Mobile IxD

Most mobile customers in the US do not have a service plan allowing unlimited data. Individuals with a data plan in the US and other countries may have accounts that allow only a certain amount of data per billing cycle or be on a pay-as-you-go plan.

On the other hand, you may be creating a product targeted at enterprise users, where the employer or government picks up the cost of providing their employees with mobile data service.

Be as sensitive to cost when designing the product as your users are
Conduct research to understand how much cost impacts usage
Remain cognizant that both product features and the details of the technical implementation can affect the cost
Do not push unwanted data to the device
Ensure the state of connectivity is clearly visible
Avoid automatic polling for content updates without user acknowledgement
If the communication protocol allows for it, bundle updates and other system-level commands and functionality in such a way as to reduce the overall number of data chunks being sent and received. If the protocol does not allow for it, consider using a different on or creating one that does – cost matters!
Use “look-ahead” data caching (e.g., downloading not only the current page but also the pages it links to) with caution, or at least enable it after user acknowledgement
Avoid or reduce the need to send or receive user interface elements, such as icons or backgrounds by including them as part of the product – the trade-off of product size vs. cost (and time spent by the user waiting) is typically worthwhile
When in doubt, error conservatively, and figure that cost is a major determinant of overall usage

dave@mobileixd.com