One common meaning of the word “feasible” is: capable of being done or effected. In that sense, any app idea you might have is feasible. But what does this actually look like in practice?
As a previous blog post showed, the likelihood of seeing an app through to completion and supporting it afterward will drop off sharply after the initial excitement wears off and the next steps need to be identified and acted upon.
The success of your idea will depend on you and your willingness and ability to execute. I can’t count the times I’ve been approached by someone who has the Next Great App idea, and says they’ll cut me in on the profits if I will just build it for them.
Remember, ideas are great, but almost anything you can think of has already been thought of and perhaps built.
Does this mean you should give up the minute you discover there are 27 apps on the App Store that help manage a dry cleaning business? Does this mean your amazing idea for “Suds Your Duds” will never work? Absolutely not! Your app will be a direct reflection of the time and energy you bring to it.
The true value of a great app is in the execution of the idea and in the willingness to stick with it through the tough times that will come.
Here are a few of the things you’ll want to keep in mind when considering the feasibility of your app idea:
- Do you believe there is a real need for your app in the wild? Awesome, step one is done.
- Have you confirmed that potential customers see value in your idea, too? If not, that’s ok. But you’ll need to test your idea early and often as you execute.
- Will you have the time needed to research and test your idea? Remember my advice about testing early and often from the previous bullet? It’s an enormous time commitment and absolutely critical to your success.
- Do you know what technology you’ll use to build it? If so, great! If not, you’ll want to bring the idea to a team that can advise you on the latest and most effective tools to bring it to life.
- What connections might you already have that can help you get started with this app? People you know may be able to put you in touch with others who can help you execute.
- And lastly, how this will impact your life? You may think I’m being repetitive, but this point can’t be overstated. Cost doesn’t just mean money. You’ll put a great deal of your time, focus, energy, and thought
into this endeavor, too.
It’s an extremely satisfying thing to see your idea come together, evolve, and blossom into a real-world application with the potential to help solve a particular problem or even change the way people live their lives.
We’ll dive deeper into some of these topics in upcoming blog posts, including how much an app costs to develop, the benefits of completing a business model canvas, when to go live with your app, and more.