Product Development Strategy for Building Successful Mobile Applications

The procedures and actions used to introduce new items to the market or improve existing products to generate additional revenue are product development strategies. A product is created through a series of steps, beginning with the development of an idea and ending with the distribution of goods to customers. To be successful and generate revenue for a company, each step requires a plan. The importance of a product development strategy is that it uses market research to create a plan for product success. Your overall plan should include the strategies and procedures you'll use at each stage of product development. This can help you overcome obstacles and focus on the most effective strategies. Developing strategies for producing new items can also help you adapt existing products and expand your business.

Product Development Roadmap for App Developers

A product roadmap is a visual representation of the vision and strategy for your product. A product roadmap's primary goal is to link your product vision to your company's objectives and develop a strategy for achieving those objectives. A product roadmap can also be used to align internal stakeholders and improve communication with external stakeholders like end users.

1. Recognize the vision of your product.

Determine what you want to achieve with the new app first. Begin by responding to the questions below about your new product:

• What is the point of making this app?
• What do we hope to accomplish?
• Why will users find the app useful?
• Why are we working on this app right now?

At this point, there's no need to get into specifics or list all of the features you want to include. However, you should be able to establish the "why" before investing any time or money in your new product. As part of our development process, we take the time to talk about your ideas and where you want to go. We then move on to the scoping phase, where we help you outline your ideas so that we can have a clear picture of the app.

2. Develop a clear, customer-centric strategy.

By putting the end-user at the center of product development, you'll be able to see exactly what needs to be done to improve user experiences. Customer personas are a great way to put a face to your target audience and ensure that your app provides value to them and retains users over time.

3. The value of app features and how they work

If your app aligns with your company's goals, starting an MVP can help you gather useful information from users before you spend too much time and money building it. Keep in mind that MVPs are just the starting point for your final product, and they should only include the most important goals and features. Always start with the most important features because you may need critical client feedback that will change the order of your feature list. Creating a master list of all the features the final product should include is an important component of creating a product roadmap and establishing the MVP's key goals. The MoSCoW (Must, Should, Could, and Won't) strategy can assist you in determining which features to build first and developing a plan to do so.

4. Plan out your project's timeline.

Setting timeframes for your project will assist you in translating your strategic goal into actionable results. Having precise timetables for each stage of the project ensures that everyone is on the same page and that your finished app is ready when you want it.

5. Proposed initiatives and activities

It's now time to implement your roadmap's strategy. User stories, which are short, self-contained pieces of development work meant to achieve a specific goal within the app, are the most effective method. Rather than focusing on how to build a specific feature, think about what a user wants to accomplish with your program. After that, work the features into the plot. In agile development, a product roadmap has much shorter timelines and requires more frequent updates to keep up with changes. User stories are extremely small pieces of the overall product that allow for more efficient scheduling and collaboration. As a result, user stories are well suited to agile methodology's sprint periods.

6. Keep a running tally of your accomplishments.

Your project will stay on track if you keep track of your progress and the state of the app development process. Are you on track to meet your sprint development goals? Is the project still on track to be completed on time and on budget? Remember that having too many metrics can lead to confusion, so choose only actionable indicators relevant to your product roadmap's strategic direction.

7. Metrics and measurement

After your app has been released, you can evaluate its success using a variety of methods. The following are examples of measurable metrics:

• The total number of downloads for the app
• User feedback and testimonials
• Monthly income that is recurring
• Number of bugs reported by users, number of updates required, etc.

Using the metrics you've specified, examine how people interact with your app. Then, with each subsequent release, determine which features of your app require the most attention. Today, there are a variety of cloud-based road-mapping solutions that can help you speed up the process and make changes as needed. Two of our favorite project management software solutions are Roadmap Planner and ProductPlan.

Common Mistakes in Mobile App Development

Examine these common mobile app blunders before starting a new development project. Avoiding app development mistakes will save you time and increase the likelihood of a successful app.

1. Not doing enough research and due diligence.

I've learned from supervising app development that users are naturally impatient. They want to get right to work without first taking the necessary precautions. If you fit this description, I admire your drive. You should, however, take your time and do your research before moving forward. Taking the time now to choose the best platform and solution for app development will save you months, if not years, of frustration in the future. Don't rush into choosing an app-building tool because it could make or break your project's success.

