Published 14 February 2024
Successful app checklistOur famous “Successful App Checklist” allows clients to validate whether their idea and selected approach can combine to be the success we hope it shall be from ideation to platform selection, from using low code and AI to app store approval and post-launch iteration.
Our Successful App Checklist
- Do you truly understand the customer's needs? What is the problem you're trying to solve? How will you get the first 100 users to like, if not love, your app?
- What are the essential features needed to properly test the idea? This is called the Minimum Viable Proposition (MVP) and you need to make sure you also know the success criteria metrics to test/ learn/ pivot.
- Who are your competitors and what makes you better? (We find a SCAMPER exercise is interesting to answer this).
- Do you or your team have the capacity to launch and manage it? You will need to contribute, make decisions, do sales, servicing and marketing.
- How will you make money? (What is the monetisation model and business plan?)
- Do you have enough money to give the idea a fair chance to succeed, a so-called runway? Not just to build it, but to market, maintain and improve it.
- Does your app have a great design? Does the landing screen showcase the app's main purpose without the need for an explanation? This is called the User Interface/ Experience ("UI/ UX") and is probably the single most important success factor.
- What language/s or platform/s code will your app and backend systems be built in or on? Native, hybrid, PWA, a responsive website or bot? There are pros and cons of each.
- Do you (need to) own all the code and intellectual property required to stop competitors from copying you easily?
- Who is responsible for testing and quality assurance?
- What security and data protection practices are in place to comply with POPI, GDPR etc?
- Will you, as the business owner, get the reporting and admin functions you need to manage and grow the business?
- How will your app get published in the app stores? How will you receive payments?
- Do you understand the app approval, signing and publication process and requirements? (If an app isn't compliant it can delay projects by months).
- How will you make sure your app appears prominently on the app stores to maximize downloads (screenshots, descriptions, keywords etc.)? (This is called App Store Optimisation or ASO)
- Who is going to provide support, maintenance and hosting? What is the approach to implementing enhancements?
- Who is going to do marketing and advertising, including a website, social media integration, award nomination and publicity?
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Frequently Asked Questions
What should I understand about my customers and competitors before building an app?
You need to truly understand the customer's needs — what problem you're solving, and how you'll get your first 100 users to like, if not love, your app. You also need to know who your competitors are and what makes you better; a SCAMPER exercise is a useful way to work through this.
What is an MVP, and why does it matter?
The Minimum Viable Proposition (MVP) is the essential set of features needed to properly test your idea. You need to know this alongside the success criteria metrics you'll use to test, learn, and pivot.
How will the app make money, and can I afford to launch it?
You need a clear monetisation model and business plan, and enough money to give the idea a fair chance to succeed — a runway that covers not just building the app, but marketing, maintaining and improving it afterwards. You'll also need the capacity, as a team, to launch and manage it: contributing to decisions, sales, servicing and marketing.
What platform should the app be built on, and who should own the code?
You need to decide what language(s) or platform(s) your app and backend will be built on — native, hybrid, PWA, a responsive website, or a bot — each with its own pros and cons. Your app also needs a great design, where the landing screen shows its main purpose without needing an explanation. And you should own all the code and intellectual property required so competitors can't easily copy you.
What compliance and quality checks does a successful app need?
Someone needs to be responsible for testing and quality assurance, the app needs security and data protection practices that comply with laws like POPI and GDPR, and you need to understand the app approval, signing and publication process and requirements — an app that isn't compliant can be delayed by months.
How do I make sure people find and download the app?
You need a plan for App Store Optimisation — screenshots, descriptions and keywords — so your app appears prominently on the app stores, backed by marketing and advertising including a website, social media integration, award nominations and publicity. You'll also need to know how your app will be published in the app stores and how you'll receive payments, plus the reporting and admin functions you need to manage and grow the business.
Who looks after the app after launch?
You need someone responsible for support, maintenance and hosting, along with a clear approach to implementing enhancements as they come up.