A Step-by-Step Guide to the Process of Developing and Releasing a Mobile App
The process of building an app from scratch can take as much or as little time as you want. It is perfectly possible to create a mobile app in a day. You simply open the IDE, dump some things together, test the product then submit it to the app store. However, to build a successful app, with a rigorous design that adeptly fulfils your niche in the market, it might be worth spending some extra time on the development processes.
So, what are those development processes? What exactly needs to be done to bring your app to life? And where do the obstacles and challenges lie?
Step 1: Market Research
The best apps start not with designs, but with research. Your research should go deep into exactly who your target users will be, as well as examining what other apps are already operating in the market.
Some basic questions that your research should aim to answer are:
- What will your app do?
- What other apps are already doing it?
- Who will use your app?
- How will they use it?
- What platform do these people typically use?
- What is your development budget?
- What is your development timeline?
Step 2: Design and Wireframing
Designing the app is often the fun part. However, it is important not to get bogged down in the minutia. Draw sketches of what you want your app to look like and create a storyboard of how each screen will connect and the way users will navigate the app. There are plenty of wireframing tools available that allow you to do this. This should help uncover usability problems and give an idea of how the app will function.
When you take your designs to a developer, you will likely be confronted with the reality of how your design will work within the technical limitations in the backend development process. You should, therefore, be ready to make amendments and collaborate with the designer to get all your features included in a practical and functional app.
Step 3: Development
Choosing a development approach is important and will largely depend on your budget and time constraints. There are three development approaches app developers typically employ. Native apps deliver the best user experience. They take time to develop and offer the user an immersive and extensive experience with extremely high usability.
Web apps are much quicker to develop and cheaper to run. They use HTML5, CSS and JavaScript code but are significantly less powerful than native apps.
Finally, a hybrid approach encompasses aspects of both. It uses prebuilt native containers supplemented by web coding. This usually provides a happy medium between the two.
Step 4: Build a Prototype
Now it is time to put everything into action. You should develop a quick prototype so you can get an idea of how the app actually functions. This will get your concept into the hands of potential users and allow you to find out how it works.
Step 5: Test, Test and Test Again
You need to test your app as rigorously as possible in as many different real-life settings as possible. Mobile App Testing services can be exceptionally helpful when it comes to identifying potential problems in your design and development and getting feedback from a large number of potential users.
Online app testing tools give real-time feedback and analytics on every part of the app, including design, usability, images, graphics, and user experience. Once you have ironed out all of these issues and are happy with the appearance, usability and app interface, it is time to prepare to launch.
Step 6: Launch
All that remains is to carefully plan a release date around your marketing schedule and celebrate.
After you launch, it is time to turn your attention to capturing analytics. Analytics are essential for streamlining the app, developing updates to improve function and usability, identifying your user demographic, channelling marketing efforts and predicting user behaviour.
This will allow your app to be a living design, allowing you to improve it periodically and boost sales through intelligent, efficient marketing.
