Preparing to Develop an App
Preparing to develop your own app? App development has become big business. More people are looking to develop their own apps, but aren’t sure where to start. My firm offers both native app development and phone gap based app development, both options result in an app, but the main difference is the capability of each technology.
Most people I speak with regarding app development aren’t actually prepared to develop an app, and are confused by the options, costs and responsibilities involved with app development. The point of this article is to help prepare you to speak with a developer regarding your app project, so both you and the developer will be on the same page.
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The following app development tips are based from my experience with speaking with potential clients about app development. I may be blunt though; but being direct is the best way to ensure you really understand how to plan the development of your app and ensure the developer you’re speaking with is well informed and has enough information to provide you with an accurate quote to develop your app:
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App Development Tip #1: Know your App idea through and through
Ok, now it’s time to vent a bit! 7/10 people who contact us have no idea of what they want to develop. This is THE BIGGEST problem when contacting a developer, because app development costs are directly related to the functionality requirements. Every time I have spoken with someone who starts with “I have an idea for an app..” they really didn’t know what they wanted to develop, and the ideas were mostly copied from apps that were already developed. Unless you have an original idea, or a huge improvement to a current app, it’s best to leave what’s already out there, and has been developed and marketed, than to take a stab at ‘improving’ it without a firm plan of what exactly will be improve, and how it will benefit downloaders (and reap you big bucks in the process).
App Development Tip #2: Set a realistic budget for app development
9/10 people I speak with who are preparing to develop an app have no idea what app development costs. I have spoken with people (and I’m not joking) who had a budget of $100, when their app idea would have cost over $20,000 to develop. Now I understand that most people aren’t technical and don’t understand what’s involved in app development, but don’t look at the iTunes store or Google Play store and base your budget on apps that cost only $0.99. “How can app development be so expensive if people are selling their apps for $0.99 or free?!” is a regular question I am asked. Well, think of it this way: when you buy a program for your computer, you can expect to pay at least a couple of hundred dollars, right? That doesn’t mean it cost the company a couple of hundred dollars to develop. Still not clear? Ok, how about this: when you buy a movie, it costs about $25 for a blu ray, right? The movie costs tens of millions of dollars to make, and sometimes years, but you only paid $25 to buy, and own, a copy of it. The same thing applies to app development. The reason why most of them are so cheap is because the developer is aiming to sell thousands, if not millions, of copies of the app. That $0.99 really adds up with that kind of sales.
App Development Tip #3: Be careful of outsourcing your app development
App development is definitely cheaper in Asia and eastern Europe. Cheaper doesn’t always mean better though. I’ve spoken with several companies and people who first outsourced their app to Asia, paid a dirt cheap price to develop it, but then found they got what they paid for in the end. No technical support, huge delays and misunderstandings in the requirements and bugs galore. The problem with outsourcing is you don’t have the same control to oversee your app development, and are working with different standards than in the west. If you’re serious about developing an app, your best bet is to find a local developer who can come in and meet with you regularly, so you can be sure your app is being developed exactly the way you wanted, and does everything you need it to do.
App Development Tip #4: Start marketing your app before you start developing your app
Even though you may have a super cool idea for an app, and you know, you simply know it will generate millions in sales and facebook will want to buy you out next year for a bazillion dollars, if no one knows about your app, no one will buy it. Hundreds of apps, if not more, are released daily on the iTunes store and Google Play store, so your app is just one of many being released on any given day. Make sure your app gets noticed by setting up a simple one page site and letting people know what it’s about, but without giving away all the details, and let people sign up to receive updates or become a beta tester. This makes people interested in what you’re doing, and chances are you will have more people buying the app than if you didn’t market it at all. Make sure to create a facebook and twitter account for it, and keep everyone interested with updates and conversation to build interest.
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The above points are based on my experience in both app development, and working with clients during the discovery phase, development and deployment phases. The main thing (in my opinion) to sort out first is budget. I cannot stress this enough: app development is not cheap, and anyone offering you app development for a couple of hundred dollars, or 50% cheaper than all other developers, means there’s something wrong with the quote and/or understanding of the app functionality requirements. Prices vary, but usually only marginally.