December 24, 2014
With so many applications available on the market, developing a successful app takes the right approach to meet the challenges ahead.
It’s important to know which apps don’t succeed, why certain ones appeal to consumers, and why proper application testing can help make all the difference.
Types of Applications That Don’t Succeed
If you want an app that differentiates itself from others and helps make your software company profitable, you should first make sure they don’t fall into these all too common traps.
Doesn’t Solve a Problem
Many of the best software apps out there solve a very clear problem for the user, which makes them indispensable. For most users, there are only 6 to 10 apps they use everyday. Is your app going to be one of them? Many software CEOs actually start developing an application around a problem they see in their own world, and then applying software to fix that problem. Try to do the same in your own development process and you may be on to something big.
An App that Isn’t Remarkable
All too often, software companies are developing an app that simply lacks the features to make it worth using. You need to approach development of an application with an eye to design interface, versatility, and the user experience in mind, which will all help make it stand out. There’s a sea of unremarkable apps out there, don’t let yours drown.
Too Similar to Competitors
Unfortunately, many software companies simply want to copy their competitors and quickly bring an app to market that offers nothing new. Although it’s useful to borrow the best ideas from your competitors, it’s also important to bring new features and services that can help make your software a must-have.
Doesn’t Communicate Overarching Purpose / Theme
While you want a software application that delivers a complete experience to the user, you want one that conveys its purpose in the first 15 to 30 seconds. Users want an app that quickly delivers its function and makes it's use apparent almost immediately. Try to simplify your theme and really hone in on what your app is supposed to do. Users will appreciate it, and it will even make developing the application an easier task in the end.
A Mobile Experience is Not the Same as Web Experience
Too many applications simply try to take a website and boil it down into a mobile app, but it’s important to realize that your application is not a website. It has different functionalities, has a different scope, and should offer a different user experience. You want to ensure that your mobile software delivers what a user on-the-go needs, and take advantage of a touch interface that can often be more intuitive for a user to interact with. You also want to make sure your design is specifically geared for multi-platform mobile devices, making it easy and quick to use no matter where your customer is accessing your app.
The Best Beta Testers Are Actual Users
When developing an application, one of the best ways to test it is to rely on its users. While you want to deliver a fully functional app, a lean design helps your bring your product to the market quicker, and then allows your user base to help you make your product even better from there.
Don't Test it Yourself
If you're only testing is done in-house, you’re setting yourself up for disaster. You need an outside perspective that can help you find flaws that you’re likely to miss simply because you and your team developed the app. Are your ads displayed in a way that gets in the way of the user experience? Is it user-friendly enough? These are problems that an outside eye can catch far better than you can.
Will it Meet the Users Expectations?
Users are the best test for your product, and they can let you know if it meets their expectations. The User Experience (UX) isn’t always easy to nail in the first go, but by using user feedback wisely, you can help build your product incrementally, and deliver something great over the long-term.
Following some of these tips can help you develop a truly useful and dynamic mobile app. Accelerance has experience with the best outsourced software development teams in the industry and around the world who can help you implement many of these strategies quickly and within budget, which is why software companies continually turn to us for their development needs.