Breaking down the app development process has been the most essential and tricky part for most entrepreneurs and startuppers. No matter how simple the process looks in the first place, it will get trickier at each step. Many people out there will claim that the method will contain these steps and that process, but no one tells you the actual procedure.
If you believe your project will pass through just design, development, and support, you are mistaken. Wonder what the actual mobile application development process looks like? Want to know how the development project takes shape from beginning to end? Well, to give you a detailed explanation, we have created a guideline that you can refer to before choosing the development partner.
Essential stages of app development
When we talk about phases of the mobile app development process, you should know that it consists of certain stages that you need to consider. Here we present to you the ultimate breakdown of the app development process. At the end of this article, you’ll be able to figure out how you can start from scratch.
So, buckle up as we start the journey to phases of your Mobile Application Development Process.
Stage 1: Research the market
The crucial part of developing an app is to research the market because it will give you all the information and insights you need for the target audience. Understanding customer’s needs, boosting sales and revenue, knowing competitors, and other summaries of your app idea. If you properly conduct the market research, it will help you prevent harmful mistakes and present you with useful insights into the market.
The research phase will allow you to lay down the solid foundation for what to do next. However simple it may look, you have to put a lot of effort and brainstorm into this very point.
Keeping an eye on your competitors will assist you in finding their strengths and weaknesses. So, you can know where they lack and work on that particular issue. In the end, you will have an app that is extraordinary than others, and the chances of success will also increase.
Before we move forward, let’s look at the benefits you will get from market research.
- It will lower the risk factor
- A clear idea of customer needs
- Boosts sales and revenue
- Know the business challenges in the initial stage only
- Planning the app marketing strategy
Stage 2: Wireframes and mockups
Once you completely understand market needs, customer base, and marketing strategy, the next step will be preparing a functional requirements document. This document will consist of the features and functionalities you will require to build a mobile app.
Referring to this document, the UI and UX designers will create your app’s rough sketch design. Do you know why the design and visuals are the most crucial step to create an app? No? The app store and play store are flooded with applications, and when you launch the app, it is like a drop in the ocean.
So, you should design your app in such a manner that it can easily relate with your users and provide a positive experience and assertive communication. Wireframes and mockups are the stages where you can distinguish your features and make a roadmap to how users will interact with your application.
Stage 3: Final design
After the wireframes and mockups are finalized, the final design will take place. After you approve your application’s wireframes and mockups, the UI and UX designers will work on the screens. They will create an interactive prototype that will hint at how your app will feel and how the flow between screens will look before the final product.
Prototyping your application will allow you to clear the doubts in the beginning only. However, it won’t entirely deliver the experience because that will be possible after developing only. So, create your prototype that projects the actual concept to your audience to check how it will work.
Stage 4: Development
After you finalize the app’s design, the next stage will be Development. The designer will create your app’s holistic flow, showing you the screens, buttons, and map of the user experience; the development team will take over the process.
When we talk about the mobile app development steps, the development phase is the essential step to develop the actual product. The software developers will build the database and start coding in the respective programming language, and as a result, you will have your own software.
However, the development process is divided into many phases where one team writes code and other tests the code.
Let’s move ahead and talk about testing in the next phase.
Stage 5: Quality analysis and testing
Would you keep an app that keeps loading or lands you on the homepage of your phone? Who likes to wait for the app to load? No one wants that. No one will keep those applications on their phone; people will immediately delete such apps. Obviously you are not going to pay your hard-earned on an app full of bugs.
So, to solve this problem, your application will pass through a process called “Quality analysis” or “App testing.” For the quality check and testing, the engineers will ensure your app’s Compatibility, Performance, bugs, flow, security, usability, and user experience.
It is vital to ensure all the bugs in the beginning only because the further the development cycle will go, the more price it will acquire.
Stage 6: Launch
Once the application is completely bug-free, it is ready to launch. You can select a day of your choice for a formal launch. Also, remember that Android and iOS app stores have different policies for launching an app.
Let us differentiate what you can keep in mind before launching an app on iOS and Android app stores.
For Android apps
- Quality test
- Content rating
- Screen compatibility range
- Promotional infographics and videos
- Beta release for initial stages
- App marketplace fee (one time): $25
For iOS apps
- Bugs and crash fixes
- Check the accuracy of app info and metadata
- Explain in-app purchase in the review itself
- Provide active account for demo
- Apple app store fee: $99 per year
Stage 7: Maintenance
This is the stage where your mobile app development partner’s selection lies because this is where most of the development companies will trick you. Deploying your app in the market is not the last step; your app will need new updates, features, and maintenance.
Make sure your development company provides you enough resources to maintain your app even after the launch.
If you are looking for a trustworthy development partner to turn your idea into reality, then Mobile App Development Company in Kuwait acquire long-term relation and commitment to build your next big digital product.
