What should I research when creating an app?

The first step in designing a mobile app is thorough market research–it’s only through adequate research that you’ll know what your target users need and who your competitors are.

By conducting market research before you start developing your mobile app, you’ll discover the right features of a good mobile app design and how to find the best mobile app development services for your app. If you are designing a mobile app for the first time and wondering what to research when creating the app, read on to learn what market research should entail.

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How to conduct market research when creating a mobile app

The main objective of research when developing an app is to figure out the best way to position the app in the market so that you can get the highest return on investment. Without research, your project will likely fall flat on its face. Research opens up your eyes to see the opportunities that you can leverage to make your app stand out from the rest in the market–if you need app developers and designers to help you with the project, you’ll need to know how and where to find the right ones.

For instance, you might need to hire a designer for your user interface (UI) and user experience (UX). These two components are important because they determine the success and failure of each app.

Through research, you’ll understand what a UX designer does and how to find the right one for your app. When you design an app that has been properly researched, you are assured that the intended users will scramble to install it when it hits the market because it answers their essential needs. So, how do you do research when designing an app?

The first step is to establish the basis for the research. For example, you have to determine why your app is important to the intended user and the unique elements it should have to deliver the intended UX.

You may come up with a slew of features and spend months on their design and implementation only to find that users never or very seldom use them. In that type of scenario, prior research can act as a crucial cost-saving measure that substantially impacts a project’s profitability.

You also need to define your target audience, analyze your competition, do SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats) analysis, set the pitch, and create a business plan.

This type of research is divided into two categories: primary research and secondary research. Primary research helps you determine the acceptability of the app in the market, design the business model, and develop an effective marketing strategy. Secondary research, on the other hand, helps strengthen the core of your app.

You can carry out the research by interviewing your target users in person, through online forums, or on social media. You can also use the landing pages on your website or app to place questionnaires with all the necessary questions. Online surveys are also important tools for market research, and don’t forget to use focus groups to determine who needs your app.

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What to research when developing an app

Whether you are designing a mobile or a desktop app, you need to research the project before you start. Here are the most important questions your research should answer:

Is there a need for the app?

First of all, you need to be clear on the type of app you want to develop. Whether you are designing an app for your online business or creating a software as a service (SaaS) platform, you need to be sure that the market needs it. Otherwise, all the time and money you invest in it will go to waste, so your research should help you determine how much the market needs the app.

Who’s your target user?

It’s unrealistic and unreasonable to design an app for the entire public. Your app needs to cover a specific niche and satisfy a specific need; therefore, ensure your target user and their needs are clear from the start.

Want to have an efficient, business-oriented design?

View a recorded webinar with Pavel Tseluyko on how design adds value to your business.

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Who are your competitors?

The best way to make your app stand out from the rest is to offer something different from what your competitors offer, so you should take time to analyze your competitors' apps to know what they are offering.

Finally, market research sets your app up for success because it enables you to develop an app that’s relevant to the intended users and offers the best user experience.