What are the key factors for successful app development timelines?

Here's something I've seen happen too often - founders get all starry-eyed with innovative ideas and forget to check in with reality. Remember, your scope needs to be a mix of your big vision and what's actually doable, both technically and financially. - Understand users: Know their wants, needs, annoyances. - Study competitors: Find gaps your app can fill - a competitive edge. - Prioritize features: Your app's first version doesn't need everything. Use the MoSCoW method for crucial decisions. - Be realistic: Consult your dev and design teams for a clear idea of what fits your budget and timeline to avoid disappointment. - Plan for growth: Ensure your app scales easily over time. Growth is inevitable, don't be caught off guard.

Defining core functions, must-haves, nice-to-haves, and a phased implementation plan is a crucial strategy. It streamlines project management, enhances risk management, ensures prioritization, and allows for adaptability. By focusing on core features initially, you get to market faster, gather user feedback, and manage stakeholder expectations effectively. This approach strikes a balance between delivering a minimum viable product quickly and being open to refining the product based on evolving needs and feedback.

Test early. Test often. Test before you build. Test with real customers. Test desirability before viability before feasibility… and have fun doing it.

After 20 years, here’s the deal: Talk me OUT OF using agile/scrum. Convince me the other systems were not replaced and discarded for a valid reason.

Have a mid to long term plan but know that market conditions will change. Start with a roadmap of necessary features at an epic-level, that align with the strategy (may sound waterfall-ish). But build out every 2-3 weeks, launch-test-learn-iterate and be prepared to change your epic-level roadmap frequently.

Agile tends to deliver the best results more often than not. It's all about flexibility, adaptability, and a focus on iterative development. Plus, there are different flavors of Agile, so you can pick one that suits your style. But Agile is only as effective as the team members can be trusted to reprioritize. I'm not saying Waterfall is absolutely out of the picture. If you're working on a straightforward app upgrade with a fixed scope and budget (e.g., adding a Siri integration or updating to the latest OS version), Waterfall might be just what you need. It's a linear approach where you finish one phase before moving on to the next. No back-and-forth, no changes in the plan. It's simple, and sometimes, that's exactly what works.

As stated several times, this is a skill you should bring. Don’t learn, and if I have to remind a manager of this we will be having a sit down, possibly worse. Understanding the proper unit of work is fundamental. All the other tasks are dependent on this one skill. Once an appropriately small work (usually can be completed in one sprint) is identified, then interdependency, ordering, and timelines fall in line (second).

If no one else (aka a tech program manager, engineering manager, engineering lead) is doing it, then don't be shy to express your opinions. Pointedly ask people in the team to divvy and conquer with a narrow focus. Avoid the tendency to have >1 person solving the same part of the problem. Collaboration is great for product cohesion but at a micro level, find single owner-experts for each task and expect them to deliver it with ownership and perfection.

Think of app dev like LEGO building. Scope is the box picture; methodology, the instructions; tasks, the bricks. Sort tasks into small piles for manageable sprints. The trick? Artfully combine tasks across teams for testable outputs each sprint. Here's the recipe: - Sync Designer & Developer sprints: UI designers should be a sprint ahead - Mix Frontend and Backend tasks: Start with backend tasks, transition to frontend - Involve QA frequently: Test as you progress, not just at the end - Respect Dependencies: Identify tasks that rely on others' completion. Plan accordingly. A successful sprint gives more than completed tasks - it delivers a testable chunk of your app. You're not just ticking off tasks, you're watching your app take shape.

Who is “you”? Who should make this decision? Despite the AI nature of these questions, the technical operators and their leadership decided these items. Force an IDE on a dev team, the best will leave. Let teams self-organize, guide them with budget and goals, but stay out of the way. Developers only want to ship great code. Managers only like to meddle. Leaders build great teams. Choose your path.

Firstly, you can only use tools which your developers know how to use, or you need to recruit. Secondly, you need to look at the target UX for the platform and identify the important behaviours e.g. - will there be long lists of data used, from multiple tables, or just short data feeds? - will it be fully on device, or a PWA? - will the pages be short or long? - how much multimedia support will it need? Different tools will suit different apps better

Most teams that fail or deliver a crappy product were shy to show often. Less talk, more show makes for better sprint reviews. Take your smallest deliverable to your most critical stakeholders and collaborators. Let them tear it apart for you because you are saving the end user from having it to deal with an unsatisfactory product.

Almost every software endeavor follows this paradigm. The trick is to make the cycle habit. Software, by nature, requires iterative management (my focus). There is no assembly or production line, only sprints. If you are just recognizing this I recommend more learning.

The customer experience is king. If they don't see value, they won't pay, and the business model is bust. In addition to testing with prospective customers, take some time to ask them direct questions like: - was this valuable to you? - how much would you be prepared to pay for something like this? - which was the most valuable feature? Use this, and the documents from the product team, to refine the go to market (GTM) messaging. The messaging is where you can explain the app and its value to your customers.

This is where your product & project manager's skills should really shine. In the fast-paced world of app development, project leadership is like a skilled pathfinder. They need to anticipate potential roadblocks and quickly clear them, ensuring a smooth journey for developers and team members. This proactive approach is absolutely essential. It's not just about keeping our developers and team members moving forward unhindered, it's about maintaining the momentum that's crucial for gaining traction in the market. And remember, dealing with roadblocks isn't just about reacting fast - it's about learning, adapting, and turning challenges into stepping stones.

While having a clear scope is important, being adaptable to reasonable changes and updates during the development process can prevent major setbacks. Agile methodologies often accommodate changes more efficiently.

Being flexible and agile is not just a good approach; it's often a necessity in the world of app development. Uncertainty is inherent in app development. Sometimes, unexpected opportunities arise during development. Being flexible allows you to seize these opportunities, whether it's integrating a new technology or responding to a sudden market demand.

In today's tech landscape, there's an overload of developer tools. It's like being in a toy store filled with LEGO sets, each one tempting you with its unique features. You might think it's convenient to grab off-the-shelf components for things like in-app chats, but that's where you need to be thoughtful. Not all shiny tools are your friends. The key is to choose tools that match your specific needs and integrate with other app components, not just ones that claim to do it all. Remember, every app is unique, and a one-size-fits-all solution can stifle your app's creativity and limit its potential. So, be cautious and choose wisely.

Planning for post-launch support, updates, and maintenance is often overlooked. However, having a plan in place for continuous improvement after the app's launch is crucial for success.