To attract mobile users, you need to create a user-friendly app that solves their current problems, makes their lives easier, or simply gives them joy. Before releasing your new mobile application solutions, it’s important to consider the challenges and obstacles that may arise during the development process.
How you deal with these obstacles can determine whether your mobile app will be a success or maybe it will disappear from the store shortly after launch. What are the main issues you need to solve for a successful app launch? What should you pay attention to when going through the mobile app development process? Let’s find out together.
Understand the scope of the project
Having a list of your needs for the app will also allow you to choose an enterprise mobile app development company later if you are looking for one.
- What should you focus on?
- What is your app idea and who are you targeting?
- What is your desired codebase and business model?
- How do you envision your users using the app?
- What goals do you want to achieve with your new app?
- What features would you like to include in your app?
- What is your current budget for mobile app development?
- How do you plan to promote your app after it’s released?
This may sound like a lot of thought and research, but trust us, it will save you a lot of time in the long run. Not only will it make it easier for you to decide if you should continue developing mobile apps, but it will also simplify the communication between you and the developers.
Code for multiple platforms
Choosing between a native code app and a cross-platform code app will also be an important decision to make. Native apps are faster, more stable, and support all the phone’s built-in features (such as the camera), while cross-platform apps are easier and faster to build and can help you reach a wider audience.
So which one should you choose for your mobile app development? A nifty way to find out is to check if your audience prefers one platform to another. If most of your future users use mobile operating systems like Android and iOS, then you should focus on building a digital product for that platform first, then adding support for the other platform. However, if they use both platforms or if you want to reach users on both platforms at the same time, you need to develop your app cross-platform.
Testing and debugging
So, before publishing your mobile app, you should perform extensive testing and debug it. From testing key app features to performance, compatibility, speed, usability, security, and working under load. The more time you spend testing the app in different conditions, the more likely you are to notice things not working as they should. Accurate testing can help your viable product reach development milestones and business goals faster, and tailor the app’s interface to the real needs of your users.
Working with users, testers, and developers
Whether you’re building a mobile app yourself, with a freelance mobile app developer, or hiring a mobile app development company, you need to make sure that all parties know exactly how the app will work and look. Otherwise, upon completion, you may discover that the app doesn’t work the way you expect or the design is completely different from what you discussed with the developer.
If only minor tweaks are needed that’s one thing, but what if you need to redo the entire app? It will take time and most likely additional resources to continue the mobile app development process. To avoid these kinds of misunderstandings, it’s a good idea to explain your ideas and expectations to the development team in detail – diagrams and sketches can be helpful here.
Maintain code quality over time
As you add new features or updates to your application, the amount of data contained in the application increases and it becomes difficult to keep the code clean and error-free. But leaving it “as is” is out of the question – everything from an application’s compatibility to its security and performance depends on its codebase.
One of the best ways to have high-quality code in your application is to use coding standards. Thanks to these, each developer will use the same coding style, which will improve both the consistency and readability of the application’s code. Ideally, your code should also be verified as soon as it is written.
Ensure security during development
To ensure that your application is as secure as possible, you should use as many methods as possible to secure your software application, such as implementing encryption for user data, encouraging your users to use multi-factor authentication, double-checking all third-party modules you want to use in your app, and securing all data transfers.
Troubleshoot data
Most of the applications that we use every day allow us to create an online profile and then access the service on any device that we use. Mobile users love this feature because it allows them to quickly switch between devices while using the app and have access to the same data. But to make this option available to your users, you need to add data connectivity and synchronization in your app, which comes with its own list of challenges.
Estimate how much you need for the app
The last (but not least) challenge on our list is budgeting for digital solutions like mobile apps. Since there may not be a similar mobile app, the cost of developing an app can vary greatly depending on its complexity, platform, type, and features to include. You should also remember that building a mobile platform is not a one-time investment.
After you launch it, you will still have to pay for regular maintenance, development environment, updates, security testing, mobility strategy, native features, marketing, and possible bug fixes.
With only vague information about your project and its requirements, app developers can only tell you how well the pricing and billing model works in their mobile app development services. This carries the risk that once the team understands the full scope of your project, the actual cost of your application project will be much higher.
The good news is that most of these problems can be avoided if you thoroughly research your audience’s expectations and continue to get feedback on how your app is performing.