Case Study: ArriveCan App, How to Avoid Blowing Up $54 Million on Simple App Development
Aveo Software
December 1, 2022
Case Study: ArriveCan App, How to Avoid Blowing Up $54 Million on Simple App Development
The ArriveCan app became a cautionary tale in government software spending. What should have been a straightforward mobile application ended up costing Canadian taxpayers $54 million.
What Went Wrong
The primary issues included scope creep, lack of clear project management, excessive subcontracting, and insufficient oversight of vendor costs.
How to Keep App Development Costs Reasonable
Define clear requirements upfront. A well-written specification document prevents scope creep and keeps the project focused.
Use cross-platform development. Frameworks like Flutter allow you to build for iOS and Android simultaneously, cutting development time and cost significantly.
Choose the right development partner. Work with a transparent team that provides clear estimates, regular updates, and predictable billing.
Start with an MVP. Build the core functionality first, launch, and iterate based on real user feedback.
At Aveo Software, we pride ourselves on delivering high-quality apps at reasonable costs with full transparency throughout the process.