Mobile App Development: What’s It Going to Take?
If you’re one of the four billion-plus mobile phone users in the world today, you’re probably familiar with mobile apps. Given that most of us spend an estimated 3 hours a day on our phones, and that 90% of that is spent on apps according to sources, it’s no surprise that mobile apps, in general, are hugely appreciated.
You’ve got mobile apps for everything from ordering food and performing banking operations to playing games and meeting new people with similar interests. Though mobile apps are often convenient and fun on the user end, it takes a bit to develop or build them and have them ready for release and widespread usage. Furthermore, given the number of mobile apps out there as well as those that are currently being developed, it isn’t all that easy to come up with and release a mobile app that will be successful. Some apps never make it past the drawing board and among those that do, only the best ones really gain users and momentum.
If you’re someone looking to develop an app, one of the things you might be wondering is what the process is going to take.
Mobile App Development Essentials
It doesn’t matter if you’re developing a personal management app to help with finance, a pet owner’s app for dogs, or a dating app that stresses more on intellect and less on physicality. If you’re developing using mobile app development software like flutter or working with a mobile app development company, you’re going to need to undertake these basic steps.
Conceptualizing and Research
Any mobile app begins with a concept. An idea of what the app could be is determined by whose brainchild the application is. Once you have an idea or a concept, you need to build on it. That’s where research comes in. You need to have a clear sense of who you’re building your mobile app for, what its intended usage is, what limitations users may face, and so on.
Though this is not the last time in the process that your app will need such scrutiny, it is important to start in this manner. When developing a mobile app, things do not always go as planned. That said, the more you take into account during your research and conceptualization phase, the better!
Wireframing
Essentially, a wireframe is a simple or basic layout or foundation upon which a website, as well as a web or mobile application, can be developed. Some of the purposes of wireframing include defining what functions the application will perform or what features it will offer. It also gives developers a sense of the mobile apps navigation patters as well as an estimate of the kind of user-end experience to expect.
Assessing Technical Feasibility
Apps may have different requirements depending on what they are being developed for. Within mobile apps, those being developed for different operating software types such as Android or iOS may have different developmental prerequisites. Assessing if or not the app features you’re intending on will actually be something you can translate to functionality is important during this part of the development process. This should give you a clear sense of which features to move forward with and which ones will just not be technically feasible. You may also want to also some of your app specifics at this stage.
Prototype Building
In order to begin developing a practical understanding of your mobile app and its usability, you will need a prototype. A prototype is built in the simplest possible manner. The idea is to give you as well as the other concerned parties, such as investors, a clearer sense of how your app works and what potential bugs may need to be fixed. There may be a lot of back and forth during this phase until you come up with a design that everyone involved agrees with.
Design
This phase of your mobile app development could take anywhere from a few hours to a few months depending on how complex the app is, who is involved, and what exactly is being developed. The design phase focuses on three things: coding, testing, and if needed, recoding or redesigning. This is the phase of app development where everything from your apps visual appearance and interactive functions to its flow and feel is established. Like prototype building, there is a lot of back and forth reviewing to be done here.
Development
When we say development, what we’re referring to specifically here is the coding, review, bug fixing, and potential further coding that takes place before the app’s final testing stage. It is at this stage that app functions, app appearance, and other application development features are finalized.
Testing
Testing is not a process that comes after development. It would be more accurate to say there is a lot of back and forth between testing and development as well as other processes. The formal term for this back and forth is what you call agile methodology in app development. This methodology allows developers to oscillate between various parts of the mobile app development process in order to ensure that the app is near perfect.
App testing is conducted on the prototype phase as well as later in the process. If bugs and other issues are flagged during testing, apps must be pushed back into development.
Deployment
When you’re happy with the app you’ve developed and fixed any and all potential bugs, it’s time to share your creation with the world. Look up store launch policies, publicize your app on various social media platforms, pick a release date, and you’re off.
We’re Not Done Yet
Remember, your work doesn’t end after the release of your application. All the most popular apps today go through a consistent process of updating and bug fixing. You’re going to need to make sure your app is efficient, up-to-date, and able to keep users engaged. That said, if your app is out, being downloaded, used, and not deleted within the first day or week of download, the bulk of your work should be over!
There’s a lot more we could teach you about app development. Check back with us for more blogs with information on everything from AI and virtual reality to machine learning, scrum methodology, and more. Till next time!
