Top 10 Mobile App Development Pitfalls

The App Market is an uncompromisingly competitive place. Apps come and go with much frequency which places much pressure on developers to get it right, everything perfect, in the very first launch itself. To ensure that the latter goal is realized, avoid these following app development pitfalls, and your mobile application shall be good to go.

1. Refrain from starting out without having a budget in place. From designing an app, to releasing and promoting it, money is required at every stage. Make a budget in advance and try hard to stick to it; over-spending and cost-cutting can both be very detrimental to the application’s success.

2. Being over-ambitious and developing for various platforms will get you nowhere; it is a costly, time-consuming process and the outcome is unpredictable. Instead, identify your primary audience and develop for the platform that caters to their needs.

3. Creating overly elaborate user-interfaces is a complete no-no. Most people prefer simple applications where navigation is intuitive and uncomplicated. Give users that, and your app is one step closer to going viral.

4. Do not try adding too many features to the application in the very beginning. Doing so often distracts and disillusions first-time users, who mostly prefer easy-to-understand-and-use applications. Only after a basic version with the core concept has been launched and response gathered should you consider developing additional functionality.

5. Often app developers’ end up undersized the ‘hit area’ of the user interface perhaps to accommodate more options and features. However, this usually causes the screen space to become cramped, with more precise touches being required for avoiding accidental hits. To the modern user who has no time to waste, adequately spaced big buttons are most valuable.

6. Avoid imitating the style particular to different OS versions. This often causes an application to be somewhat at odds with the platform its being run-on. It is then very important to follow the conventions and guidelines specific to the OS version you are working on.

7. An app cannot be successful if the developers are guilty of ignoring the diversity of devices that it shall run on. This leads to lack of detailing in the app design, causing problems such as a portrait user-interface on a landscape screen (or vice versa), touch-sensitive controls on type-only devices, so on and so forth.

8. Never make the mistake of dismissing off user reviews. Your audience is the final judge of your application and thus, pay heed to their feedback, whether positive or negative. Improve your app accordingly.

9. Many developers have a tendency of letting an app die. They do not improvise and update their application thus lessening incentive for people to use it regularly. Eventually, the app becomes boring to users and is invariably replaced by new, exciting apps.

10. Not marketing an application well can cause it to be a complete failure. It is imperative to promote the application and garner user attention once it has been launched. Thus, after designing the app, focus on creating a healthy buzz about it.