How did I survive before that app?

A question that was on my mind as well as the group I was with while we were discussing how to get across town. We were talking about Uber, which has quickly made its way into our everyday lives. So much so, that we now can’t imagine our lives without it. Uber has created a flexibility in the way we travel – it’s almost completely taken the thought out of how we get around. Because no matter where we are, we know that within five minutes (maybe ten if it’s a busy night!), we can have a driver arrive at our location at the tap of an app. And in our case, our ride was ready to take us to the next destination by the time we walked out the door.

What is it about Uber and other extremely successful apps that lead us to embrace them so quickly? What special “it” factor do these apps have that lead to such high usability? There are three factors I believe to be key in the popularity of these apps:

1. It Does the Thinking For You

The beauty of a great app is that it does the thinking for you. Your time is precious – why waste it planning your trip more than you need to? Whether it be a ride on demand, route planning, etc., it takes the thought out of your travel plans. This allows you to enjoy the journey as well as the ultimate destination.

2. Creates a Solution

The reason I say that groundbreaking apps create a solution rather than just solve a problem is because it does so before you (the user) even realized there was a problem. Like Henry Ford famously said about making a car, “If I had asked people what they wanted, they would have said faster horses.” With the example of Uber, taking cabs had never been a “problem” per se, but Uber provided a solution that delivered convenience and flexibility to travelers like never before.

3. A Noun Becomes a Verb

Remember the first time you used Uber (or another app) as a verb? When an app is so applicable to your everyday life that it is no longer a noun and becomes a verb, you know that this technology is something special. “Let me Google this,” or “Let’s Uber across town” are primary examples. Not only is this technology a part of your daily routine, but it’s a part of your vocabulary.

Groundbreaking apps don’t come along everyday, but when they do, it’s very likely that these three factors play a part in its success.

Do you think other factors go into the success of these type of apps? Let us know!