WHAT ARE THE STAGES OF THE MOBILE APPLICATION DEVELOPMENT PROCESS?
7 MAIN STAGES OF MOBILE APPLICATION DEVELOPMENT
If you are ready to get involved in the app development process, you should keep in mind that there are over 5 million mobile apps available for Android and iOS devices on Google and Apple’s App Store. In other words, if you have big plans for your mobile app, you need to start thinking outside the box.
With modern technologies, the mobile app development process takes much less time and an average app can hit the iOS or Android market in a short time. The question is, will it be an app that people will find and download? With these types of competitions and new apps every day, it will be quite a challenge. But does this mean that it is impossible?
Certainly not! With just 7 stages of mobile app development, you can create an application that will be shared and installed application on smartphones and tablets around the world. Looks interesting? Let’s have a closer look.
1. Start with the Idea
2. Research
3. Create prototype
4. Development & QA
5. Testing
6. Deployment
7. Maintenance & Support
STEP 1. START WITH THE IDEA
As obvious as it sounds, every app development process starts with an idea. If you are lucky and know exactly what you want, you can take the next step. If you are planning to develop an app but don’t know here to start, ask yourself these 5 simple questions: What is the purpose of my app?
- What issues will I resolve with my app?
- What is the target audience for my app?
- Are there other apps that deal with the same issues?
- How does my application get better than the others?
- What is the reason people download and continue to use my app?
Answering these questions will help you set your goals and start your development strategy on the right track.
STEP 2. BUILD YOUR STRATEGY THROUGH RESEARCH
Developing a strategy for your future mobile application development steps like as planning a vacation:
- you are looking for the market
- you choose the best options
- you calculate your budget
- you set the time period
While it’s tempting to skip all of those prep steps and move on to app development early on, the smartest move is to research the market and find out the big picture. It may seem like your idea is one of a kind and that no one else has been able to come up with it before.
However, a simple Google search could bring disappointment and offer a number of even better solutions from potential competitors. But this can be a good sign.
Have serious competitors:
- give you insight into the app market in your specific niche
- shows that potential customers are interested in your mobile application
- allow you to examine competitor applications and learn from your “rival” by observing how they have implemented certain ideas and meet user needs
This way you can discover the market, take the best and improve it.
STEP 3. CREATE QUICK APPLICATION PROTOTYPES (OR PROTOTYPES / WIREFRAME DESIGN)
This is the part where your idea becomes a small project. It’s not a mobile app yet, but rather an outline of the future mobile application. In terms of app development, this is called the Wireframe.
A wireframe is a simplified basic overview of your future project which aims to:
- visually represents your mobile application
- shows how you want it to work
- describe its basic characteristics
- shows his inner navigation
Wireframes don’t have to be beautiful and detailed. Think of wireframe as a test field for experiments, where you test your ideas, share your craziest thoughts, and compare possible interactions, etc.
STEP 4. SEARCH FOR A DEVELOPER & QA TEAM
Choosing the best development team is never easy. You can look for them locally which is next to impossible or entrust the necessary tasks either to an agency in any part of the world, or solo freelancers who will become a team under your control. Of course, the best option is to find an existing development team with a proven track record in your industry and direct all your inquiries to them. There are several reasons for this:
- They know each other and are strong as a group.
- They have already developed communication channels and operate in the same time zone, minimizing delays.
- You can direct all your requests to a single person (project manager) and this person is responsible for the project.
Another big advantage of choosing an already trained development team is that they will provide you with the final product and independently process all stages of app development. In addition, professional teams can give you a better understanding of the application development process itself, advise you on how to optimize the workflow, and, depending on your initial goals, help you choose between a native application or hybrid.
STEP 5. TEST YOUR APPLICATION
Through the testing process, the development team can finally see if the mobile application meets the expectations and executes the stated goals. Although the theoretical calculations and predictions are promising and show the app to be useful, practice tests reveal points that need extra attention and show whether key functions are being handled correctly. For that matter, there are two stages of mobile application testing: alpha and beta test. These have no strict time limits and their purpose is to find and fix all possible bugs and issues that were faced during the development stages of the app.
STEP 6. DEPLOYING APPLICATIONS
Depending on your main goals, you will be referred to Apple’s App Store or the Google Play Market for application distribution. To be approved and confirmed by these services, it is necessary to follow certain procedures based on the number of rules and requirements of each platform.
STEP 7. FURTHER SUPPORT
Congratulations! Your mobile application is working and now is the time to sit down and listen to what users are saying Note that even with successful and super detailed alpha and beta testing, there will still be some bugs and missing points in your mobile application. These just require plenty of feedback and a quick response in case bugs are critical.
CONCLUSION
At every stage of the development of a mobile app, you must accept one important thing – it’s impossible to predict and control every stage. However, an organized workflow, quick responses, and detailed planning will limit the number of unexpected problems during the app development process. Creating a mobile app seems scary and complicated, but when the work is underway, every member of the development team knows their job and all sprints are covered within the set goals, you can rest assured that your mobile app will become decently produced and successful on one of your chosen mobile platforms.
If you are looking for a mobile application design and development company that provides solutions for your business, we are happy to offer our services. Contact the experts of Sosene Software for any questions on mobile application development!