greater than Y, do that,” AI systems can make decisions without being explicitly programmed for every scenario. Recommendations for Businesses A little over a year ago, Brad Weber, CEO of InspiringApps, spoke with Tim Hayden about AI and more, as the above video captures (for the full conversation, see the playlist AI & Data Privacy: InspiringApps & Brain+Trust webinars). Considering the latest announcements at Apple WWDC 2024, we followed up with Brad to capture more insights and business recommendations. We found that Apple’s approach to intelligence mirrors our own in many ways: seamless integration, user-focused design, privacy, and business efficacy. 1. Focus on enhanced user experiences. Recommendation: Through seamless integration, focus on delivering tangible benefits to users that take advantage of Apple’s AI-driven user experiences, such as personalized recommendations and predictive features. “AI has enhanced the Apple user experience for many years. Has your phone predicted your commute time to work when you are a few blocks away from home? Has your watch calculated the total yards of your swim workout and broken down the distance by stroke? Both features (and many more) are driven by AI, but Apple treats that as an implementation detail users don’t need to know about. They should just experience the surprise and delight.”—BRAD WEBER, INSPIRINGAPPS CEO Most people have experienced AI without realizing it. “Hey Siri, read my messages” is a prevalent example of AI in everyday life. With Apple adding more ways to engage with app functionality through Siri and system-level features, properly defining and configuring App Intents may become a new strategy for businesses to ensure their in-app content and services are discoverable and intelligently integrated into users’ queries and workflows. For example, the improved typing interface with Siri could make Apple devices and apps more accessible for users with certain disabilities or situational impairments that make voice input challenging. If these intelligent features prove useful for accessibility, businesses may be able to reach and serve a broader audience. Businesses using messaging platforms for customer engagement could also leverage the new intelligent writing and summarization tools to streamline communication and quickly synthesize key points from lengthy customer inquiries or feedback, improving response times and quality. 2. Prioritize user privacy. Recommendation: Be transparent about data collection and usage, give users control over their data, and take every precaution to protect user information. AI enables computers to tackle complex problems and operate in the “gray areas,” where they can develop their own solutions based on the given goals or outcomes. To achieve this, AI relies on extensive data to effectively train models and make precise predictions or decisions, such as identifying objects in images or determining the optimal course of action in a given situation. This reliance on large datasets for training AI models raises important questions about data privacy and the implications of using personal information in developing AI systems. “With the new generative AI features in iOS 18, Apple will continue to prefer the privacy of on-device processing. When server capabilities are required, limited data is sent to Apple, and none of it is stored beyond the current ‘session.’ And if Chat GPT (and other engines/providers in the future) are beneficial, users will explicitly approve each data share. It is highly unlikely that any user-identifiable data will be sent to OpenAI as part of those interactions unless the user specifically opts in with their OpenAI account details.”—BRAD WEBER, INSPIRINGAPPS CEO In short, Apple’s commitment to privacy is a key differentiator, and businesses should follow their lead. 3. Consider Swift 6 adoption. Recommendation: Consider adopting Swift 6 for your development projects to reach a wider audience and streamline your development processes. “I’m excited to see Apple’s Swift 6 push on Windows and Linux, including improved Swift language support in Microsoft’s Visual Studio Code editor. Our team enjoys Swift development, and the language’s safety features have definitely reduced incidents of crashes on Apple devices. I look forward to those same benefits on other platforms.”—BRAD WEBER, INSPIRINGAPPS CEO 4. Stay adaptable. Recommendation: Businesses should explore the full spectrum of AI and machine learning technologies to find the most effective solutions for their specific needs. From predictive analytics and recommendation engines to computer vision and natural language processing, there are numerous ways to harness intelligence to benefit users and drive business growth. “It’s important to remember that generative AI is not the only form of AI. Although it has captured headlines for the last year or two, there are loads of other ways to benefit users with the thoughtful use of AI and ML.”—BRAD WEBER, INSPIRINGAPPS CEO Advanced predictive analytics can provide valuable insights into future trends and user behaviors. Intelligence can use data analysis to predict popular features, design elements, and evolving user needs. This foresight can inform decisions, helping to create digital products that meet current user expectations and are well-positioned to adapt to future demands. Smart Business Moves Apple’s advancements present both opportunities and challenges for businesses of all sizes. By focusing on seamless integration, user privacy, and delivering tangible benefits through smart algorithms and machine learning, businesses can position themselves for success. The key is to approach all development decisions with a user-centric mindset, focusing on how technologies can solve problems, streamline processes, and create meaningful benefits for your target audience. In other words, always prioritize creating value for your users. Further Reading & Resources Gartner: Learn To Build an AI Strategy for Your Business Apple: Machine Learning Research InspiringApps & Brain+Trust: AI & Data Privacy Webinar Recap