The process of creating an app can be a highly exhilarating experience, filled with anticipation and eagerness to bring your vision to life. Yet, at the same time, there may be current challenges in mobile development.
This process can also be quite overwhelming and intimidating, especially for those who may be new to the world of app development. No worries, for in this thought-provoking article, we delve into the various essential steps that must be taken in order to craft an app that is truly successful and effective for your business.
Create a business strategy
Developing a mobile application devoid of a comprehensive and well-thought-out plan can be likened to constructing a residential structure in the absence of a detailed architectural design. Although it can be done, the eventual outcome might not meet your expectations or leave you satisfied. In essence, the absence of a blueprint or strategy can lead to an app that fails to meet the desired standards and does not adequately address the target audience’s needs.
Therefore, it is imperative to create a strategic plan that outlines the purpose, goals, target users, and overall direction of the mobile app development process. Such a plan would serve as a guide to ensure that the app is tailored to meet the desired objectives and is capable of providing users with a seamless and engaging experience.
So, here are the next stages of mobile app development:
- Determine your business needs
- Do competitor research
- Hire app developers
- Budgeting
- App development
- Deployment
- App Marketing
- Support and maintenance
Determine your business needs
Your app should be unique to be successful. Billionaire apps solve big problems that affect a lot of people. Every successful app has a specific purpose. Yet, the finding is also another one of the current challenges in mobile development.
Do competitor research
The idea of an app by itself does not make it unique. By doing your research, you may find similar app ideas trying to solve the same problem. A competitor analysis will help you determine the strengths and weaknesses of these mobile apps. Does their app solve your problem? Is there anything you can do to improve that solution? And so on.
Hire app developers
Develop a business strategy, then create a quality app with UI development, programming, QA testing, and project management.
You have several hiring options:
- Rely on your company developers. In-house developers are advantageous for hiring specific talent and retaining internal resources. However, building a team can be time-consuming, and hiring top talent can be challenging in areas with a small talent pool. Additionally, hiring in-house developers can increase fixed salary costs.
- Hire freelancers. Freelancers offer flexibility without a long-term commitment, but multiple freelancers can create project management issues. Availability can also be a concern, as most work on multiple projects. Typically, companies hire freelancers for specialized skills and short-term projects.
- Hire an app development agency. App development agencies, like Weelorum, offer comprehensive services that eliminate fixed costs and project management issues with in-house developers and freelancers. However, finding the right agency requires attention to detail.
Budgeting
The success rate of mobile apps is less than 1%, often due to insufficient funding. Estimating and budgeting for an app project are essential to its success. If you have in-house or freelance developers, request an estimate from them. If hiring an app development company, request estimates from at least three. Our website offers an app cost calculator for a rough estimate.
One of the best well-known current challenges in mobile development is the lack of investments. What to do? If funding is limited, don’t give up on your app idea. Instead, create a minimum viable product (MVP) or start with sketches/prototypes to showcase your idea to potential investors and secure additional funding.
App development
There are five steps in the application development cycle: definition, design, development, testing, and implementation.
For applications with limited scope and low complexity, you can build an application iteratively, following agile processes without first gathering a lot of detail. However, more complex applications will require use cases/user stories to capture the detailed requirements for each feature. All of your business stakeholders should participate in defining the scope of the project.
Deployment
To make your app available for download, you must submit your iOS app to the Apple App Store and your Android app to Google Play. After submission, both platforms undergo a review process. Google takes a few hours to approve, while Apple’s rigorous review process takes about a week. If your app violates any guidelines, the app store will inform you and you’ll need to fix the issues and resubmit. Your app will only be available for download once it’s approved by the app store.
App Marketing
With millions of apps in every app store, it can be challenging for users to find your app unless it’s on the “popular apps” list. Organic discovery is unlikely without implementing a marketing strategy to promote your app through various marketing channels and help your target audience find it.
Support and maintenance
Mobile app development is a complex process. Remember to consider user feedback, market demands, new competitors, and technological advances.
App maintenance usually involves updates related to performance, which can be tracked using Google Firebase. The platform provides performance monitoring, crash reports, custom analytics, and more. So, better consider adding new features to your app in addition to maintenance updates to attract and retain users.
Conclusion
The process of creating an app is a challenging and daunting one that requires a considerable amount of perseverance, determination, and unwavering dedication. However, with a well-crafted blueprint and a skilled, collaborative team, turning your app idea into a flourishing and lucrative enterprise is an achievable goal.
By partnering with a reputable app development company like Weelorum, you can rest assured that your app will be meticulously crafted and brought to life with the latest technologies, cutting-edge designs, and industry best practices. With their extensive experience and expertise in the field, they can guide you through every step of the app development process, from concept to launch and beyond.
