We have all had that one idea we thought was going to change everything, whether it was a new game or an amazing way to change the way we do things. The challenge we all face is working out whether our ideas are actually any good.
There seems to be an app for everything these days, so can you really be sure your app idea is good, or that it hasn’t been done before. If you have an app idea and are curious about the quality or novelty of it, consider these tips to help work out if it’s any good.
Get some expert advice
One of the easiest ways to test your app idea is to speak with an expert, someone who develops apps for a living. A DreamWalk app developer can help you better understand your initial concept, its utility in the current market, and just how hard or easy it may be to build your idea. App developers are experts in understanding user requirements and interrogating your app idea to work out whether it can be built according to your vision. It’s entirely possible that the idea you first had may not be the end product, so be prepared to go with their advice. Simply understanding the technical possibilities will help provide you with some confirmation of your idea’s quality.
Do some research
Another great way to test your idea’s quality is to do some quick and dirty research with people you know use apps for a lot of things in their life. We all have that friend who has an app for everything, finding a few of these people to test your idea with will help a lot. Ask them to review it from a neutral perspective, be honest, and critically evaluate how they may or may not use the app. Try your best not to lead them to the answer you want to hear and instead get honest and open feedback. It’s likely you will get some positive and not-so-positive feedback. Taking that not-so-positive feedback as constructive is the key to iterating your app idea to an even better future.
Look for substitutes or duplicates
A quick survey of the market will help you understand at a high level whether an app like your idea already exists. Doing deeper app analysis will give you the opportunity to take your idea to the next level. If there is a similar app or a substitute app to your idea critically evaluate it for gaps or areas where you can grow your idea even bigger. It’s likely there will be apps in the same space as your idea, don’t get dejected, instead learn from these apps and use the information to develop your idea. Look for poor feedback on the store where it’s available, this is golden information from customers about what they are looking for in an app.
Build a prototype
If you really want to know if your app idea is any good, the best thing to do is build a proof of concept or pilot prototype. Prototyping doesn’t have to be an expensive process, you may choose to do a paper prototype and simply sketch out the functionality to see it with your eyes instead of just in your mind. If you want to experience the touch and feel of the app, getting a developer to build a basic prototype will also give you a real sense of the app. This can also be useful as you can take it to potential customer groups to get their feedback and watch how they interact with your app.
Having an app idea is only the beginning, you need to understand whether the idea you have is any good. Getting advice from an app developer, doing some research, or building a prototype are all ways to test your idea and give yourself some peace of mind that your idea is any good.