A while ago, I conducted an informal survey among startup founders to understand their common concerns. The findings offer valuable insights for both new and existing startups and their founders. Beyond the obvious challenges of securing funding and developing monetisation strategies, the main concerns highlighted were recruitment, prolonged software development and time to market.
The last three concerns are actually interconnected. Hiring unsuitable technical staff can lead to lengthier software development and a longer time to reach the market. So, what leads to prolonged mobile development and delayed market entry?
One common pitfall is the lack of full, early technical validation of ideas. Many startups fail to identify and rigorously test the riskiest areas of their venture. It’s crucial to do this as it not only validates the concept but also provides data for a more accurate estimate of the total effort required.
Another issue is the tendency of startups to embark on an inappropriate architecture or development path, often influenced by an individual’s over-familiar, dogmatic or idealistic goals. Decisions should instead be driven by pragmatic company needs. An initial misstep in architecture can be difficult to correct later and often requires complete re-implementation, which is costly, frustrating and can undermine confidence among investors, employees and customers.
Another area where effort is often squandered is in the design of app screens. Frequently, layouts are reworked just prior to app release when what was previously unclear suddenly becomes clear. This issue is particularly prevalent in screens that have a custom rather than native appearance, which in itself can be an issue as it demands significantly more development effort.
Sometimes, startups neglect to engineer in facilities required for their intended sales channel or for support. Adding these elements later can be more costly and challenging.
Many startups struggle to strike the right balance between custom solutions and software as a service (SAAS). Over-reliance on a single SAAS provider, with no second sourcing or understanding of the underlying technology, can lead to problems if the service provider faces business issues. Being dependent on another startup is also a potential red flag, as the underlying business must either become profitable or face closure, potentially impacting your venture.
To mitigate these risks, startups need to exercise diligence in the early stages of development. This involves recruiting individuals who have the requisite experience and knowledge to reduce the probability of overly prolonged development or even the risk of business failure due to unexpected technical challenges.
Finally, there’s often a mistaken belief that development is a one-off task. In reality, ongoing updates are necessary to add new features and fix problems. Development is also a moving target because mobile platforms evolve.
With over twenty years of experience working with a diverse range of startups across multiple sectors, I understand the recurrent mobile-related problems startups face, both business and technical. This insight allows me to provide tailored, pragmatic services that can be vital for a startup’s success.
