“I’ve got a great idea for an app…”

I’ve been pitched many many ideas for apps. Seriously loads of them.

What people actually do is this:

“I’ve got this great idea for an app! It’ll do <random requirements> and it’ll make <unrealistic figure> in <bizarre timescale> by <vague business model> because <big company/moneybags> will <buy it/fold/see the error of their ways> and <give us LOADS of money and we’ll be rich forever>”

What people think they do is this:

“I’ve got an amazing opportunity for you to make us lots of money by developing this project with me”

The app is only ever a part of the whole

The more that you approach the app element of a business idea like this, the smaller it becomes. It might well be pivotal to the success of the project, but the tech does not make the business. The business makes the tech.

The business is the business and the app is only a part of that business.

Added to that the other element that people don’t realise in the conversation.

What people actually do is this:

“So you can build the app yes? So you’ll do the tech and the design for the price of just the tech bit yes? Oh and branding? You’ll include the branding won’t you. And the marketing plan, all within the tech budget, and without a budget for a designer.”

What people think they do is this:

“The app must be slick and beautiful. Design is everything so we need a great UX and design to make this work brilliantly and stand out from the crowd. We’ll pay really well to make sure this happens.”

The key thing here to recognise is that people want it to be beautiful. However, it misses the point that a lot of the time (not always), you don’t start with beautiful, you start with “it works well and looks ok/good” and work up to beautiful over time.

It is easier to redesign than it is to rebuild the technology. Always. Every time. Especially the longer the project goes on.