Developing a great mobile application is not as easy as planning for, and developing a website. Both developers and mobile app owners struggle to understand the different aspects of mobile app development and their confusion can range from the type of framework to the type of programming for app development. Many times, mobile app customers are unable to provide the developers with a detailed brief of what they want, and this lack of understanding is the first misstep that could result in several problems and multiple test releases of the same app. Before approaching a mobile design or development company, you need to have a clear understanding of your needs. Do you want an android app development service, ios app development, or even pc app development. Knowing the type of application you intend to develop will help you choose the right framework and software for app development. With this knowledge, you can create a killer brief that outlines all your needs.
Discovery and Market Research
Understanding the needs of your users should be your main concern when carrying out your research. It is a good idea to get in the heads of your prospective users so you can understand what they expect from your mobile app. All mobile applications are created to solve a problem or bridge a gap, so if you already know what problem your app will tackle, then you need to focus on who your app will help, and how the user will want this help. Obviously your app must be functional, but the question is how will users want to receive these functionalities? For instance an instant messenger (IM) mobile application offers speed of communication, easy file transfers and more. The ease of use is what users want, so will a long-winded registration process appeal to your users? If your business model is dependent on the data you gather at registration, this is the point when you may want to tweak your app design to make it useful for your organization and app users.
Create a storyboard for all activities
So now that you know what your app will do and how it will do it, you will also want to take this knowledge on a test drive. Create a storyboard for major activities on the app, and as you progress you will see the gaps in your plan. For example the process of logging on to the application — or the registration process — may reveal that your app needs a walk-through rather than a one-page login or registration page. Your storyboard will also help the app designer understand your needs and suggest better alternatives. With this storyboard, a scope of work is created that will be part of your app development brief. Now it’s time to start sketching out your app and creating wire frames.
Convert your storyboard to wire frames
Your storyboard will be as detailed as possible, and will lead you in different directions within your apps’ infrastructure. These different directions might overlap and create a navigational hell for your users. Creating a mobile wire frame for your app will show the visual flow of your apps’ activities and will make programming for app development easier. Wire frames can be professionally done or hand-drawn, whatever the case, just make sure it is clear and can be easily understood by your ios or android app development team. There are many online tools available for wire framing, the key here is to create a very clear mobile development brief.
Time for Agile development
Once you have taken all the steps above, you’ll be ready for ‘Agile Mobile Development.’ Agile is the preferred approach for mobile apps development because it follows all the best practices like collaboration, transparency, and rapid iterations. These best practices will mean that your app development can adapt to change, which is critical to achieving success in an ever evolving mobile development world. Once you hire a mobile developer, the fun starts. As you watch your project come to life, feel free to make changes as development unfolds. However, note that you may be charged an extra fee by some mobile developers if your changes exceed an agreed number, while some developers will work with your from the start to reduce re-work.
