Manav Jain
Posted on March 9, 2021
So, you noticed something and got a great mobile app idea in mind but lack the technical aspects of how to create an app? Chances are high; your answer is yes. A great idea requires dedication and hard work. Though you are not from a technical background, that doesn't mean you need to drop your idea right at the hands of an app development firm.
Multiple activities need to be performed before you handover your idea to experts, and with the right set of skills, you can also ensure dedicated development by yourself.
Here are 12 Simple Steps for Developing your App:
Step-1: Define Your Goal
An app or software is nothing but a solution to typical issues related to man or machine. You may have a brilliant idea, but it's crucial to have clear concepts before you proceed to create an app. Define answers to the following queries:
1) What are the core functionalities of the App?
2) What additional features can be integrated to enhance its functionalities?
3) What issues will be resolved by the App?
4) What marketing strategies are on your mind?
Having clear answers to these queries will help you define clear goals for your app development project.
Step-2: Clear Your Marketing Strategies
Unless developing the App for personal or business use, you must have clear business and marketing strategies to monetize it.
For making money out of your App, you can invest in the following ways:
1) The in-app advertisement that allows the users to download the App for free.
2) Paid models which require users to pay for installing and using the App.
3) In-app purchase that makes users pay for advanced features of the App.
Step-3: Research Your Market, Competitors, etc.
A lot of research work has to be done to ensure you are on the right track. Chances are high; you have an idea that has been explored to at least some extent, if not wholly. For example, entrepreneurs worldwide invest in popular app ideas over a different market niche to make a fortune out of them.
Investing time in similar apps that you are trying to develop will help you realize both must-have features and innovative ones to give you an edge in the market. Here you can have two cases, have a look.
Case-A: You hire mobile app developers and are trying to develop an advanced app whose basic and similar versions are available. Mainly because there are more than 5 million apps in the world as per Software Outsourcing Stats. In this case, you need to focus on the additional features so that users will find your option more attractive. To find the ideal ones, you need to go through the user's feedback, especially negative ones. It will gain you a clear perception, need, wants, etc., of the target audience.
Case-B: You have an idea that's either entirely innovative and new (no similar apps available) or partially innovative (somewhat likewise versions of apps are available). This scenario enhances both the chances of worldwide/nationwide popularity and also the load of associated hard work. You must find the target audience and the additional issues that the App can solve, and the main error.
Whatever the case may be, an important thing is, before you proceed with the main development, find out whether the essential features of the App are feasible with the present technology.
Lord forbid, if it’s not, you need not lose hope. Your idea can still be successfully reframed, and certain features can be too or kept on hold to produce a fully functional app.
Step-4: Out Sketch the App using Wireframe
Now, you can finally begin with what a mobile application developer does? I meant the core responsibilities of the app development. Once done with the research work you have performed, it comes to showing the application functionalities via designing the different working screens of the App.
The process is called wireframing and involves putting up your ideas in rough to neat sketches to show a systematic representation of the multiple screens and also the flow of the App. There are numerous wireframing tools available online, and the famous include those offered by Adobe, Microsoft, etc. Find and use the most compatible device for yourself.
Step-5: Focus on the Backend of Your App
Having created and finalized the Wireframe of the App, you need to shift to the backend of the App.
Let's recollect your app knowledge or skip the next two points.
An app has two sides as follows:
Front-end/ Client-side: This constitutes all the things that the users can see and access while playing with an app.
Back-end/Server-side: This is typically not accessible to the users and mainly constitutes the server based on which an app performs or functions.
So, talking about the back end of the App, your step is to define all the servers, APIs, etc., necessary for the App to function based on the user input (clicks, scrolls, etc.). Modifications in the Wireframe may be required when you fail to achieve features due to technical constraints.
Step-6: Finalize the Architecture of the App
The demo of the final product needs genuine feedback from your friends, family members, and the App's target audience. Based on the feedback, you may find it necessary to make modifications ranging from simple designing of the elements to massive features integration.
However, don't lose your hope. Trust your gut feelings and use criticism to maximize your gains. Remember, the target audience's issue, which might seem a constraint now, can surely be covered when you update the App.
Step-7: Register Yourself with the Concerned App Market
You don't want the app launch to delay once it's ready. Therefore it's time for you to develop your account over the concerned platform, whether Google, Apple, etc. It typically takes a few days to wholly complete the registration process, and so it's best to start beforehand.
Step-8: Start Building the App
This part of the App is all about developing an error-free code for the App. You can invest in open source technology stacks and frameworks to save time and cost. Do you know! How much does it cost to develop a mobile app? Well, a significant part of it depends upon the total time of development and the chosen technology stack.
MERN, LAMP, etc., are some of the popular open-source technology stacks you can rely upon. While investing in a framework allows you to avoid starting from scratch.
Step-9: Design an Intuitive User Interface
Your App may have all the ideal features, but it will simply end in deletion when the design is not intuitive. In fact, intuitiveness is among the very nature of an app that sets it apart from websites. An experienced designer can ensure an innovative design for the App.
If you are planning not to hire one, you can also accomplish this by analyzing the features' hierarchy and order. You can also take help from similar products online or discuss them with a target audience.
By now, you must have clearly gained an idea of What is application development services? It might seem a bit tricky, but many novices have done it with dedicated hard work, and you can too.
Step-10: Start Testing the Developed App
At this time, your App or its MVP(minimum viable product) is ready, and you are required to test it against various parameters. The important ones include performance testing, speed testing, overall battery consumption, etc. The developed App must function properly with clicks and scrolls landing to the planned page and sections. In terms of issues detected, they must get resolved to ensure a fantastic user experience.
Step-11: Retest the Resolved Issues
Once you have tried and resolved the detected issues in the previous steps, it's essential for you to retest the functioning of the App to ensure the modification done has not led to new bugs over the App. It may take a while for a novice but continue it until the App starts running in the desired fashion.
Step-12: Launch Your App
It's time for you to share this excellent product with the world. It will take some time for your App to get reviewed and passed by the ultimate platform. Most platforms take around 2 to 4 weeks to allow the app's availability/visibility to the users.
Alternatively, you can also launch your App on pre-launch apps to gain immediate feedback from a host of active communities.
Final Words
What are the skills required for mobile app development? I hope the blog has clearly answered this question. The best mobile apps development company can drive your project to success in no time.
Posted on March 9, 2021
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