5 Things to Avoid While Developing your Next App

Creating the next big mobile app is the dream of any entrepreneur. But how do you ensure success? What are the best practices when it comes to app development and what problems should you anticipate throughout the process?

Here is a list of 5 things to avoid during app development. Steer clear of these mistakes and your app may just end up being the next big thing.

1. Avoid feature creep.

You want your mobile application to be the coolest new app on the market, loaded with tons of amazing features. Every person with an idea for an app starts with this idea. But what you need to focus on is the basic problem your app solves and how easily it does so.

This is called feature creep…when you start to focus and obsess about additional features rather than the original solution. The problem with adding a ton of features to start is that you will get bogged down in all the bells and whistles and forget the reason you created the app in the first place. This will lead to long delays and a very expensive development process.

Users are going to download your app specifically because it solves a problem. Don’t inundate them with a complicated and confusing UI.

2. Avoid crashing and burning.

You can have the greatest, most innovative app in the world, but if it doesn’t work properly, your concept is going to crash and burn.

The importance of incorporating QA testing from the very beginning stages of development cannot be emphasized enough. You should hire a dedicated QA team to handle all of your testings so that your developers can focus completely on building the product.

Do not fall into the trap of thinking you can do your own testing. This is a sure-fire way to end up with a flawed product that has a likely chance of crashing and burning.

3. Avoid tunnel vision.

Creating an app is like giving birth to a child. You go through months and months of development and it is the most important thing and the only thing you can think about in your life. You know that it is the most amazing, most beautiful, most perfect app ever created.

The reality is that it’s not. Not yet, anyway. You need to get a lot of input from outside sources including user groups, test groups, early adopters, etc. in order to gain a realistic view of the strengths and weaknesses of your app.

It can be tough to handle criticism when it comes to your baby, but if you really want it to be the best that it can be, be open to all types of feedback.

4. Avoid unnecessary expense.

There are several ways to avoid unnecessary expenses when developing a mobile app. One of the best ways to do this is to hire an outsourced team of developers.

Think about the immense amount of time involved in hiring full-time employees for your startup. At the beginning stages, the two things that are the tightest are time and money. You can find a team of developers that specialize in the exact type of programming language and UI design you need in one day by using an outsourced agency. This team can usually start immediately and you don’t have to worry about offer letters, orientation, expensive medical insurance and more.

The best thing about hiring an outsourced team? You only use them when needed and you can always scale the team up or down according to your financial and programming needs at any certain time. It’s one of the smartest ways to “do” development.

5. Avoid future bad reviews.

If you’re not thinking like your target user in every stage of development, you’re setting yourself up to fail.

Your ultimate goal is to have a huge fan base of users that love your app and are happy to write glowing reviews. A good idea during the early planning stages of development is to write the exact type of review you’d like to read about your app in the future. Put that review somewhere that you and your entire development team can see every day. That is the end goal you’re working towards.

Every decision you make during the development process should be based on the overall user experience.

In conclusion, the best way to avoid a lot of the pitfalls that come with mobile app development is, to begin with the end in mind and don’t skimp along the way. Visualize the success you want your app to achieve and then take careful steps to see that vision to fruition.

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