Match Official Developer App - your input please

[crossref]

going back to the app - I would certainly be interested in using an app to watch.

I have concerns over using a tablet in wet weather......


I think a big attraction to me would be to dictate comments directly to the app, so that they are completely linked to the game time,

This would be a real win, as writing notes on paper means taking your eye off the match (and having to type notes into the tablet would be even worse)


I am wondering about sticking to paper, but simultaneously dictating notes to Google Recorder (which automatically transcribes them) but talking to the app would be even better, if its possible?

£20 pa is evidently too expensive if it's driving the society to buy hardware to reduce the number of licences needed.

I wonder if the company would agree a price per game so that everyone in the society could install the app and try it out, but only the people using it pay for it. (The price could be capped at £20 per season for people using it all the time) .. Practice games (say up to 20 mins) would be free) Lots of variations are possible around this theme! There are many competing apps, the race is to get your product installed on as many devices as possible, to get critical mass.

[Flish]

Interesting comments, I’m in the early stages of a generic Apple Watch referees app that will also work as a phone / tablet app, it will also have a pro mode where dictation and timeline export would be features amongst others, intended use being refs and coaches / dedicate d fans wanting to record such events - not sure it would go to the lengths that an assessor would need, but maybe.

My intention was subscription pricing, so you could cancel in the down season etc so effectively pay as you use.

[crossref]

Interesting comments, I’m in the early stages of a generic Apple Watch referees app that will also work as a phone / tablet app, it will also have a pro mode where dictation and timeline export would be features amongst others, intended use being refs and coaches / dedicate d fans wanting to record such events - not sure it would go to the lengths that an assessor would need, but maybe.

My intention was subscription pricing, so you could cancel in the down season etc so effectively pay as you use.

Who is your customer, the individual or the society?

If it's the society I think you want a structure that gets your app on everyone's device, before a competitors app does.

If you are selling to individual refs - everyone hates a subscription don't they? Perhaps a trial version they can test for free, then just sell the app for one-off price to begin with and next season sell them updated version with new features (and eventually switch to subscription)


It's an interesting market. I'm a technophile and

a watching app appeals to me - but
- I think I'd want something that I could use on my phone, I don't think I'd want to have to buy/borrow a tablet. that's a faff
- As I said above, I see a lot of potential for voice control, so I speak into it, rather than touch buttons. Why not have voice as the main interface. It's a lot easier to say PK Red Number 3, Holding On, than it would be to find those buttons (or update my paper chart).

a reffing app doesn't appeal to me so much.
- seems to me it has to be using a watch , I'mnot going to get a phone out of my pocket
- watches are very fiddly, on the move, and what if it's wet?
- I wouldn't be able to see my watch without my reading glasses on :-(

[crossref]

Also if we go ahead we would purchase some Android tablets to install the App onto. That way they can be passed around if a watcher is on holiday (which you can't easily do if it's installed on their personal device), or loaned out to refs who are injured to do a few games. The Android tablets can be bought for less than £100 each.

another thing that occurs to me : is the app very customisable, so that each user can configure how they like it? Different screens, differetn options, layouts? That would mitigate against sharing hardware from user to user as it would arrive with the last user's set up.

[Flish]

For this app, individual ref / coach (A society targeted version could be done but would be a different product and rugby specific), all functions would be on watch / phone. A society based app would have more detail, eg player no, penalty detail (hand in ruck etc) which you couldn’t do on a watch whilst running a game - dictation could cover you for notes you need after, eg red card.

This initial app *could* be one off purchase, but that means I have to restrict the feature set and not include anything server side, subscriptions guarantee ongoing revenue for active users so covers server costs, one-off purchases potentially do not so neither is a perfect model.

[crossref]

For this app, individual ref / coach (A society targeted version could be done but would be a different product and rugby specific), all functions would be on watch / phone. A society based app would have more detail, eg player no, penalty detail (hand in ruck etc) which you couldn’t do on a watch whilst running a game - dictation could cover you for notes you need after, eg red card.

This initial app *could* be one off purchase, but that means I have to restrict the feature set and not include anything server side, subscriptions guarantee ongoing revenue for active users so covers server costs, one-off purchases potentially do not so neither is a perfect model.

agreed. It's tricky.

but as a start up, in a market where there is no incumbent, isn't the battle won by the app that gets the most installs?
then monetise afterwards.

So perhaps a product aimed a Society might be a good strategy, as could have scores of users over night.
This is why I am thinking of investigating possibility of a price-per-game policy. A society is not going to buy 100 licenses as perhaps 95 of them would be wasted. But if the cost is per game, it's different. Nothing is wasted then


Any way - good luck !

