Several companies want to make applications and they go about dedicating several resources to create the application. We, at Usinlife have thought about what makes a good application and have three basic guidelines. These are not the only guidelines but are the starting point for every app process.
1. The app has to fulfill a need – this is true of business and is true for any service. If it does not fulfill a need – whether known or unvoiced, then there is very little incentive for anyone to use it. Even a game fulfills a need of passing time or entertainment so this is not really a restriction.
2. Refining the first point, the app has to solve a problem. If your problem is temperature conversion and the app enables you to convert temperatures then it is solving your problem.
3. Developing the second point. It has to provide some value to the user. The value has be either in user interface, looking good or in some away making the user happy that he has your app in his mobile device.
Obviously, there are many that fulfill these objectives and still are not very popular. And here comes the gray area:
The app has to be exceptional in offering something that other app’s do not offer. Of course, you could have a better user interface or better graphics but beyond that there is something unusually valuable/good/unique that makes it exceptional. This is hardest to define but probably as difficult as the definition of “cool”.
An interesting phenomenon is that once the cascade of download starts then it tends to escalate more just for the reason that other users would like to see and experience what others are talking about!