How to Make a Mobile App – Easy Guide
We all know that mobile is going to take over the desktop because the number of mobile users is increasing every second. According to recent statistics, the overall mobile data traffic can reach up to 131 exabytes per month in 2024. Business owners have shifted their focus on making more mobile apps because it allows them to engage customers and make more profits.
Why Does Your Business Need To Make a Mobile App?
- Enhances brand awareness
- Increases revenue profit
- Creates a loyal fanbase
- Reduces marketing costs
But creating a compelling mobile app for your customers can be challenging. Some people think creating a mobile app is a terrifying experience because it requires trained developers, long hours of work, high costs, and risk prevention strategies.
If you are a first-timer when it comes to developing a mobile app and feeling intimidated, then our How to make a mobile app easy guide can help you learn all the steps in mobile app development. Spoilers ahead!
How To Plan Features and Functionalities?
The first step to climb the mountain is to plan how to do it. You have to create an achievable scope of work to develop a responsive mobile app. Rather than running aimlessly into your mobile development road without having a single clue about any feature or functionality, it is better to plan everything. If you don’t plan out the essential features and functionalities, then get ready to hit a few bumps that might cost you money and time.
Some mobile app development teams use a bunch of terms for planning app features and functionalities like “Idea Creation” or “Discovery Stage”. And, brainstorming mobile app ideas and planning all the essential features is the core step. Find out how to plan your mobile app development journey:
- Layout the app development plans from a management’s perspective
- Determine the risks associated with app creation
- Prepare weekly sprints to make sure you meet the deadlines
- Create an achievable time estimate for your mobile app
Bonus Advice: Try to pen down all the essential features and functionalities that you wish to include in your mobile app. The goal is to be as specific as you can when it comes to planning the necessary features and app functionalities. Map out the features you wish to include in your mobile app and also the ones you don’t want to throw out.
How To Research Your Competitors?
Some app developers skip the part where they should be researching their direct competitors. For instance, if you are developing a mobile app to sell sneakers, then research the market for competitors who have a mobile app and sell sneakers. Before you dive headfirst on the app creation pool, take a look around for competitors who have a similar app to get helpful mobile app ideas.
The main goal is to:
- Figure out the essential features
- Learn the customer’s needs
- Check the right cost of your mobile app
- Develop a great business strategy
Researching competitors can help you avoid a lot of bumps in the app creation process. You will realize the dos’ and don’ts of your mobile development procedures. You might find many mobile apps that are serving the same target audience. The reason competitor research can help you avoid any roadblocks in the app creation process. However, research the competitors that are leading the market. Look for reviews and the number of app installations, and the response of mobile apps.
How To Design Wireframes?
Wireframes can help you structure the app idea and put the blocks (elements) together to visualize the end result of your mobile app. Think of wireframes as a reliable visual guide that can help you plan the right flow of the user interface. In simpler words, the wireframes give you a clear insight into how your mobile app design will look like during the launch phase. Wireframe design is part of the UX design process that is on-going and keeps on improving after every other update.
There are three types of wireframe designs:
- Low-fidelity wireframes or Black and white wireframes
- Annotated wireframes
- User flow wireframes
The wireframe design is progressed by the user cases and the smaller tasks that you achieve during the app development procedures. Creating wireframes can help you to identify the thought process, build numerous screens to pick out the best ones, and speed up the app development. You can either create wireframes using online tools such as Mockflow, Adobe Suite, Gliffy or build wireframes on a pen and paper.
How To Build a Responsive User Interface?
According to research, more than 94% of the first impressions are based on the app design. This proves that developing a responsive and aesthetically pleasing user interface is crucial.
Don’t Mix UX & UI
User interface and user experience might overlap but they have totally different functionalities. The user interface of your mobile app defines the appearance and how visually appealing it looks. Whereas user experiences helps you to figure out how users interact and their level of satisfaction.
But how can you create the best user interface?
