The presence of a company in the market, regardless of the division by industry, is constantly associated with seeking access to the customer. Many entrepreneurs want to be in as close contact with their audience as possible in order to provide personalized solutions and constantly meet their needs through products and services designed for this purpose. One of the most common means chosen is the development of a mobile application, whose role is to support the business and create a direct relationship between the company and its customers.
I decided to gather in one place the most important information and prepare an article that will help you understand what steps to take to develop a mobile application from scratch. Are you thinking about having such a solution? Would you like to take your business to the next level? If so, this guide is dedicated to you.
Table of Contents:
1. Laying the foundation: planning your mobile app development
2. Creating an engaging app design
3. Build an application framework by creating an MVP
4. Choose the application's environment and operating system
5. Should you build your app yourself or hire a software house
6. The crucial QA stage in app development
7. How should the application be distributed?
8. The importance of continuous development and updates
Laying the foundation: planning your mobile app development
Bulding mobile applications is like building a house. Before any foundations appear, you need to develop a plan of action and prepare a concept according to which the goal will be realized. Firstly, you need to answer important questions - what you will need the app for and what functions are necessary. Then, knowing the goal and basic functionalities, start writing down your ideas on pieces of paper. Think about who will be part of your audience, what steps need to be taken to engage users, conduct a competitive analysis and consider if the app is going to monetize and, if yes, how.
Creating an engaging app design
Well, now that you have the most important information about your business idea in one place, it's time to get down to implementation. This is the right time to prepare the app design. Of course, at this stage it will be basic views in the form of mockups, but on the foundation of these you will be able to move forward with further conceptualization. When working on the design, pay attention to the user experience elements. They are the ones that will determine whether the app users will be eager to use it, or whether an unintuitive design will make them discouraged.
Build an application framework by creating an MVP
After developing application mockups, it's time to move on to creating something like mockups of the application. Wireframes allow you to move to the MVP (Minimum Viable Product) phase, that is, to lay out the basic elements of the application in such a way that you can create something like the backbone of the application. This is the right time to adjust the key elements of the design in such a way that they are as comfortable as possible for the audience to use. Do not neglect this stage of app development. A properly prepared MVP phase saves time in the later stages of development, and, most importantly, it can also help reduce the expenses associated with any revisions.
Choose the application's environment and operating system
Having already the basics of the application you are developing, you can move on to the next stage of work. This time it will be the choice of approach to the development of the mobile application. There are two most commonly chosen scenarios. One of them concerns native apps. Native apps are solutions dedicated to running on specific devices or operating systems (iOS or Android). They account for more than 80% of mobile traffic and are considered extremely efficient. In addition, their advantage is access to a wide range of native APIs found on smartphones and tablets.
The second scenario involves progressive apps. This type of app aims to create a user experience similar to that of native apps. The difference is that progressive apps are hybrids of websites and mobile apps. They can be indexed in search engines using SEO and also function offline.
Should you build your app yourself or hire a software house
After choosing the type of application to be developed, another dilemma arises. What approach should accompany the creation of the desired product? You can build the application on your own if you have the time, knowledge of operating systems and programming skills. Another path is to create a mobile app using an app builder. This solution allows you to personalize the app and equip it with the necessary functions without coding skills. It is worth saying that this solution has its limitations, which are sometimes impossible to pass if the design work is too advanced. The last way to prepare an application is to entrust the work to companies such as Railwaymen. Using the services of a software house is, admittedly, the most expensive of the solutions mentioned, but it allows you to create an application to meet the most complex requirements. Delegating the work to experienced specialists will save you time and at the same time guarantee a high-quality, functional and properly protected product.
The crucial QA stage in app development
Well! Let's assume that the design work on your application is behind you. You already have a prototype of your app laced with the right design. So it's time for the next step that brings you closer to releasing your project to the world. Now is the right time to put your app through the testing phase. This should be approached as responsibly as possible, as testing allows you to point out any bugs that occur that could potentially discourage the user from using the application. Testing should be performed by competent people. In addition, it must cover all versions of the application you intend to release to your audience. In addition to looking for bugs on individual operating systems, it is also important to use as many browsers as possible that your users can use.
Here are the aspects that are most often considered when conducting the testing phase:
- application speed;
- the occurrence of errors that affect the user experience of the application;
- performance under connectivity limitations;
- user comfort when using particular functions;
- observation of user navigation paths;
- elements of the application that have the potential to degrade the user experience.
The testing phase need not be limited to the QA team alone. It's also worth involving a slice of your audience, which can help you pinpoint what still needs to be worked on. After all, these are the people who will be using the product you offer, and it is their experience that should be the most important to analyze.
How should the application be distributed?
After testing and applying all the corrections, it is time for the eagerly awaited publication. Here it is worth distinguishing between native apps and progressive apps again, as the scenarios in both cases are different. In native apps, you have a choice of two store platforms - the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store. The choice of the store where your app will be located depends on the operating system you choose to develop your app. The situation is slightly different for progressive apps. There, you only need to take care of hosting your app on a web server and connecting your web domain to it. After that, it's worth taking care of good positioning to make it easier for potential users to see your final product.
The importance of continuous development and updates
The final stage of your app development adventure should be the development and update stage. This is the right time to gather feedback from users and prepare refreshed versions of the app on a relatively efficient and regular basis. Set yourself goals that you want to achieve through your product and try to meet the assumptions supported by regular improvements. Be open to your audience's suggestions and don't close yourself off to any criticism. They are the ones that can help you grow and step up to an even higher level. Moreover, observe competing companies for inspiration and lessons learned. Learn from others' successes and mistakes so that your solution follows the path you have set. Be sure to do promotional activities to help increase your reach and thus gain new audiences.
Summary
In summary, the process of building a mobile app from scratch involves several important steps, each of which requires meticulous planning and execution. These range from conceptualization and design, where the foundation of the app is laid, through rigorous testing to ensure a smooth user experience, to distribution and ongoing development to accommodate changing user needs and technological advances. Each step is integral to the app's success, requiring careful attention to detail and a commitment to quality at every stage of development.
Before you undertake any app development steps, prepare your entire implementation plan accordingly. Set realistic goals and monitor their implementation. In addition, consider whether you want to take on the development process alone, or whether you need the support of specialists. In the case of external support, Railwaymen can help you. As a software house specializing in app development, we have the expertise and experience to bring your vision to life. Visit our case studies section to see our past projects and learn more about how we can assist you in building a custom application tailored to your needs. Don't hesitate to reach out to us to discuss your project further. Let's turn your app idea into reality!
Source of images: https://pixabay.com/
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