Applications are now among the most basic things you should consider having if you run a startup. They are easy to create and they have huge benefits for the business. Apps are nevertheless not as straightforward to make as most people assume. You can easily ruin the user experience by adopting some measures that simply do not work.
App development thus requires a lot of consideration for everything to work well. There are some key mistakes that you should take note of if you want a great mobile app for your startup. Here are five of them.
1- Overlooking Usability
The user experience that an application has is important. Some of the issues that determine usability include:
- UI design
- UX design
- The supportive infrastructure
Overlooking the UI and UX design is a gross mistake that you should not make. UI design is the single-most crucial aspect of the app when it comes to attracting new users. Mobile app users are not only intrigued by the mechanisms an application uses to help them. Users also like to enjoy aesthetics while going about their business. A poorly designed application will barely garner enough users no matter how important it is.
2- Bloating the Application With too Many Features
Having an application is definitely an opportunity that you should be excited about. With such a huge potential being presented by technology, you should not pass on reaping the benefits. Regardless, you should aim at creating an application that is functional and as minimal as possible and has no common navigation app design mistakes. Too many features tend to confuse users. You should focus on designing an app that offers users functionality without overwhelming them.
3- Performing Vague Tests on the App
Mobile app testing is also a huge part of development. There are mobile app development and testing strategies that are widely accepted in the market today. It does not mean however that all of them are great for your app. You should investigate the kind of strategies that are good to use for your app testing and leave out those that do not work for your business. Among the many other tests, a thorough testing should include:
- Performance testing
- Security testing
- UI and network tests
- Device and platform tests
4- Lacking a Marketing Strategy
For most startups, the widely accepted reasoning is that the app development process starts with the first code and ends when the app is launched. This is however not the case. App development is a project that involves the preparation, development and post-development phases. The post-development phase involves things like app marketing and promotion. This phase is thus important for helping the app reach its purpose. You should not exclude a marketing strategy for your app.
5- Failing to have a follow-up plan
Finally, app development does not end with the successful launch of an app. It also continues over the run of the application in the market. Indeed, development is not just a one-time thing that is done and completed. Development also involves maintenance and future improvements. Development is a process that is continuous and dependent on how the application is performing in its user base. The existence of a follow-up plan is thus crucial for the long-term success of the application.
