Don’t Kill your App Before Launch- Top 7 App Development Mistakes

App Development Mistakes

When it comes to mobile app development, perfection demands time, effort and budget.

App development blunders are common all over the globe, the trick is to effectively evade the deadliest mistakes that can destroy your app.

The global number of app downloads will surpass 250 billion in 2022, yet only a mere 0.6% of total apps have reached over 1m downloads.

global number of app downloads

There are many reasons why users uninstall a mobile app and bounce off to one of the many alternatives in this digitally competitive era.

mobile app

As a leading app development agency in London, we know the impact of such app development mistakes. That’s why our experts have compiled the top 7 mistakes to avoid while developing an app.

This article digs deeper and answers the following:

  • What are the challenges of developing an app?
  • What should be avoided when developing a platform-specific mobile app?
  • What are some of the mobile app development mistakes to avoid?
  • What are the top 7 mistakes to avoid while developing an app?

Let’s begin…

Communication Crafts is a trusted App Development Agency in London, UK that offers end-to-end app development solutions as well as rigorously vetted Remote App Developers for Hire. We’re a reliable remote partner that helps you achieve your goals with a potent blend of technology, innovation, and seamless collaboration.

Mobile App Development Mistakes to AVOID

Let’s discuss the top 7 app development mistakes in detail:

Have a look!

MISTAKE-1: Not Identifying the Use-Case for your App

Developing an app without considering the use case is like serving food at a restaurant before receiving the guest’s order.
This should be the first step of your app development process. If you don’t take the time to identify the needs and problems of your audience, the vision for your mobile app gets blurry.

Ask yourself- “What problems do my app solve for my users?”

This is one of the app development mistakes that can be solved by simply conducting extensive research and analysis. Explore and understand what your mobile app needs to fulfil. When you’re getting into a project that is going to consume a lot of time and money, it is highly recommended to take it slow.

  • Does the app offer any products or services?
  • Is it just for engaging with your audience?
  • Does it simplify daily businesses operations?
  • WHAT IS IT FOR?

Answer the aforementioned questions by conducting market research- Firstly, analyse your competitors to find out what they’re doing. Check if your competitors already have a mobile app and the main purpose of it. Secondly, research and survey your target audience. Learn what they’re looking for and identify specific problems that can be solved with a mobile app.

Using precise data and insights as the foundation leads to a mobile app that drives customer acquisition and retention easily. Also, identifying the use of your mobile app helps you create a plan for a unique value proposition.

From research to deployment, follow each step carefully for a successful app development process.

MISTAKE-2: Cluttering your App with Too Many Features

When people think of developing a “feature-rich app”, they often think of overloading the app with as many features as possible, which is one of the biggest mobile app development mistakes.

A “feature-rich app” should be planned, designed and developed in a way that includes just the features needed for fulfilling the app’s purpose.
Adding too many features confuses your users instead of solving their problems, subsequently increasing the bounce rate of your app. Moreover, unnecessary features make your app slower and bulkier.

Focussing only on the main features and a few supporting features not only makes your app easier to understand and navigate, but also makes your app more appealing to users.

A decluttered UI is the key to success in mobile app development.

For instance, The only features to prioritize in an eCommerce mobile app would be

  1. Product Browsing
  2. AI-Powered Personalized Suggestions
  3. Shopping Cart Management
  4. Location Detection
  5. Payment Gateways
  6. Order Tracking
  7. Help & Support

These 7 features should be enough to deliver satisfying online retail experiences through your mobile app.

When it comes to mobile apps, consumers love a minimalistic approach.

mobile apps

MISTAKE-3: Choosing an Agency without Adequate Research

Oftentimes, business owners get confused and lost in the jungle of remote developers. This is one of the mobile app development mistakes that leads to wrong decisions and futile expenditures.

The perfect fit for your project is out there, outsourcing app development requires a systematic approach.

Finding the ideal talent or outsourcing agency for your app development goals may seem like a daunting task, but it gets simpler if you make a carefully thought-out checklist for the selection process.

Here are a few questions to consider to avoid this mobile app development mistake and Hire Top App Developers:

  • Does the agency align with your app development needs and goals?
  • Does the agency have rich experience in similar projects?
  • Does the agency have expertise in the latest technologies?
  • Does the agency exhibit a transparent development process?
  • Does the agency have creative mobile app UI/UX, designers?
  • Does the agency have a high rating and positive client reviews on clutch. co?
  • Does the agency provide utmost confidentiality with NDA agreements?
  • Does the agency offer end-to-end solutions- design to deployment?
  • Does the agency have any major accolades or global benchmarks?

Use this checklist of questions to thoroughly understand the outsourcing agencies. Shortlist the ones that align with your project needs and cross out the rest.

MISTAKE-4: Subpar UI/UX Designing

We might get so caught up in the development of an app that we lose sight of how it will be used. Neglecting an app’s user interface is a costly mistake.

42% of users uninstall a mobile app because of a bad UI/UX design.

When someone opens an app, they have certain expectations. Check out the top apps around the world as examples to follow.

All these apps offer easy-to-use navigation, a search option, a beautiful UI design, a clear hierarchy in landing pages, a home button that can be accessed from any part of the app, and many other impressive features.

A bad UI/UX can harm your app’s chances in a variety of ways, including:

  • The mobile app takes an excessive amount of time to load. The longer it takes for your app pages to load, the more users bounce off your app.
  • Your UI design is boring and unimaginative. Users will be more likely to stick around if the app design is appealing, uncluttered, and easy to use.
  • Poor navigation confuses your users, making them click and scroll more times than needed to find what they are looking for.

Other avoidable components of bad UI/UX designing are low-quality content and inessential login pages.

