CEO and founder of SolveIt—a mobile development company, entrepreneur and product owner of HBT.
How often have you found yourself thinking, “There should be an app for this”?
This phrase does not yet indicate a specific phenomenon but reflects a general trend, implying that our society has become accustomed to and expects that there will be a single mobile app developed for practically anything or any problem.
Since the beginning of 2020, massive digitization, advancements in generative AI & IoT and the overall rise of technology have materialized into the mobile industry’s giants that we all can’t imagine our lives without. The numbers confirm that: Consumer spending on non-gaming apps is projected to reach $270 billion annually by 2025, nearly 2.5 times the amount spent in the era before COVID-19.
The alarming pace of demand growth for products catering to modern needs catches many entrepreneurs in a mindset trap. It whispers: “Just find developers, release an app and start earning!” After all, someone will find it useful—people pay for simulators of emergency calls and ghost radars on their smartphones. What could go wrong?
First You Learn, Then You Remove L
This is no joke: For several years, there have been ideas floating around that anyone can create an app. You may find plenty of literature on Amazon and dozens of articles in search results supporting this notion. Technically, this is true. The question is: Can just anyone create a successful app?
42% of startups fail because they lack product market fit. The truth is, you don’t have to make a unicorn—you have to develop a viable product, even if it hasn’t broken any world records yet.
As the CEO and founder of a mobile and web solutions development company, my job allows me to analyze hundreds of software product requests. Very often, I observe how people fail to explore the existing problem in order to launch a product that solves it. Instead, they create a product and then search for its application, hoping to make some extra money as well.
Therefore, I am ready to share typical query examples, analyze what’s wrong with them and explore alternative approaches.
Know-How Or Don’t Know How
Case 1. The project involves vague requirements, but at the same time, there is a request to estimate the timelines and budget with an error margin of up to 10%-20%.
That likely indicates that the idea intended to be realized in the product has not been fully explored. The lack of understanding of who may need it and why results in a desire to obtain calculations and only then determine whether the idea has the right to exist within your budget. I reiterate, only within the intended budget, not the entire market and its current state.
What does this mean? By the time you calculate the cost of user acquisition, you are already losing money, and during the development of a marketing strategy, you may suddenly realize that you have nothing unique to offer. In fact, a few providers dare to undertake the appraisal of such a venture, for it is fundamentally unformed.
Instead: A good partner not only produces code but also helps with market research and overall consulting. Such a request should shift from an actual development to an extensive discovery phase service. This is a stage that existing businesses may overlook, but not a startup with limited resources and a higher level of uncertainty, where the mistake cost would be extra high.
Everything, More, At Once
Case 2. A project’s idea with the intention of embracing its vastness by building an app with 3+ core features.
If the functionality of an app is already overloaded in the request, it becomes unclear what the product actually entails: whether it distinguishes itself from others or simply combines all the best that humanity has come up with. Remember, the great 1 or 2 features will make the difference, rather than plenty of good features.
What does this mean? Winning the race can only be achieved by solving the problem differently or by making something existing better than the competitors. You have just rejected the first option, and the second one will require significant investment. Think about financial infusions, diluted user feedback, ensuring QA, etc.
Instead: Quantity doesn’t always equal quality. This request should transform into an MVP development with scope prioritization for the first iteration and a focus on the actual purpose. It is necessary to understand what will sell your idea the best and what your target audience specifically needs.
Another Clone
Case 3. A request to develop a new Tinder, Uber or Pokémon Go under one’s own brand with an estimation based on the example of the existing solution.
As the saying goes, “What is new is well-forgotten old.” Indeed, it happens that something implemented can surpass its predecessors and shine as the brightest star in the app store galaxy, contingent upon specific conditions. However, we can also recall the second wisdom: “One cannot step into the same river twice.”
What does this mean? A successful project consists of three components: uniqueness, demand and efficiency. While you may not claim USP, the niche may be saturated, and the problem has already been solved by others. Drawing inspiration from successful ventures and making adjustments is a far cry from blindly using the ready formula.
Instead: Make your proposition valuable by integrating the same logic into the new industry/location/social group that will absolutely differentiate you. Rather than developing yet another replica, your request should instead evolve into acquiring the expertise of a dedicated team, including the product owner and business analyst, who can help navigate your direction.
Final Words
Before diving into the development of a software product, there are crucial stages of initiation and project preparation. When validating an idea for your startup, make sure not to fall victim to the Venetian principle: getting stuck solely in your own perspective. To fully leverage the expertise of your in-house team or external vendors, create requests for relevant services, rely on facts and always seek input from your customers.
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