Green and Red Flags When Building Your First App

Starting your first app project is exciting, but it can also feel like stepping into unknown territory. You might not be sure what’s “normal,” what’s a red flag, or how to tell if things are truly on track. This guide will help you understand what to expect at each phase of the process and the signs of a healthy, transparent, and well-run development journey.

Phase 1: Pre-Start — Laying the Foundation

Before any code is written, your team should help you define a clear and shared understanding of what will be built. This phase is about aligning expectations and avoiding ambiguity.

This early phase is sometimes called the elaboration phase. It helps refine your idea, define scope, and align expectations before any development begins.

✅ Green Flags: What to Look for

Clear Requirements and Scope Document

A well-organised document that outlines features, priorities, and expected outcomes. This ensures everyone is working towards the same goal from day one.

Wireframes or Figma Designs

Even rough wireframes give structure to your idea. Figma designs help visualise how the app will look and behave, reducing misunderstandings later.

Feature List with Rough Estimates

A basic breakdown of features with time or cost estimates shows that the team has taken the time to plan realistically.

Mention of Ongoing Infrastructure and Maintenance Costs

A trustworthy team will flag not just the development cost but also hosting, third-party services, or support fees.

Clear Milestones

Milestones let you track progress and spot delays early. They help you understand what success looks like at each step.

Launch Timeline of 2–4 Months for MVP

A short and focused MVP cycle shows that the team knows how to prioritise and iterate.

Suggestions to Reduce MVP Scope

Instead of trying to build everything at once, a good partner will help you focus on the must-haves to reach the market faster.

⚠️ Red Flags: Warning Signs

MVP Launch Estimated in 12 Months or More

This may suggest a misunderstanding of what an MVP really is or an overly complicated plan that risks early failure.

No Feature Breakdown

If your proposal lacks detail, it’s hard to understand what’s being estimated and why.

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Phase 2: Start of Development — Getting Things Moving

Once the project kicks off, transparency and consistency become essential. You should be able to track real progress without needing to chase updates.

✅ Green Flags: Signs of a Strong Start

Code Repositories in Use (e.g. GitHub, GitLab)

This ensures version control, backup, and team collaboration. You should have access too.

CI/CD and Build Automation Set Up

These pipelines automate testing and deployment, helping maintain quality and speed throughout development.

Task Management Tools (JIRA, Trello, etc.)

These tools help you understand who’s doing what and when. They are also useful for status updates and shared accountability.

Technical Diagrams (System Architecture, Database Diagrams, etc.)

Visualising system structure helps align both tech and business teams.

Modern API Usage (OpenAPI, GraphQL, etc.)

These suggest a thoughtful backend design that’s easier to maintain and scale.

⚠️ Red Flags

No Repositories in Use.

This raises concerns about how the code is managed, shared, and protected.

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Phase 3: Two Months In — Checking Progress

At this point, you should be seeing real outcomes, not just planning slides or promises.

✅ Green Flags: What You Should See

First Internal Builds Available for Testing

Even early builds show that development is progressing and give you a chance to offer feedback.

Connected Systems

Frontend and backend should already be talking to each other, even if not fully polished.

A Few Fully Working Screens with Minor Bugs

Functional features (even if small) are a good sign of healthy development pace

New Features Do Not Break Existing Ones

This indicates clean code practices and good QA workflows.

You Have Access to Code Repositories and Key Accounts

This protects your ownership and visibility.

Clear Task Management

Tasks should be regularly updated and reflect real work, not just a to-do list on paper.

⚠️ Red Flags

No Visible Progress or Only Developer Demo Videos

If the app can only be shown on one machine or in video recordings, that’s a concern.

No Access to Code or Accounts

Unless agreed in advance, you should have access, or at least visibility, into technical assets.

No Task Tracking in Use

This makes it harder to understand what’s been done or what’s planned next.

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Phase 4: Six Months In — Evaluating Outcomes

By now, your product should be live or in the hands of early testers, and you should feel confident in your partnership.

✅ Green Flags: Positive Signs

Core Users Are Engaged and Happy

Real user feedback confirms that your app is delivering value.

You Are Confident in the Team

You feel heard, informed, and supported by the people building your product.

Team Understands Your Industry and Business Goals

They should be talking about outcomes, not just features or code.

Team Suggests Strategic Improvements

Proactive suggestions show investment in your product, not just task delivery.

Frequent Releases

A good rhythm of updates (ideally at least once a month) keeps momentum going.

⚠️ Red Flags

Team Still Doesn’t Understand Your Business

This can lead to features that miss the mark or technical decisions that don’t scale.

New Features Frequently Cause Breakage

This signals instability or poor code management.

Delays in Releasing New Versions

This may reflect workflow issues or tech debt piling up.

Still No CI/CD or Automated Testing

Without these foundations, long-term reliability becomes harder to guarantee.

General Tips for First-Time Founders

Have a Technically Responsible Person

Whether internal or external, a CTO or lead developer helps manage the process and translate between technical and business needs.

Invest in Communication

Even with great tools, regular check-ins, shared documentation, and mutual trust are key.

What Comes After Your MVP Launch?

Once your MVP is live and your development process is running smoothly, the next big step is getting it into people’s hands. If you're unsure where to begin, we have broken down some practical strategies in this article on how to get clients for a new business.

Conclusion

You don’t need to be technical to spot signs of a healthy development process. Clear milestones, working features, visible progress, and proactive communication go a long way. Watch out for slow timelines, limited access, or vague updates, and always trust your instincts if something feels off.

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FAQ

How much does it cost to build an app?

The cost depends on complexity, platforms, design requirements, backend setup, and whether you’re building a minimum viable product (MVP) or a full-featured solution. A well-scoped MVP can be significantly more affordable and is often the recommended first step.

How long does it take to build the first version?

A focused MVP can typically be delivered within 2 to 4 months. Timelines longer than that may suggest scope issues or inefficiencies. Clear requirements, prioritised features, and consistent progress tracking help keep things on schedule.

Should I build for iOS, Android, web, or all at once?

Start with the platform that best fits your users. For example, if your audience mostly uses iPhones, build for iOS first. Cross-platform frameworks like Flutter or React Native can help you reach multiple platforms with a single codebase.

What should a good development agency provide?

A solid team will offer clear documentation, visual designs, breakdowns of features, access to source code, use of version control, automated builds, and task tracking. They’ll also be proactive in communication and focused on long-term success, not just short-term delivery.

What are common risks when outsourcing app development?

Risks include lack of transparency, unclear scope, delays, misaligned expectations, and poor documentation. You can avoid many of these by watching for red flags early on and insisting on regular progress updates and shared access.

Do I need a technical co-founder or CTO if I’m non-technical?

Not necessarily, but you do need a technically responsible person who can communicate clearly, make architectural decisions, and act as a bridge between your business goals and the development process.

What happens after my MVP is launched?

After launch, you’ll need to gather feedback, fix bugs, track usage, and begin user acquisition. You can start small with direct outreach or soft launches. For ideas, see our guide on how to get your first clients as a startup.

How can I tell if things are going well during development?

Watch for signs like working internal builds, version control usage, clear progress in a task tracker, and a connected backend. We’ve broken down what to expect (and when) throughout this guide, so feel free to scroll back if you need a quick reference.