Today it has become so easy to build an app. It no longer requires the expertise and skill it once used to demand. A simple online tutorial is all it takes to walk app developers through the entire process. So when you build an app you have to ask yourself: Is my app better than its contemporaries in the market? Here are some ideas on how you can transform an ordinary app to an extraordinary one.
First and most important is User Interface. The first thing a user notices about the app is its interface. Nothing makes a better impression that fluid navigation and a pleasing layout. This is something app developers of iPhone in particular are required to keep in mind. Apple is extremely particular about the UI of the apps entering the App Store.
When you design your app always keep in mind the size of the device you are building it for. Adding too many design features will overcrowd the screen and can be a real put off. Another important aspect of User Interface is that your design elements should always be consistent with your developing platform. Be it the usage of buttons and text boxes in Windows 7 or the toolbar and scrolling options in iOS, when you deviate from the general feel of the platform you tend to make your users uncomfortable.
If you want to build a loyal user-base for your app you have to ensure that it is reliable. Your app should never crash. Never. The only way to achieve this is by repeated and thorough testing. Have your app developers test it under every possible condition and don’t put your app out there till it passes every one of your tests. Your app must not over use system resources, use too much memory space or CPU power.
Nothing drives users away like lag. Your app shouldn’t take more that 10 second to start up. If it takes longer than that people wont even bother opening your app. Also avoid UI lags as much as you can. As soon as there is a lag, your user is going to shut down that application because it ‘froze’.
Though ads are probably a source of income for your app, try to keep it to a bare minimum. I personally hate seeing ads on apps I use and it is a huge put off.
As an app developer there are so many more things to keep track of when you build an app. Its functionality, how user friendly it is, what sets it apart from the thousands of other apps available on the app store and so on. Coding and building your app is just the first step to the huge process of app development. In the hurry to release on your app by a deadline, don’t forget to look into these finer aspects. They make an enormous difference to the response your app will receive.
