1,520 m field notes
Short, practical guidance we find ourselves repeating. Free to use, no sign-up, no tracking. Filter by topic or search for a word.
planning
Before talking to any supplier, write one page: who the product is for, the three things they must be able to do, what “launched” means, your rough budget and any fixed dates. It will save hours in every conversation that follows.
planning
Ask whether users need offline use, device hardware, push notifications on iPhone or a store presence. If not, a fast responsive web app may reach more people for less money and avoids store review.
planning
Look for a range rather than a single number, a list of assumptions, what is excluded and how changes are handled. A suspiciously precise figure for vague scope is a warning sign, not a comfort.
design
Small usability tests reveal most of the serious problems. Give each person a realistic task, keep quiet while they try it, and note where they hesitate. Fix the biggest issue, then test again.
design
Every screen has at least four states. Designing only the “full” version leaves developers to improvise the rest, which is where interfaces start to feel unfinished.
accessibility
Unplug your mouse. Press Tab through your homepage and a key form. Can you see where focus is? Can you reach and operate everything? Can you escape menus and dialogs? Note every failure.
accessibility
Describe what the image contributes in context, not every visual detail. Decorative images should have empty alt text so screen readers skip them.
stores
Provide a working demo account, explain any feature that is hard to reach, make sure every link in the app works and that your privacy details match the app’s real behaviour.
stores
Use internal testing for your own team, closed testing for invited users and open testing for wider feedback. New personal developer accounts may face extra testing requirements before production access, so plan time for it.
support
What you did, what you expected, what happened instead, when it happened, which device or browser you were using and whether it happens every time. A screenshot helps more than a long description.
support
Turn on auto-renew, make sure the billing card is current, and use a shared role mailbox for registrar notices rather than one person’s inbox.
support
SPF, DKIM and DMARC records help receiving servers trust mail from your domain. Check they exist and are correct before sending important email from a new domain.
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