Do you know someone who never had to deal with the monster called
app development? Cavemen. All they had to do was to risk their life to provide for their families, hunt wild animals, and fend off predators.
I mean "ANYBODY" can do that!
But bring me, someone who can develop a modern-day app for mobile, no sir, THAT person is a true genius.
My boy caveman neanderthal has got nothing on app developers...
Yeah, if you hadn't noticed something, whatever I just said was a big fat lie. In fact, you know what, to call this a lie would be wrong, this is a goddamn delusion.
And today's topic is, obviously, the lies you as an app developer, say to yourself.
So, let's get started:
1: Imagine Your App Will Generate Millions Of Bucks
It breaks my heart kiddo, it really does. But I am going to be totally honest with you.
The chances that your app will generate a good amount of cash in a short amount of time is a pure delusion. If you are talking on behalf of a well-established
app development company then you might have a shot.
But as an Indie App Developer, this is not possible. You will have to work long hours, make sure to take care of your team AND your funds, and always be ready to work extra time during the crunch.
And the truth is, there is a huge possibility that your app won't turn a dime. There are too many factors that you cannot control such as what is the market trend for an app, what are your competitors doing etc.
Remember, you’re just an App developer, not a magician.
What Should You Do Instead?
LOOK AT YOUR BUDGET! Make a Realistic goal for your app. Yes, there is a chance that your app will generate a million dollars in the first year. But then it will be called an outlier.
2: Imagine That You Have A Great App Idea
Unless you have come up with an idea for an app that can grow cheeseburgers out of thin air like that movie "Cloudy with a chance of meatballs," then no, your idea isn’t original.
Here's something you need to hear. The world is full of idea thinkers. what the world needs, are IDEA MAKERS.
I don't know if that's a real word but you get my point, right?
Whatever you think is new, has happened before. This is not 2010 anymore where new apps were coming out of the blue. This is why it's so important to actually test your own idea and keep it flexible enough to change.
So, What Can You Do Instead?
There is a phrase called "Good writers create, but great writers steal!"
Yes, I know that this isn’t the correct phrase. Yes! I know you're an app developer and not a writer, but this works in the app development industry as well!
You need to look at what your competitors are doing well. Work hard on your research and make as many notes as you can. As we have mentioned before, always keep your idea flexible.
You never know when you might need to add something that can help your app achieve your goal.
3: You Don't Need To Do A Market Analysis
Here, hold my beer as I laugh myself into a coma. Say it with me, MARKET RESEARCH NEEDS TO BE DONE!
You're telling me that you worked so hard to develop an IDEA of an app, that you totally forgot to do the market research?
At this point, only some divine intervention can save you, my friend.
Here are some questions that you need to think about:
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Who's my ideal customer?
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What sort of app will my ideal customer like?
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What should be the design for my app to attract my ideal customer?
No, not MY customer dude, YOUR customer.
And by the way, this research should always be done before you initiate the development phase of your app.
Here's Why:
Let's say you want to develop a MOBA style mobile game. Well, there are over a dozen of these types of games, how will you stand out?
This is where the above-mentioned questions come in. You should ask yourself, "My target demographic is 16 years old guys who love anime."
Boom! You have found your target audience. Now you need to make sure that your MOBA game has the theme that attracts anime lovers, and the design that follows it.
This is a small example but this shows that by being clear, and by asking better questions, you at least have a better chance of arriving at a conclusion.
BONUS TIP:
Remember, functionality and user experience trump everything. If you're doing an ALPHA testing of your app, then you're not looking for a "Meh" response.
The response should always come as hard. It can also come hard both ways. In this case, some of your app features are mind-bogglingly amazing, while others are mind-numbingly bad.
In any case, you don't want basic criticism because then it will be far more difficult for you to improvise on your app.
Conclusion:
If there is one thing, you should know, it's that, there is no one solution to any problems in the app development world.
I can offer you that, but it will be nothing more than strapping a Band-Aid on a gunshot wound.
This is why we are always available to you on your journey. App development isn't easy at all. But it doesn't have to be difficult either.
So, what do you say? Are you ready to kick your problems to the curb?
We will see you next time.
