It’s great to have ambitions – the thing is, do you really know what you’re getting yourself into? More apps sink than swim when they reach the market. By looking closely at your idea, from every angle, you can determine whether it’s got a real chance of success…
Reigning in your central appeal
First off, it helps to visualise your app as a physical specimen. We’d balk, for instance, if a t-shirt came with a can opener strapped to its back. The best concepts are those that have a strict vision of what they can do and how they’re used. Your app concept shouldn’t be stuffed to the brim with features that stray away from its core functionality.
Shazam is a really good example of this – it’s still based pretty much entirely on the big, round ‘listen’ icon, which recognises any music you’re overhearing. Tracks are then stored by name and artist. While tagging/sharing options have become available, the principle is the same: keeping tabs on the music you love. Whatever made your mind whir into gear, stick to it.
Scouting the competition
We’ve already alluded to the competitive stakes of app development, and that’s because there is untold potential for an awesome idea. However, there are countless people around the world who’ve come up with, or might to come up with, the exact same premise. Failing to conduct any research leaves your app open to failure, since the function may already be catered for by someone who’s had a head-start.
Saying that, we encourage you to experiment within your genre, as long as you don’t go overboard and forget the app’s point of origin. Topics like cooking, travel, night-life and fitness are so wide-ranging that you’ll be able to put your own twist on a common issue. The main danger is sinking your time and energy into an idea that’s already been done.
Conceptualising the interface
Presenting a solution in mind is the prerequisite of a solid app, yet the real work begins when its usability comes into focus. As mobile users want their experience to be convenient, characterful and touch-intuitive, your app must be distinctive enough to hit all of these points through the entire scope of its design.
That means the whole idea should be unified, with the actual ‘journey’ of the user at the forefront of your mind. Sketch some quick images for the various screens, to get a feel for how it might look and feel in the hands of a customer. These concepts might fall by the wayside when true development kicks off, but they’re useful for moving that idea out of your head and onto paper, where it can be seen for what it might really be.
Let’s just say you’ve done all of these things – found your niche, simplified it, and imagined a semblance of usability. This is where a development team like The Code Guy steps in, giving life to your idea. Birthing your app is all the more satisfying when we can feel your passion and understand your vision. Contact us for an app development partner that’s really done its homework on what this marketplace demands…