[Flish]

This is why the initial app is a generic referees watch / phone app, all sports, customisable and generic and free to all - with the possible monetisation plan, maximum audience, maximum feedback, maximum learning for me and 90% of the code base.

An assessors / society / rugby app would be based on the core of above (recording a timeline of events, score, penalty, any other) but very rugby specific, more detail (so, penalty against blue - then shirt number, penalty detail etc, etc), and data output, reports, match history, cloud sync, multi user and certainly monetised and marketed differently.

That’s the plan, but with day job, consultancy work, oh, and rugby I don’t have a lot of time - but at least code exists and it’s started.

[Phil E]

For those of you who might be interested this is part of my report on the Match Official Developer's App.

Sports Official Solutions Match Official Developers App

I have vigorously tested the application over a weekend of European rugby contriving to break it and expose any weaknesses. This also served as a learning curve for me using it as a watcher (albeit in the comfort of my own living room). I found a few bugs that cropped up in very unusual and exceptional circumstances, none of which were match affecting and all of which have been quickly and efficiently fixed.

The App has two versions that you set at the beginning. Detailed and Standard.

· Detailed enables you to record penalties by type and offence, as well as recoding colour, number and field location. This can all be done very quickly and easily, and during my trial I didn’t miss anything on the field while entering data.
o Example: Penalty Stafford – 8 Tackle Holding on (plus field location diagram)

· Standard is more suitable for lower-level referees (maybe 9 or 10 and below) and records just the penalty numbers by breakdown type.
o Example Penalty Stafford – Tackle

Referee attributes all correspond to RFU Form 2/3 attributes and have some shortcut buttons or can be accompanied by text.
Scores, cards, errors, none decisions, 2nd offence pickups, interchanges, scrums, resets, etc can all be recorded.

At the end of the match an email is sent to the watcher (not directly to the referee) with all the data collected. Stats are added up and summarised exactly as required to complete the RFU forms, complete with a timeline. You can also (and should be encouraged to) take screen shots of the field position map for offences and any diagrams you have made. These are all saved to the photos on the device with one button push. You can then compile your report as normal, but without the hours of defining offences, adding them up, looking for trends, etc. The only thing the App doesn’t do for you (and shouldn’t) is complete the narrative text for the RFU forms.

I have also had conversations with some watchers from who have been using the App for a couple of seasons and their observations were as follows:

· The device crashed once in two years. User was able to restart and recover data easily, then continue.
· The Speech to text function is hard to use in windy conditions, but manual text entry is quick and easy so not a problem. Incidentally, this is the only function that requires an internet connection, everything else can be recorded offline and then just needs an internet connection to send the email.
· They always use the detailed view which records number and colour of offenders, this is a competency for referees.
· The touch screen can be slightly temperamental when wet so using the device inside a waterproof clipboard would be good when wet. This is no different to paper and pens.
· The users I spoke to said they would never go back to a paper and pen.
· After a match he goes through the screen with the referee as its very easy to identify trends.
· It now takes him around 15-30 minutes to complete a report instead of 2 or 3 hours.
· He then sends the report along with the penalty map (and timeline if requested).

I would recommend purchasing (subject to funds) tablet devices to use the app with. This would ensure that we could pass them round to referees who are injured and want to do some watching, as well as issue them to our normal watchers who want to use the app. If the app were installed on a person’s personal device it would be difficult to move to another person if someone were ill or on holiday.

I don’t believe we should force our current watchers to use this App if they don’t want to, but we should make it available to them if they want to try it, the use of technology would make it easier for casual watchers to record data and would be appealing to younger and more tech savvy members.

As a follow up I have just got off the phone with an ex Chairman of Berkshire who uses it mainly in the referee coach role. This is a use we hadn't considered.

His experience with the App pretty much goes along with what others have said.
Used for two years, mainly in a referee coaching role.
Takes about 1 to 1.5 games to get used to it. Use on a couple of tv games first to get into the swing.
Once you get used to it, it's very easy to use, trends are easy to spot.
He doesn’t use the voice notes.
Smallest screen would be an iPad mini.
Never had a crash or loss of data.
In rain you need a screen cover.
Encourages conversation with coaches and referees if seen using it.

[crossref]

sounds really promising. I would like to have a go with that.

[Marc Wakeham]

For those of you who might be interested this is part of my report on the Match Official Developer's App.

Superb detail and matches my impressions.

Incidentally, I also have the ref watch and find that very good in trial situations. Can't wait for the chance to use it "in the middle of the park"