Tool To Validate Your App Idea | Test Idea Online

"I have an app idea where do I start?" is a question you often hear people asking. The app idea validation process is something you should pay the most attention to because if the idea isn’t properly validated and you just jump into development, it will result in significant costs that may be hard to recover later. Even before you start with an MVP (minimum viable product) development, there is a way to test whether your app is something your target users would actually use. In this text, we will reveal the steps based on the experience of all our clients, and you’ll get recommendations for tools to use when validating your idea.

What you didn't know about MVP?

Many people think that an MVP is simply the first version of a product with limited features. However, what you might not know is that an MVP is not just about building quickly with minimal effort. Its real purpose is to learn as much as possible about your target audience, gather user feedback, and gain valuable insights with the least amount of work. A well-executed MVP isn't just about getting a product on Google Play or App Store; it's refining the core features based on real-world feedback. It's about launching smarter, not just faster, and avoiding the risks of investing too much too soon without app idea validation.

By focusing on the core functionality, you reduce the time and resources spent on unnecessary features that potential users may not even want. This allows you to prioritize feedback and iterate quickly, ensuring your product evolves based on actual user needs rather than assumptions. Moreover, launching an MVP with a good marketing strategy helps you get to market faster, enabling you to establish an early presence and even secure early adopters or investors who believe in your vision.

What many don’t realize is that an MVP is more than just a "test run" it’s a crucial learning tool. The feedback gathered from your initial users can inform everything from design improvements to feature prioritization, ultimately shaping the final product into something far more user-centric. By focusing on solving a specific problem effectively, rather than spreading resources across various features, you increase the chances of long-term success and reduce the risk of building a product that fails to meet market demand.

What can you do before MVP development?

Before jumping into MVP development, there are crucial steps you can take to ensure you're on the right track. One of the best ways to start is by visualizing your app idea. There are many online tools to visualize and build your app, even with no code development, but almost all of them require your data before starting.

But, with this online tool for visualizing your app idea, you can easily get a sense of how your app would look and function even before investing in development. No need to register or enter your data. This online app builder tool allows you to experiment with layouts, colors, and navigation bars, giving you a clear visual representation of your idea. It’s a great way to see if your vision aligns with your expectations and helps identify any early design changes that might improve user experience.

By using this tool, you can create a mockup of your app that can serve as a discussion point with your team, potential investors, or even early users to gather feedback. This not only saves you time and money but also gives you a much clearer direction for your MVP development. You can enter the development phase with greater confidence, knowing that you’ve already addressed potential design issues and are building something that meets user expectations.

How does the AppBuilder tool function?

The AppBuilder is an interactive tool that allows you to easily design and customize the layout and features of your mobile app before development begins. It helps you visualize app ideas in real-time without needing advanced technical skills.

You can customize the color, the number of tabs in the navigation bar, see what an eCommerce application would look like and create in-app purchases, what the chat would be like, and many other important features that will help you before you start with app development.

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Every input can be saved and shared with team members, investors, or potential users. This is important in gathering user feedback and validating the idea based on actual input rather than assumptions or wireframes alone.

It is ideal for:

• Startup owners: People with an app idea but may not have the technical skills to visualize or articulate it clearly. They need this tool to see their concept come to life and share it with investors or development teams.
• CTO: Professionals looking to quickly conceptualize app designs to present to stakeholders or explore options before hiring a development team.
• Freelancers and independent developers: Developers who want a quick way to show clients a prototype of their ideas.
• Business owners: Those considering mobile apps to expand their business offerings but need help imagining the user experience before investing in development.

For example, the local electricians at Landmark Electrical have invested into the development of an app to support their customer base with a simple way to schedule works, book in periodical service work, make payments, and view quotes and invoices.

If you belong to any of these groups, in the following text, we will explain what else you need to do to successfully validate your mobile app idea.

10 steps to test your idea properly

1. Market research

Create a user persona or ideal user for your startup idea. Research their needs and identify what problems your application would solve that others do not. Study similar apps to see if you have similar features, and if not, determine why they may not have implemented them. If there are valid reasons, find ways to improve upon them. Do detailed competitor analyses and look for the weaknesses of existing apps, then use them to compare with yours to gather as much feedback as possible.

2. UVP (Unique Value Proposition)

Define the core advantage of your business idea that differentiates it from competitors. Focus on the solution your app provides and explain how it addresses the pain points in a way others don't. Your UVP should be easy to understand and resonate with your target audience. After defining your UVP, test it with potential users. You can test this with surveys, A/B testing on a landing page, or by asking the target user group for feedback.

3. Mockup or app prototype

Use tools like AppBuilder to create a visual representation of your app. This allows you to explore the layout, features, and overall user experience. That way, you can validate an app idea before investing in building an MVP. Creating a detailed and interactive design on your screen helps you get the perfect look and feel of your app.

4. User Feedback

After creating a mockup with the online tool mentioned above, use that design to conduct a survey and create focus groups to discuss their feelings about the app idea. By focusing on user feedback throughout your app’s development cycle, you’ll create a product that better fits the needs of your target market, increases user satisfaction, and reduces the risk of costly mistakes during development.

5. Landing page

Building a landing page helps you see if people have an interest in your app idea. You can collect emails or contacts of your target audience and use them as an early base that you can reach out to once you launch your app or even involve them in beta testing. A landing page also allows you to test and refine your UVP by presenting it in a simple, clear way.

