Your Detailed Guide to Mobile Application Development Process

1. Ideation and Planning

This is the first and foremost step. We can subcategorize it into four steps

• Objective Identification

It starts with identifying objectives for developing an app. You can find the answers to some common questions like-

• What problem will my application solve?

• What are the long-term goals that I want to achieve through a customized app?

• What will be the target audience?

Answers to these questions will define the app development objectives and you can get the initial idea for your app.

• Competitor Research

This is a crucial step that involves exploring the apps of existing or potential competitors. It enables you to skip some common mistakes that have been made within your business domain or industry sector. Also, you can explore market trends. A reputed mobile app development company can assist you in both aspects.

• Platform Selection

This is one of the most important factors to consider. You must select either a native platform for developing an Android /iOS app or a cross-platform framework for building a hybrid app. It is better to consult a leading mobile app development services provider to select the right platform for your upcoming app development project.

• Making a Roadmap

Now comes the last stage of the first phase of the app development process. You can make a roadmap or blueprint of your project based on insights you have gathered by following the above steps. You can also add the list of desired features, budget, technology stack, and even app monetization strategy in your roadmap.

2. Designing and Wireframing

Let’s face it. A UI/UX design can make or break your application. In other words, the success of your app depends on user experience, and engaging yet simple design can play a vital role in improving experiences. A messy interface can drive users away from the app. Therefore, you need to focus on designing and its core areas-

• IA (Information Architecture)

An in-house team of designers initiates the process by establishing the necessary data, display, and methods of user interaction. It is known as IA and involves workflow diagrams for ensuring seamless navigation.

• Wireframe Development

Wireframes are digital sketches that show the skeleton of the app. Wireframe development focuses on the UX and aesthetics of the app and acts as a blueprint for a smooth user journey.

• Style Guides

These guides are useful for ensuring brand consistency and even the look and feel of the app. These guides have all the necessary design elements including fonts, spacing, buttons, colors, widgets, and the like.

• Mockups

They are sophisticated visuals created using the style guide. It gives you a perfect picture of your app’s appearance.

• Prototype Building

It is the final step of mobile app designing. It involves making prototypes that reflect the combination of user experience and workflows or a feature list. It can reveal flaws in design or functionality before initiating app development.

3. Application Development

It is the most important stage in the entire process of making customized apps. The mobile app development stage consists of two parts- frontend development and backend development.

• Front-end Development

Front-end is about the appearance of the app. Simply put, front-end development involves building a UI (User Interface) of the app. Platform-specific and cross-platform are two main approaches to front-end development. Another hybrid approach comprises web app development that runs within a native shell.

• Backend Development

This stage is responsible for the app’s functionality or performance. It has direct relation with the UX (User Experience). The backend stage involves the creation of databases and other server-side objects. This is a crucial stage of the app development lifecycle and makes your app highly scalable in the future.

4. App Testing and QA

Design and development are crucial for making an engaging and functional mobile app, but performance testing can make it ready for deployment. Every owner or enterprises want to ensure that the app solution is stable, secure, and free from bugs. There, app testing and QA come into the picture.

Talking about the testing process, your mobile app undergoes five testing methods. They are-

• Functionality

It involves checking all the features of the application and ensuring that the app works well across all devices across specific platforms.

• Performance

It is about checking the app’s responsiveness and its capability to handle an increase in the number of concurrent users.

• Security

Healthcare and fintech apps require additional safety features to comply with prevalent laws and regulations. Security testing can assist app development companies to know the status of data protection in the app.

• Compatibility

It is imperative to make sure that your customized app is capable of running on various devices across specific platforms.

• Initial Users

It is always beneficial to test your application with its initial users before deployment. A mobile app development company can arrange a focus group or launch a beta version for initial users. Their feedback can assist app developers in making the necessary changes before deployment.

5. Deployment

This is the final stage of app development. Most companies consider app maintenance and updates as additional or value-added services.

The mobile application deployment strategy initiates with submitting your app to Apple’s App Store or Google Play Store. Companies can go for separate distribution for their business or enterprise-grade apps. When apps go on a specific app store, the mobile app development company needs to make sure that the app follows all the guidelines and standards of respective app stores.

6. Maintainance and Updates

When your app has desired features and seamless performance, more users will download it. You can monitor the app’s performance and prioritize its regular maintenance. Another point is to bring an updated version of your app periodically. An app development company can assist you in bringing updates to your app to maintain its performance and popularity.