A user-centric design is the most important aspect of successful UI and UX. User feedback is essential for success even after you’ve designed and implemented a UX design for the app.

The most common customer preference isn’t usually the most technically sound solution. In the end, the objective should always be to maintain a profit-oriented balance.

MISTAKE-5: Faulty Budget Estimation Before Development

One of the most common mobile app development mistakes that every business owner has to deal with- Going over budget.
There have been a few major causes behind this:

  • Erroneous budget estimation
  • Improper phase-wise budget planning
  • Unexpected expenses & hidden costs

Overcome this app development mistake by creating an expense plan from the very beginning of the app development project.
Here are a few tools that you can use to estimate the budget:

  • Cleveroad
  • Digitalya
  • Oozou
  • Inoxoft

How much to make an app?

You can use these tools to create a rough idea of how much your app may cost, but this is not a complete solution. You need to plan for various unexpected and hidden costs. Without a budget contingency plan, you won’t be able to add more features than you initially planned. For example- Integrating modern technologies like AI, AR and VR are much more expensive than regular app features.

Set a realistic budget estimation by planning the expenses for each phase of development.

You must plan the budget for the long run. The two types of costs that you should plan for post-development:
Marketing Costs: Every newly launched mobile app needs paid promotions and content creation for customer acquisition and retention.

Maintenance: The ongoing costs for maintenance and updates are pivotal for the long-term success of a mobile app.

There can’t be a definite way of budget estimation for such a complex and multifaceted process. But the answer becomes a little less blurry with in-depth research and analysis.

MISTAKE-6: Insufficient Communication During Development

Inefficient communication during the development process is to blame for most mobile app failures.

While most people seem to agree that excellent communication is critical during a project, just a tiny minority of people believe their company is doing so.

This is true for every project, but when it comes to something as complex and vital as mobile app development, the stakes are even higher.

The key to avoiding this blunder is to put communication first from the start. Communication is an essential component of any successful app development project, just as it is in any other business endeavor.

Getting developers to grasp the big picture of your software may seem impossible, but it’s one you must take on.

How well you perform can have a significant impact on the outcomes.

When communicating with developers, the best way is to leave no details unanswered and to avoid making assumptions.

When it comes to a completely new piece of software, full documentation with all of the relevant pictures is essential. Your app’s documentation should include a synopsis (a brief summary of what it does), a detailed feature list, and an app wireframe. In most circumstances, a professional developer will expect you to provide these items.

In exchange, the developer or agency will provide feedback and generate a project price.

During this initial talk, you will gain insight into the developer’s communication method and will be able to determine whether it is ideal for you.

MISTAKE-7: Inadequate Testing After Development

All of your efforts invested in the app- research, designing, coding, go to waste if you deploy the app without proper testing. The app may end up in an endless cycle of improvements or it may stop functioning altogether, damaging your brand’s reputation in the process.

Quality control through rigorous testing is indispensable and still, inadequate testing is one of the most overlooked app development mistakes.

Generally, developers test their apps by getting them checked by another developer. Although it may work well as a peer review, it is still not enough.

You need a dedicated team of quality assurance and app testers to conduct rigorous testing in multiple aspects of a mobile application:

app testers

How to test your mobile app effectively?

  1. Schedule enough time and allot enough budget for app testing
  2. Plan and define your testing procedure
  3. Use templates to create test case documentation
  4. Get the right tools and software to execute testing
  5. Individually test each aspect with a quality assurance team

There are many other strategies for successful testing, and you may form your own strategies as well. But the main objective of app testing should include identifying and eradicating all types of errors/glitches/bugs/vulnerabilities before app deployment.

In this competitive market, it is essential to launch a flawless mobile app to stop users from bouncing off to a competitor’s app.

Your brand’s personality, likability, and reputation are dependent on the quality of your digital platforms. A properly tested bug-free mobile app facilitates positive brand growth, subsequently increasing sales and ROI.

In a nutshell

App development is a burdensome task that takes place over a long period. It is always a possibility that developers can make mistakes along the way, jeopardizing the app’s success.

Some of the top mobile app development mistakes to avoid include a lack of understanding of consumers’ demands, cluttering the app with too many features, inadequate app testing, and many more.

We’ve identified and explored the top 7 mistakes to avoid while developing an app in this article. We hope that this comprehensive list helps to position your mobile app for success.

If you have further questions regarding mobile app development, feel free to contact us.

Communication Crafts offers a wide range of app development services that include mobile commerce development, Android app development, iOS app development, cross-platform app development, UI/UX design, app maintenance/support, and much more.

Get in touch with our highly skilled remote mobile app developers today.

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Frequently Asked Questions [FAQs]

1. What are the challenges of developing an app?

– Here are some of the most common challenges of developing an app:

  1. Wrong assessing and development approach
  2. Compatibility issues with different platforms
  3. Following standard design & lack of innovation
  4. Insufficient budget to sustain the whole process
  5. Hiring efficient developers from subpar agencies
  6. Issues regarding cybersecurity and data leaks
  7. Lack of resources and platforms

2. What are the most common app development mistakes?

– Here are some of the most common mistakes to avoid while developing an app:

  1. Not Identifying the Use-Case for your App
  2. Cluttering your App with Too Many Features
  3. Choosing an Agency without Adequate Research
  4. Subpar UI/UX Designing
  5. Faulty Budget Estimation Before Development
  6. Insufficient Communication During Development
  7. Inadequate Testing After Development

3. How to avoid app development mistakes?

  • All of the mobile app development mistakes to avoid can be evaded with good research and strategic development. Study your target audience and learn what they need to define the purpose of your app. Study your competitors and learn what makes their apps unique. Rigorous research will help you get a clear vision for your app, and a systematic phase-by-phase development will help you pay attention to detail throughout the whole process.
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