Are you aware that fewer than .01 percent of all new apps released to the marketplace actually succeed? That's not very promising. However, you can significantly improve your chances of success, not just by learning how to improve your app development, but by studying carefully which
"gotchas" to avoid. Here are the top goofs that derail a promising app development project.
Failing to Use Real-World Beta Testing
The way developers test an app in development conditions is NOT the way real users stress it during actual use. Instead of having a team of developers sitting around playing with your app, release a beta version to a limited number of actual users, so that they can put it to the test under the crazy, surreal
conditions of actual use. Once the data on beta testing is in, your app developers should extrapolate what the test data will look like when thousands or even tens of thousands of users are working with the app at the same time.
Not Providing Adequate Documentation with the App
It's almost assumed that people will pick up on any app's features and functionalities intuitively. While this is true of many users, don't assume that all users are alike. More likely, if they can't figure out how your app developers did something, they'll just delete the app and go find another that is more user-friendly. Supplying some easy-to-find, straightforward documentation can prevent this. Supply users with a help button, a tutorial, a how-to video, or some way to learn how to use the app's features and functions.
Over-Engineering the App Development Project
Some app developers just. Can't. Stop. This doesn't always lead to better app development. It can lead to an overly-complex, too-complicated, over-worked app. Developing via the Agile development method can help considerably, but if developers keep tweaking long after the app is obviously finished, it can cause problems. Know when to just stop.
Neglecting to Enable the App to Stream Data Back to You
One of the most potent uses for apps is the data they can provide you about your customers. Without a tested, proven means for collecting, storing, and analyzing that data, it's all for naught. While your app developers are working on building features and capabilities into your app, make sure they're also building a smart
data collection and analytics platform to leverage that data effectively.
Avoid these gotchas to keep your app development moving in the right direction. To learn more about how to keep your app development on track and profitable,
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