Development risks mobile app

‍

Underestimating the scope of a project leads to significant delays, with 66% of projects exceeding their original deadlines due to inaccurate estimates. At the start, the application may seem easy to implement, but as development progresses, additional components appear: the server side, the admin panel, service integrations, and push notifications. There are tasks that were not originally taken into account at the project planning stage.

‍

How to reduce risks: To avoid this, it is necessary to plan the work clearly and gradually. It is important to conduct a thorough assessment of the tasks at the start and divide them into stages to be completed. At this stage, you should determine the project architecture in advance and establish clear rules for interaction with the team. This will help you avoid misunderstandings and save time on refinements and improvements.

‍

More than 70% of mobile apps do not meet business goals due to uncertain tasks and goals, which leads to products that do not meet market needs. Without a clearly defined goal, the project runs the risk of becoming a useless product. If the app doesn't solve the problems of the target audience, users won't come back again.

How to reduce risks: At the initial stage of development, it is necessary to answer the main questions: what is the application being developed for? Who are our users? What user issues do you need to solve? This approach will help to more accurately understand the needs of the audience and build a business model and eliminate risks when developing a mobile application.

‍

One of the most effective analysis tools is CJM (Customer Journey Map), which visualizes the user's journey from first contact with the app to regular use. This tool helps to create a product that will be in demand on the market and will provide the desired result.

Risks at the design stage of a mobile application can be minimized by taking into account key aspects of user interaction in advance. This stage is not limited to thinking through the system's functionality — it is important to create a user-friendly interface that is intuitive and easy to use.

‍

Poorly designed apps have a 50% higher risk of being removed within the first 30 days.

‍

Ignoring these aspects can make the app difficult for users. The result is dissatisfaction and, as a result, loss of users.

‍

How to minimize risks: To avoid problems, use prototyping at all stages of design. Even the simplest layouts will help identify weaknesses and bugs that can be fixed before development begins. By testing prototypes on real users, you can customize the interface so that it is intuitive and convenient from the first launch. This minimizes the likelihood of problems at later stages of development and long-term management of the developed system.

We recommend preparing a project risk register when creating a mobile application. Describe in detail potential problems, their potential occurrence, and how to solve them. This will allow you to keep the project under control and prepare for unforeseen situations in advance.

Technical risks when creating a mobile application often do not appear at the beginning of development, but can play a decisive role in the success of the project. The wrong choice of technologies or technical stack can cause unpredictable problems, from loss of application stability to difficulties with scalability and support. This will inevitably lead to additional costs and slow down product development.

‍

How to minimize risks: Audit the project architecture early on. You must be sure that the technologies you choose meet current and future requirements and will allow you to scale the product as it grows. The involvement of experienced specialists such as a technical director (CTO) or a technical lead will help to identify and fix potential problems in a timely manner before they have a negative impact on the project.

The development team is one of the key factors determining the success of the project. Mistakes, such as choosing a team without competence, trying to save on specialists, or hiring freelancers without sufficient experience, increase risks when creating a mobile app and can lead to critical problems. There may be code crashes, late deadlines, or a team that suddenly disappears.

‍

How to minimize risks: Make sure the team has sufficient expertise.

Start by analyzing your portfolio, reviews, and recommendations. We recommend starting with MVP development to see if the team meets your expectations. Regular meetings and detailed discussions of tasks will help keep the process under control, keep abreast of progress and resolve emerging issues in a timely manner.

Errors in budget calculations and unforeseen expenses can lead to a project shutdown or a reduction in planned functionality. This is fraught with additional costs and delays.

How to minimize risks: Include additional provisions in the budget to cover unforeseen expenses. Financial planning with a reserve fund reduces the risk of project shutdown by 40%. We recommend fixing the cost at the MVP development stage in order to more accurately assess future costs, manage the budget and avoid financial surprises at the next stages.

Despite efforts, the project may not reach its target audience if the audience was not pre-formed and user retention was not envisaged. Such cases often end in a bad start and loss of investment. Without effective marketing, apps lose up to 90% of potential users because they don't appear in search results or don't attract attention.

‍

How to minimize risks: Develop a marketing strategy right away. In parallel with product development, actively work on attracting and retaining users. Research your target audience's preferences, test various strategies and hypotheses. Use promotion techniques like ASO to reach an audience early on and keep them engaged after the start. Investing in ASO increases search visibility by 60% and pays off in 2-3 months.

Legal security breaches, such as personal data protection, can result in fines, blockages and loss of customer confidence.

‍

How to minimize risks: Consult lawyers to comply with all laws. Develop a clear and transparent privacy policy and monitor the security of user data.

Failure to meet the requirements of platforms such as the App Store and Google Play can result in financial losses and marketing costs, as well as wasted time correcting bugs. More than 30% of apps are rejected by the App Store and Google Play due to non-compliance, including insufficient functionality or privacy policy violations.

‍

How to minimize risks: Review the requirements of the sites in advance and create a checklist to check the product's compliance with standards. Review regularly and use A/B testing on TestFlight and Google Play Console to test features and get feedback before the final release. Pre-testing for compliance with platform requirements reduces the risk of rejection by 50%.

Mobile app development is a multifaceted and detailed process. It is important not only to create a quality product, but also to correctly assess all possible risks at each stage. Errors in planning the scope of work, vague business tasks, technical failures, the wrong team, financial miscalculations, and legal difficulties can hinder the success of a project.

‍

Success depends on foresight at every stage: from developing an idea and the Discovery phase to testing and promoting. This method helps reduce risks and develop a product that meets users' needs.

‍

Are you planning to launch a mobile app without unnecessary risks? The team Beetrail will ensure the creation of a quality product that attracts an audience and is ready for growth.

‍

Are you ready to start? Contact us and we'll discuss your idea and suggest an optimal plan for a successful launch.