Build as little as possible to start.

If you build a massive app with 300 features, then your users may be stuck using what you’ve given them. However, if you launch your app or new feature with the bare minimum, then your users will use what you’ve given them and tell you what direction to go to make improvements. A great analogy brought up by Daniel Burka of digg is the story of an MIT architect. This architect built a building and instead of sidewalks outside it they just covered everything in grass. Then they came back a year later and got on the roof. They took a picture of all the wear and tear on the grass made by the foot paths of all the people going to and from the building and covered them with cement to make the sidewalks. Let your users pick the direction of your app.

The future of web applications is people.

This was a point brought up many times by multiple speakers. It revolves around the idea that we’ve started and built the web first, then we added people. We are going to focus greater attention on how to build the web more around people and less around technology. Facebook Connect is a huge example that seemed to be everywhere at fowa, including a presentation by Dave Morin on the topic. Facebook Connect is just an example of the broader concept – if you build an app that brings about a lot of new tools and tech for users than you need to learn how to make those tools and tech revolve around people, not their function. Build your apps around people, not just good function.

Be a skeptic.

Don’t ever think that because this tip helped person A it’s going to help you. Don’t listen to how this new tool coming out can really help person B and assume it can help you. Really, really think about the hundreds of tiny factors that made it work for them. Through that search you’ll find out what might work for you and you’ll see it’s nearly always somewhat different. Moral of the story, facebook connect is awesome but I don’t care (though lots of other people probably do). Atlas from 280 north brought a tear to my eye it’s so good, but I don’t think it’s going to work out for me as well as he made it seem it would. Percentage coupons work for 37signals but why on earth should I think it will give me the same results? Be careful of anecdotal tips, find out what works for you.

Twitter, WTF?

Seriously it’s gotten out of control. When I heard, “for the first time ever you can tweet to space” I thought, really? Is that surprising? Is twitter that old that we really view that as a breakthrough? I heard twitter said at fowa as much as I used to hear “web 2.0″ thrown around. Don’t get us wrong, we’re not knocking it. We even have our own twitter page to prove it.  However, we did see 10+ people within twelve feet of us using twitter at once (in fact, we started tweeting just to see how many screens we could see our tweet on). Google is not the Internet. Neither is twitter- and don’t forget that.

Recognize the value of what you are creating.

One of the first things mentioned at the conference by the opening speaker Jason Fried (of 37signals) was that web developers need to start charging more. Many of us feel that we have to develop an awesome web app and provide it for free to get anyone to even pay attention. Jason argued that it hurts the industry. Rather than succumb to this temptation, we need to develop sustainable business models. If we create something that is truly of value, there is nothing wrong in charging a fair price for that value. Free is dying, start making money.

Give people a reason to love you.

Consumers have more power than ever before. Not only do they have a growing number of choices, they have more information (and more potential influence over others) than in the past. If people are going to stick with you, they have to have a good reason to. And this comes back to truly caring about your customers. As Gary Vaynerchuk put so eloquently, “You want a marketing strategy? CARE!!!”

Design matters. A lot.

I tend to be a functionality guy. But the importance of compelling design was a theme that ran consistently throughout the conference. Delicious Library was offered as a telling example; this program made millions by taking something that could already be done (making a catalog with Excel) and giving it an attractive and fun interface. Even though functionality is important, at the end of the day we enjoy using things that are well-designed. Make your apps fun to use and good to look at, people lust for movie stars, not old fat balding men.

Overall Future of Web Apps Miami 09 was an excellent experience and we wouldn’t hesitate for a second to go back again. Great job to all the folks at Carsonified.