Context
One of our clients was facing challenges with their Android app. It had issues affecting both users and developers. These problems led to user dissatisfaction, increased technical debt, and lowered the app's rating on Google Play to 3.6 by May 2024. Our goal was to address these issues to improve the experience for users and make development smoother for the team.
Problem Identification and Consequences
The app suffered from performance issues, memory errors, and general instability, which frustrated users. At the same time, technical debt and outdated coding structures made development slower and more difficult for the team. Together, these issues reduced user satisfaction and held back further development.
Solution Implementation
We worked with our client's team to identify the biggest problems and set clear priorities. The Android team was divided into three sub-teams, each focusing on a key area of improvement:
- Performance and Stability: Tackled issues like "App Not Responding" errors, memory management, and overall app stability to improve user experience.
- Developer Efficiency: Focused on reducing technical debt, updating the app’s structure, and making coding simpler to support faster and easier development.
- UX & UI: Used Compose to refresh the app’s design and improve the main feature—the map—for better user interaction.
We released updates every two weeks to monitor progress and validate improvements. As the app stabilized, we added a pop-up to encourage satisfied users to leave a rating, shown after certain actions like logging a catch or planning a fishing trip.
Business and Product Gains
Our focused approach resolved 99% of stability issues affecting users, modernized the map feature, and redesigned the main feed. For developers, we reduced technical debt, simplified workflows, and introduced Compose, making future development more efficient. The impact was clear: within 3-4 months, App’s Google Play rating rose from 3.6 to 4.4. This collaboration exceeded expectations, providing real value to users and creating a strong foundation for future growth.