Develop Various Style Guides
Style guides can help developers to avoid any bump in the development procedure. These style guides are the important steps in your mobile app design. It is a perfect mix of fonts, elements, and colors that you can use to create a seamless user interface.
Build Rendered Design
You are using all the elements in your style guide and structuring the wireframes. It is crucial to create and use a particular style guide but you must be ready to alter it.
Create a Click-through Design
After you are done with screen rendering, test the prototype again to clear out any glitches in your mobile app. This is the most important step in the mobile app development procedure that can help you avoid tweaks after the launch phase.
Expert Tips to Follow:
- Follow the latest UI trends
- Create a bold and clutter-free interface
- Always do beta testing
How To Pick the Right Programming Language For Making an App?
Choosing from an array of programming languages is necessary because it can help you decide the roadmap. If you make a perfect choice and plan out all the features at the start of the process, then you can save hours of hardwork. Answer the following questions before picking the right programming language:
- Are you going to use various tools and libraries?
- Can your developers code in this programming language?
- What are the non-negotiable constraints of your development procedures?
- Can you integrate it easily with the third-party tools?
- Does your client prefer a specific programming language?
- What is the best environment your mobile app will run on?
The Best Programming Languages for Android Apps
- Java
- C#
- Python
- Kotlin
The Best Programming Languages for IOS Apps
- HTML 5
- C++
- Swift
- Python
After answering these questions and picking the right programming language, you can make a decisive decision and work on the right roadmap. Picking the right programming language can help you to build systems that can withstand the changes in your app requirements.
Create an App Using Agile Methodologies
Now comes the hardest part! Building a mobile app. If you have decided to create a mobile app from the start then collaborate with the design-development teams to transform ideas (wireframes and design) into realities (a responsive app). Here are the necessary steps you can follow during the agile methodology:
- Planning the whole development phase and break the 6-month development procedure into smaller and achievable tasks
- Executing the essential functionalities in weekly sprints of your mobile app development processes
- Testing your mobile app regularly after every sprint to clear out all the technical flaws and fixing the bugs
- Getting the mobile app ready for test cases to ensure every feature is working accurately
- Checking the real response and loading time of your mobile app
- Ensuring the app is working perfectly on all the platforms
Use a range of tools ranging from Firebase, PaintCode, Xcode, or SwiftUI to accelerate the app development process. When it comes to app development, you can leverage hundreds of tools and open-source communities to avoid coding by yourself.
Launch Your App
Now your mobile app is ready for the launch phase! Before launching the app, make sure there are no bugs or glitches to boost better user experience. If you have tested your mobile app a hundred times and still don’t feel satisfied, then use the following tools.
- TestFairy
- Calabash
- Kobiton
- Appium
- UserTesting Or Similar Tools
We know that you might have tested the mobile app several times, but you need to test the features in a real-time environment. Try to engage with the user interface of your mobile app to get a feel of the real features.
What Is The Best Time to Launch the App?
Pick the right launch date for your mobile app that can make everyone excited. The sooner the better! On the app launch day, you must take care of the performance, resolve any glitches or customer’s issues, and stay ahead of growing problems until the dust settles.
Get Customer Feedback & Improvise
Customer feedback can help you make necessary changes in your app development process. It is important because customers will tell you about the major glitches and bugs in your mobile app. Don’t forget that you are creating a mobile app for your customers and their feedback is important. There are several ways to get customer feedback after the launch phase.
- Reviews: The easiest way to get customer feedback is to ask for reviews
- NPS Survey: Use the Net Promoter Score to check individualized feedback
- App Support Communities: Engage with a community of mobile app developers who can give you suggestions
Wrapping It Up
Even after the successful launch phase, you can’t wrap things up because the users are constantly using your app and giving reviews to make it better. We have shared the basic steps of app development processes that every juggernaut development team follows. But if you can’t manage to develop an enterprise-grade mobile app on your own, then hire a professional team to do it for you.