6. Social media

Use targeted ads on platforms like Facebook or Instagram to promote your landing page. Monitor engagement rates and sign-ups to evaluate interest. Even though this part may seem easy, it's important to know how to interpret the collected data from paid advertising and use it to develop the app in the right direction. You can find experts to make decisions based on analytics and trends and be sure you are going in the right direction to validate your app idea.

7. Usability testing

After using AppBuilder to see how your business idea looks on the screen, conduct usability tests with real users to observe how they interact with your app. This can reveal areas for improvement and validate your design choices.

8. Data analytics

Review the feedback and data collected from surveys, landing page sign-ups, and usability tests. Identify trends and key insights to make a decision based on real data, so you can be sure of MVP (minimum viable product).

9. Idea adjustments

Based on the feedback and data analysis, make necessary adjustments to your app idea, features, app name, and design before moving forward with development. Be sure you choose the right app category for the Apple App Store and Google Play Store, it can help you rank higher with the right keyword research.

10. App Development

Once you’ve validated your idea and passed all the phases, create a detailed plan for your MVP development, outlining the essential features and timelines based on collected information. Be sure to choose a trusted mobile development partner since they are an important part of great app idea success.

The most common mistakes made by app owners

Based on our experience with clients, we identified the most common mistakes they made, so you can pay special attention to these and avoid wasting time and money.

Prioritizing UI over UX

One of our first clients wanted to create a visually appealing app, believing that a great design alone would make it successful. They hired a highly skilled designer, but unfortunately, he had a limited understanding of user experience (UX) design. As a result, the app was beautiful but difficult to use.

Initially, the app did attract some users from app stores, but they didn’t stay for long. The app’s growth quickly slowed down, and eventually, it faded away. We closely analyzed the data and identified several key issues that caused users to lose interest:

• The text input field was too small, making it hard for users to type comfortably.
• The buttons blended in with the rest of the app, making them difficult to see and use.
• The app’s navigation was confusing, leading users to struggle with how to use it.

The client tried to make some improvements, but by then, they had already spent much time and money. Ultimately, they decided to abandon the project and start a new one.

Takeaway: When developing a mobile app, it's essential to focus on both UI and UX. An app that is easy to use will always be more successful than the beautiful one but confusing. Balancing design with usability is crucial for creating an app that users will love and continue to use.

No analytics implementation

From our previous experience, we've learned that tracking user data is crucial to understanding how users interact with your app. Analyzing this data correctly allows you to identify which parts of your app are valuable to users and which parts they tend to avoid. With this information, you can make informed adjustments to improve user experience and increase retention rates. This leads to more users and higher download numbers for your app. Many app owners overlook the importance of implementing analytics when launching their MVP.

While the app may initially experience some success, this can quickly change as they start adding new features and making adjustments without understanding what truly matters to their users. Without data-driven insights, the app can become overly complex, adding unnecessary features that confuse or frustrate users.

This often leads to a decline in user engagement and, over time, can result in the project's failure. Prioritizing analytics from the start helps ensure decisions are based on real user needs, guiding the app’s growth in the right direction.

Takeaway: Implementing analytics is crucial for your app's future development and success. By tracking user behavior, you gain valuable insights that help you create a product that users genuinely appreciate and want to continue using.

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Wrong technology choice

Using multiplatform technologies for your project can save time and reduce costs. Unfortunately, many people are unaware of how this can affect app performance. Many non-technical founders choose multiplatform technologies like Flutter and React Native but don’t understand this might not be a good option in the long term.

For example, Flutter is great for simple and generic apps, but when it comes to scaling and adding complex functionalities, it can have significant challenges. It’s okay to use Flutter and React Native if you want a simple, generic app or if you only need an MVP.

Our recommendation is to start with native technologies like Kotlin and Swift to avoid rewriting code later. You can still benefit from cross-platform development by using Kotlin Multiplatform (KMP). KMP is a modern solution that allows you to build custom, high-performance applications while saving both time and money by using a single codebase for both platforms.

Takeaway: Before starting the development process, gather all necessary information about the pros and cons of the technology you want to use.

Lessons learned about app idea validating

Over the years, Aetherius Solutions worked with a wide range of clients - some who did good research on app ideas and others who were still refining their concepts. One critical lesson we’ve learned is that jumping straight into development without proper validation can lead to unexpected challenges, wasted resources, and, ultimately, an app that doesn’t resonate with users.

A key tool we’ve developed to help clients avoid this is our AppBuilder. This tool allows you to visualize your app idea and see how it would look and function on screen, even before a single line of code is written. By providing a real-time representation of your app concept, this tool gives you immediate insights into what works and what needs improvement.

For example, one of our clients approached us with an idea for a complex e-commerce platform. Before diving into development, we encouraged them to use our AppBuilder to bring their vision to life visually. This simple step helped them identify that users in their target market find it hard to locate specific products due to a confusing layout. By refining their idea based on what they saw on screen, they were able to save both time and money, avoiding a long redesign process post-development.

On the other side, we’ve seen clients who skipped this idea validation step. One project involved an event planning app with unique features. The client was eager to begin development and felt confident in their vision and the idea of a successful app, even though they didn't conduct certain tests. However, after months of work, they discovered that users found the interface confusing and the features less appealing than expected. They should have made crucial adjustments before development even began.

Our biggest takeaway is that validation is not just about testing whether your app idea is good or bad - it’s about constantly making improvements and shaping your concept into something users will love. Using tools like AppBuilder, you can test and refine your app idea early on, which leads to more efficient development, fewer iterations, and a higher chance of success. We always encourage our clients to take advantage of this powerful tool to avoid unnecessary risks and ensure their app resonates with their target audience from the start.