Phases of Mobile App Development
Developing an app might sound pretty straight forward, but might not be that easy at the end of the day. Simply, you have a clear case for the development of an app, it doesn’t warranties that you should go ahead and develop the app. The app as a business idea might be a lucrative option since millions of apps are listed, both in the Google Play Store and Apple App Store. The best part is, these apps are generating revenues for the developers.
Since the app is software that is run on the mobile, one should adopt the conventional framework provided by the software development life cycle (SDLC). This will ensure that you develop an app with a systematic approach, right from the inception of the idea to app testing. Mobile App Development is not a difficult task but adopting a systematic approach based on SDLC, can ensure the successful development of an app for a mobile app development company.
So, how do we develop an app with a systematic approach?
This can be done by involving the phases that are required for Mobile App Development.
Research the proposal
It is understood that that app is an idea or to be precise a business idea. But we don’t know this idea is going to click or not amongst the potential customers. Hence, initial research needs to be done. This research should emphasize what should be the basis of the development of the proposed app. It should highlight who will be users of this app, and how the app should behave. As a mobile app developer, one needs to understand the user requirements even before writing the first line of code. The initial research should highlight the behavioral patterns of the users, mobile platforms for app development, competitor analysis, estimated cost and estimated time. At this point, one should be clear if he is opting for iPhone app development or Android App Development, based on the required platform. This phase should equip a Mobile App Developer with everything that is required for the beta release.
Wireframe the app using the mockup tools
Once the research has been done, it is time to visualize the app or conceptualize the app, with the available data from the research. This will help to visualize the functionalities which the app should have, and the functionalities that can be added in the future. For example, if the app can be converted into a web app in the future through web application development. Wireframing will help to refine the raw idea and make it more meaningful for app development. It will help to identify the different components of the app and their functionalities. It is just like putting a sketch of the proposed Mobile App Development on to a storyboard, by the mobile app developer. Wireframing of the app could be easily done with the help of the mockup tools available in the market. This includes tools like InVision, UXPin, Prott, etc.
Feasibility assessment
By this time as a developer, you are clear about the visual concept of the app. Hence, this is the phase where it needs to be checked technical how much feasible the app is? One can do this by sourcing public APIs. Some of the key decisions that need to be taken include which devices the app will support and on what platforms the app will be available? This will help to understand, how the app is going to be deployed technically.
Development of the prototype
In this phase develop the prototype of the app, based on the app development idea conceptualized as well as visualized so far. The prototype should be based on the rough wireframes, and it should help to understand whether the developer of the app is going in the right direction or not. Ensure that as a developer you get feedback from all the involved stakeholders, and implement the feedback in the final version.
Design & Develop
Now it is time to design the app, and UX designer from the team should take over to do the needful. The UX design will singlehandedly determine the look of the app, and how the user feels about the app. Once the UX is designed, connect the interface to the backend components to make it completely functional. The complete development of the app should be completed in this phase.
Testing
Once the app is developed, it is time to look out for the bugs and get into a bug-fixing exercise. This will be accomplished through testing.
Deployment
Once the app is ready, you need to formally submit to the app store for approval and final publishing. Once the app is published, your users can download and start using it.
Conclusion:
An app is simply not a utility for the users. It is more than an idea for a business; it is a developer’s dream. This dream could be achieved at ease with a development approach that has got the phases discussed in this article. This not only helps to develop a robust app as per the user requirements but also helps to keep complete control over the development cost and development timeline. This simply means, your app can be launched at a shorter development cycle with a controlled budget.
