Development mistakes happen to everybody, including the most accomplished, so don’t be discouraged by experiencing setbacks, the important thing is how you learn and move on from them.

But it’s true that some mistakes can be more costly than others, to both the app and the developer(s) making them a little harder to recover from, and whilst there are a million and one mistakes to avoid when developing an app, we hope that by sharing the most common pitfalls, it will help to minimise the impact; ensuring that your time and resources are well spent.

1. Improper Research

When passionate about an idea, it's natural to want to start creating immediately without making sure the correct foundations are in place, but before jumping straight in, ensure that thorough research has been carried out, especially in the following areas

• Marketing
• Usability Testing
• Data
• Competitors

Speeding through can be costly and although it may appear as “time saved” rushing the process may have the opposite effect, draining valuable time and resources.

2. Poor Budget Management

Proper allocation of funds can quickly determine the outcome and success of a project, so it's an area to commit extra care and ongoing attention.

In our experience, there are key reasons why this happens;

• Unrealistic budget estimates.
• Failure to allocate the right amount of funding
• Unexpected Costs

Building an app is a costly process and financial challenges can arise throughout the process, so naturally, it's important to have a pool of resources for when unexpected costs pop up.

This is where good project management and a great team of experts is a huge advantage, proper budgeting and guidance means that money is spent wisely and in the right areas... so far fewer headaches.

Remember to Budget For

• Development and QA
• UX and UI
• Business Analytics
• Project Management

3. Losing Focus and Going Adrift

Many developers tend to forget the original problem they were trying to solve and try to cram as many features into an app as possible, by doing this you risk the interface becoming cluttered and uncomfortable for the user.

The temptation to keep adding more can lead you down a technical rabbit hole, taking you further and further away from the original concept.

This can be a tricky spot and often confused with innovation, but remember to keep things simple and concentrate on the solution, especially when passion tries to run ahead of practicality.

4. User Accessibility

Making your app accessible, especially to your target audience is one of the most important things to do, failure to do so risks creating forgettable user experiences.

To avoid this make sure to pay close attention to the following areas;

Relatability, remember an app is intended to solve a problem or meet a need.

Is your app accessible for those who have disabilities or impairments, remember where possible, successful apps are inclusive for all.

Consider whether user expectations are met, and how seamless the path to solution is.

Ensure your app is compatible across devices & softwares, such as iPhone SE/iPhone 13 Pro Max. iPhone/ iPad/ Mac, OSes iOS 13/14/15 etc.

Catering for different users and showcasing the right features means that you're creating positive experiences and more importantly, happy user journeys.

5. App Marketing Stratergies

App Marketing is highly competitive and fast-paced, so what works today may not necessarily have the same impact tomorrow, so we advise focusing on the areas below;

• Data Research, app marketing relies heavily on data, testing and campaigns.
• Following app market research, release pre, post and soft launches of the app.
• App Store Optimisation helps with app discoverability and ensures your app ranks higher.
• Make sure to mention launches in forums, social media and via influencer collaborations.
• Conduct competitor market research ensuring to compare yourself with like for like, in both business size and industry.

We suggest creating a flexible marketing plan that accommodates current and potential market situations, consider the SMART principle and base your efforts around its concepts.

Specific goals

Measurable

Attainable

Relevant

Time based

See Setbacks as Gifts and Learnings in Disguise

There you have it, the common but critical mistakes to avoid when developing an app, choose to see mistakes as a lesson and part of the process of building something more powerful and impactful than you ever imagined.

Need an Extra Pair of Hands?

We’re happy to assist, our team of experts can help steer you away from any icebergs lurking in the mist.

Will you still make mistakes along the way? Most likely, but rest assured they won’t be insurmountable, especially when supported by the right team.

Working together, we ensure all mistakes are kept to an absolute minimum, whilst implementing fantastic practices to ensure that valuable resources are best placed for success.

Feel free to contact us we can help. In the meantime, keep up with what we are up to by following us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and to see what we're up to.