English | EN Five common App pitfalls
Dec 11, 2013
Now that we are well on our way with using mobile Apps for our private life as well as for business we know that playtime is over and it is time to treat the App channel with the full respect it deserves. The past couple of years I’ve seen quite a bunch of pitfalls of which I like to share the top 5.
1) App is Web
With websites we tend to create all the possibilities in the site including menu’s to get access to all the information and interaction needed. With Apps this doesn’t work, we have to have an action driven approach to present the content. A large App menu shows that the creator didn’t strategically create a set of Apps with respect to the users richer context, such as their location and time.
2) 100% polished initial release
Creating the initial release of an App shouldn’t take as long as a classical IT project used to take. Don’t try to put in everything you think a user will ever need. Apps should have enough value for the users, but should also leave room for improvement on initial release. Feed forward of the user comments in AppStores and Markets combined with your marketing schedule and IT possibilities should create a strategic roadmap with multiple smaller and bigger releases planned over time.
3) Add security when its almost done
Requirements from security perspective can’t be fulfilled at the end of an App development phase. Security is not a layer you can add as a last layer; it should be blended in at all stages of the realization of the App. It should be done in such a way that it is a major ingredient rather than just the topping. This creates Apps that are designed secure rather than tried to make more secure later by patching and patching over and over, and over…
4) App design is Apple design
Just because the App revolution initially started on iPhone doesn’t mean other platforms follow the same look and feel. Users will no longer tolerate a user interface that transferred over from other platforms on their specific device. Create characteristic designs for iOS, Android and Windows(Phone)8 to respect the specific look and feel of the platform and respect the users for choosing a specific platform.
5) Tablet is just kind of a larger phone
Most tablets are larger than most phones, but that’s just a size aspect. It doesn’t mean that we can just stretch our phone App to become a tablet App. The usage of the tablet is very different than that of a phone. Where a phone is more on-the-go usage, a tablet is more used on-the-couch. A larger screen is also typically used for longer periods where a smaller screen might be used more often, but for shorter periods. This typical usage character separates them, and this should also mean different possibilities for the offered solution on either of them.
So here are just five common pitfalls in no particular order. I could have added much more than just these five here, but I would love to hear some of yours. This way I will follow Pitfall number 2, its not 100% polished on its initial release. I leave room for improvements, and much of it, and I leave it for you J. So please share your App pitfalls here!
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