The app market is booming. Thanks to advances in smartphones, portable devices, and wearables, there has never been more demand for applications. So, it makes sense that bright-eyed people like yourself are looking to make the most of this opportunity! The first hurdle that you need to clear, however, is coming up with a new app.
Whether you’re an experienced developer or looking to launch your first app, you won’t get far without an idea. The thing is, not just any idea will do. With so many apps available, you need a genuinely good idea to make an impact. But how can you settle on an idea or go about creating one? Keep reading to find out.
The first step is to be open-minded. Unless you’re confined to a certain industry or niche, inspiration can come from anywhere. The trick is to open your mind and let it come to you. It could be during a conversation with a friend or while you’re going for a walk. The trick is to capture it by writing it down on a piece of paper or on a note on your phone. This way, you can keep a track of your ideas as and when they come up.
An alternative to waiting is to take a proactive approach. A good place to start is a good old brainstorm. Sit down with a few friends or colleagues and write down anything and everything that you can come up with. Don’t focus on the quality of the ideas to begin as this can hamper creativity. Instead, try to just gather as many ideas as you can. Ideas are like snowballs, once they get moving they can grow.
You don’t need to come up with the next Doodle Jump or Temple Run. Don’t put that kind of pressure on yourself. What you do need, however, is something simple that solves a problem, meets a need, entertains, or simply works. In fact, most apps fall within the following areas:
Groundbreaking is a nice goal to have, but it isn’t a requirement. Instead, focus on an idea that is deliverable, marketable, and scaleable. If you can tick these three boxes, you’re heading in the right direction.
Now that you have a list of ideas, it’s time to separate the good, the bad, and the ugly. Start by using the ideas and categories mentioned in step 3 to whittle down what you have. Next, remove anything that exists already – copying someone else is not only illegal but lazy too – unless you can make improvements!
You don’t need to get the list down to one, but reducing the list of ideas will help you to focus your efforts and see what you have to work with.
With your list of refined ideas, it’s time to start researching. Start by determining the demand for your app idea. Trying to develop an app that nobody wants isn’t the best place to start – unless you know how to create demand out of thin air (if you do, tell us your secret please). Next, you need to see who your competitors are and how many you have. You’ll need to establish what will differentiate your app from theirs. Finally, you’ll need too how realistic it is to create the app of your dreams. No matter how fast technology develops, some ideas are still out of the range of possibility.
Lastly, it doesn’t hurt to keep an eye on trends. This can help to guide you towards an idea or feature that will help your app to take off. The best place to start is by speaking with your target audience. Not every app is for everyone – even the most popular apps have a target market. Understanding yours will help you to make a more successful app.
Once you land on an idea, and you’ve done your research, it’s time to refine and refine it again. Doing so is how you take a simple idea and arrive at something more concrete. As hard as it may be, don’t be afraid to kill your darlings. What this means is that you shouldn’t be afraid to start from scratch if you don’t think an idea has legs. It takes courage to start again, and who knows, it may be what leads you to the great idea that you’ve been looking for.
You may not know where ideas come from, but you can certainly help the process along. By following the steps in this guide, you can not only come up with your next great app idea but refine it into something great too. If you’re looking for support, Zudu offers app development that you can depend on. Reach out today for a consultation.
