We’ve all been there this pandemic: bored, looking for something to do, to get excited about. Well, according to WUSA9, one couple decided that the answer to their ennui was to create an app for discovering live music in Washington D.C. The couple, Nameer Rizvi and Naomi-Grace “NG” Panlaqui, are a long-distance couple. Riozvi lives in Virginia while Panlaqui lives in Washington D.C. The idea was not actually born during the pandemic. They thought of it during one of their date nights before the pandemic. They thought it was very annoying to have to search so many websites to discover live music in their area. What the pandemic gave them, though, was the free time to work on their idea.
The pandemic caused a massive disruption to social events. Bars and clubs and other live events spaces were forced to shut down, some, permanently. As the vaccination program is unrolled, many places in Washington D.C. have started to return to normal, but many live event spaces remain closed.
The couple work as web developers, so they had the skill set to develop an app to meet their needs. The couple launched the app as a web program in September of last year. The web app didn’t get many users. This was, it seems, because the ubiquity of mobile devices has made the mobile phone the best place to catch the attention of potential users. The shift to mobile has had a profound effect on business. To succeed, software must take a “mobile first” approach because the mobile phone is where potential users will likely first encounter an app.
Realizing this, the couple turned their software into a mobile app: D.C. Music Live. They had never done this but they felt like it was necessary to get traction. Mobile app development has just become so crucial that without a “mobile-first” approach, an app will fail. Though there were some challenges in making the shift to mobile app development, the luxury of using the same language on mobile and web platforms, made the shift easier.
Their app, designed with Javascript and React, has successfully made the transition to mobile. For instance, a post on Reddit on the app got hundreds of responses. Many of the respondents offered ideas on how the couple could improve the app. This is crucial in app development. User feedback helps developers zero in on the improvements that users want and which will enrich their customer experience.
One development that users wanted was for the app to allow for user accounts and the ability to save settings and past searches. The couple will also expand the app’s offering by allowing users to search for the best event spaces by genre.
As we said, many live event spaces remain closed. The couple believes that the success of the vaccination program will eventually lead to the reopening of live event spaces. The reality of human life is that we will eventually demand a return to shared spaces for the mutual enjoyment of music.
The couple is eager to share their app with the world and make it easier for users to access live music events. This service will be worth so much more when Washington D.C. reopens its live event spaces.