2. Poor Budget Management

Another common developer blunder that I see on a daily basis is going over budget. There are a number of reasons for this, the most important of which are as follows:

• The budget was miscalculated from the start.
• Failure to plan for all aspects of the project.
• Unprecedented costs.

From the beginning, you must have a good idea of how much your app will cost. Using resources such as a mobile app cost calculator, you can get a precise estimate. However, initial development isn't the only thing that needs to be considered. Other considerations must be made when creating a budget. Any unexpected expenses that arise along the way should be factored into your budget.

3. Failing to Create an MVP

Another common blunder made by app developers is rushing into the final stages of development. An MVP (minimum viable product) will help you test and evaluate your app's performance. During the MVP stage of development, the app will only have the essential features. An MVP isn't a beta version of your app. This is yet another example of a common app blunder.

4. Poor User Interface/UX Design

We can get so wrapped up in the development process that we lose sight of how the software will be used. Taking the user interface of an app for granted is a costly mistake that must be avoided at all costs. A bad UI/UX design is one of the most common reasons for software uninstallation. People have certain expectations when they use an app for the first time. For example, follow the lead of the most successful and popular apps on the market today. These apps all have simple navigation, a search function, and a home menu that can be accessed from any screen. Developers sometimes try to be too creative with the user interface, which leads to a poor user experience.

5. Failing to Test Properly

I mentioned testing briefly when we were discussing MVPs. However, you must take your testing to the next level to have a successful mobile app. Testing is an ongoing procedure that must be completed at all stages of the development process. It will not only improve the user experience, but it will also be the only way to resolve any program flaws or difficulties.

6. Attempting to build for too many platforms

Depending on its goal, you may be tempted to make your app as widely available as possible. While this has benefits for mobile app marketing, it may cause problems during development. Developing iOS and Android apps will almost certainly quadruple your investment compared to building a traditional native mobile app. Both initiatives will be treated as separate development projects. If you've never built an app before, taking on two builds at once is a huge undertaking. Stick to one platform if you're developing a native app, rather than increasing your early development costs and launching something that's too big for you to handle.

7. Failure to Communicate During Development

A lack of communication causes most mobile app failures during the development process. While the majority of people believe that good communication is essential during a project, only a small percentage believe that their company does. This is true for any project, but the stakes are even higher when it comes to something as important as mobile app development. The only way to avoid this blunder is to put communication first from the start.

8. Collaboration with the Wrong Development Team

I've seen fantastic app concepts fail because the wrong person created them. This is an expensive mistake that should be avoided at all costs. Ironically, one of the reasons people choose the wrong development team is because they are price sensitive. They hope to save money by outsourcing development to a freelancer in another country for a fraction of the price of a US-based agency. The freelancer then stops responding, falls behind on their deadlines, or produces an app that doesn't meet your expectations. If you want to become an app reseller, the most important step is to choose the right development platform.

9. Failure to Plan for Updates is Mistake

It's a common misconception that development ends once an app is released. That isn't the case at all. Progress, in reality, never comes to a halt. There is no such thing as a perfect app, and you will have to make changes on a regular basis. At least once a month, approximately 30% of applications are updated. More than 80% of apps are upgraded every six months. These improvements must be planned for from the beginning. Updates will have an impact on your budget and whether or not you choose to work with one developer over another. Updates are required to improve the user experience, correct errors, and ensure device compatibility with the most recent operating software.  

Mobile App Development: Best practices

We discovered a number of critical best practices along the way that will be useful to anyone developing mobile applications.

1. Combine your practical and intuitive skills.

Reduce the amount of effort consumers must expend to get what they want. Organize information so that the least amount of activities are required to reach the goal. Break down large tasks into smaller, more manageable chunks. Acts of a secondary nature should be kept hidden.

2. Make user interfaces unobtrusive.

Make the content the interface, and get rid of anything that doesn't help the user with their tasks. Cards are an excellent way to present useful information. Keep the interface light and airy. Allow yourself some breathing room. Use white space to draw attention to a key text.

