Field notes for app builders

Small apps.
Big questions.

A strange little utility. A stubborn user problem. A business hiding in plain sight. Pull up a chair.

The reading room 10

Growth & creative01

An active creative is evidence of a campaign, not a public receipt for its return on spend.

Growth & creative02

A six-part creative note makes competitor research easier to turn into an original experiment.

Growth & creative03

Make the first line interesting without making the product pay for an exaggerated promise.

Growth & creative04

Publisher names, agency pages and lookalike brands can turn a neat ad dataset into a misleading one.

Growth & creative05

A popular app video may reveal curiosity, entertainment or a buying problem. Find out which one.

Growth & creative06

You can make app research entertaining without making up the money.

Growth & creative07

A short product demo needs a recognizable problem, a real action and a result the viewer can understand.

Growth & creative08

Test one meaningful uncertainty at a time so a small experiment can teach you something.

Growth & creative09

Saved media, advertiser context and observation dates need maintenance if you want research to remain useful.

Growth & creative10

Several dashboards can repeat the same underlying observation. Count evidence, not logos.