3. Clear the Clutter

Get rid of what you don't need. Clutter reduction improves comprehension, so in a mobile design, get rid of anything that isn't necessary. A good rule of thumb is to have one major action per screen. Login barriers should be avoided whenever possible. Instead of forcing early registration, collect data gradually.

4. The navigation should be straightforward but not difficult to locate.

Users should be encouraged to engage with and interact with the material through navigation. It should be done in a way that blends in with the app's structure rather than standing out. The navigation should be easy to find and use while taking up as little screen space as possible. Navigation should be able to meet the majority of app users' needs.

5. Constructed to be operated with just one hand

Screen sizes will continue to expand, and 85 percent of people use one hand to operate their phones. The larger the screen, the more difficult it is to access it. Put the top-level menu, commonly used controls, and popular action items in the green zone of the screen, where they'll be easy to reach with one thumb. To prevent users from accidentally tapping harmful activities, place them in the hard-to-reach red zone.

6. Appearance Is Important When It Comes To Speed

Users should not have to wait for information. Make the app as responsive and quick as possible. In order to keep the interaction predictable, it's critical to provide some form of feedback in response to every user action. Users can understand the outcomes of operations with the help of feedback, which acknowledges their actions. Due to a lack of feedback, they may wonder if an app has completed the activity. An app that provides visual feedback eliminates the need for the user to guess.

7. There have been no internet experiences.

In an app, don't try to recreate online experiences. Users expect specific interaction patterns and UI components in mobile apps. Maintain visual consistency in the color palette, font, and other design elements. Ensure that the user experience is consistent across all devices. It also boosts brand recognition. Rather than using highlighted links, use buttons. People should not be directed to a browser. This leads to a higher rate of abandonment and a lower conversion rate.

8. Include security and dependability from the beginning.

Please do not request a rating from a user the first time they use your app. Do not ask users to rate the app after they finish a task. Customers will be more likely to review your app and provide more detailed feedback if they become repeat users. Make sure your permission policies are clear and that your users have control over how their personal data is shared in a mobile app. To increase trustworthiness, display trustworthy security emblems, especially when people entrust your company with their personal and financial information.

9. Make the Experience Your Own

Personalization allows for a more unique and relevant experience for the user. Whenever possible, personalize the user experience by displaying relevant content and material in the app based on user data. A simple and effective way to personalize the experience is to include the user's name on the screen and in communications. Consumers should be directed away from irrelevant content and toward content that is relevant to them thanks to personalization. It can also assist in the removal of distractions.  

How Can We Help You Develop a Product Map for Your Business App?

At our company, we use a unique methodology and methods to help companies plan out their own product roadmaps in order to ensure a successful launch with a great app. Our friendly team of professionals will be with you every step of the way, from our initial sit-down meeting to the introduction of the final product. As part of our development process, we take the time to talk about your ideas and where you hope to end up. Following that, we go through a scoping process in which we help you lay out your ideas so that we can have a clear vision for the app. Get in touch with us right away to find out how we can help you turn your brilliant ideas into digital reality.  

Conclusion

Like any large project, developing an app can be challenging at times. Everyone, including myself, makes mistakes when developing mobile apps. However, if you know the most common developer blunders, you can completely avoid them. Whether you're developing an app on your own, trying to hire a developer, or interested in becoming a mobile app reseller, avoiding the mobile app development pitfalls in this book will save you time, money, resources, and aggravation in the long run. Will you keep making mistakes along the way? Probably. However, it will not be impossible to overcome. Mobirevo is a product development company in Port Harcourt, Nigeria, with experience creating rich web applications, including SaaS and PaaS, that have the same or broader capabilities as desktop applications. You can contact us today to get a free quote. Our team at Mobirevo strives to provide unrivaled services to all of our valued clients. You can also check out our case study page to see our client’s portfolio and better understand the quality of products we deliver. Also, contact us if you have any questions about our services, and we will get back to you as soon as possible. Want to receive more content like this? You can signup for our newsletter, which features curated opinions and product discovery tools for building remarkable digital assets. If you sign up for our weekly newsletter, you will be the first to know when we publish fantastic content like this. You can also visit our blog to see other content created with love by our amazing team.