Mobile app development can be a very daunting task for startups.
It requires a lot of technical expertise, resources, and time. This can be difficult to execute for a startup that does not have any of those things.
However, mobile app development is not an impossible task for startups.
With proper guidance, the process is streamlined and completed successfully.
And that’s what this blog is about.
If you have an idea for your app, we will tell you the exact steps you have to take to transform it into reality.
So, let’s roll.
1. Validate Your App Idea
Once you come up with an app idea, you are going to find it to be game-changing. It is difficult to find flaws in our own creations.
That’s why it is necessary to get multiple opinions about your idea.
Start with your friends and family.
Getting feedback from friends and family is a good starting point, but it is important to keep in mind that they may not always give you the most objective feedback.
They may be hesitant to criticize your idea or may not have the technical knowledge to fully understand its potential.
So, ask your employees and collect their feedback. They will be able to provide you with a more comprehensive analysis of your idea.
Once you get the green light, it is time to get feedback directly from the target audience.
Here are certain ways to do that:
1. Just Search - Snoop around the internet. See if there is any demand for your app.
2. Create Feedback Forms - Distribute feedback forms on the internet and collect as many responses as possible.
3. Take One-On-One Interviews - You will get the most elaborate responses with this.
4. MVP Development - Create a prototype of your app and test it with your target audience. This will give you valuable feedback on the usability and functionality of your app.
All of this will help refine your idea further.
2. Sneak On Your Competitors
Your app idea may be great, but it will not be successful if someone else is already doing the same thing way ahead of you.
“The competitor to be feared is one who never bothers about you at all, but goes on making his own business better all the time.” - Henry Ford
There is no point in entering a saturated market unless you have an elaborate plan on how you are going to surpass the competition.
And that is what competitor research is going to give you.
By analyzing your competition, you can gain valuable insights into their strengths, weaknesses, and overall market strategy.
This information can help you identify opportunities to differentiate your app from the competition and develop a unique value proposition that resonates with your target audience.
1. Market share: Who are the dominant players in the market, and what percentage of it do they control?
2. Features: What features do your competitors offer, and how do they compare to what you're planning to include in your app?
3. Pricing: What are your competitors charging for their apps, and how does their pricing strategy compare to your own?
4. User experience: How do your competitors' apps compare to your own in terms of user experience and interface design?
5. Marketing strategy: What channels are your competitors using to market their apps, and how successful have they been in reaching their target audience?
By gathering this information, you can develop a comprehensive understanding of the competitive landscape and make informed decisions about how to position your app for success.
Remember, it is not enough to simply copy what your competitors are doing.
You need to identify opportunities to differentiate yourself and offer something truly unique to your target audience.
3. Find Your Target Audience
After competitor research, audience research is the next crucial step.
Knowing who your ideal user is going to be, what he likes, what he wants, and everything else. You should have a clear image of your ideal user in your mind.
Here are certain things you should know about your target audience for mobile app development:
- Demographics : Age, gender, income, education level, geographic location, marital status, occupation
- Psychographics: Personality traits, values, interests, hobbies, lifestyle, attitudes towards technology
- Behavior: How frequently they use their mobile devices, what types of apps they currently use, what features they prefer in apps, what problems they are trying to solve
- Goals: What goals they want to achieve using the app, what problems they want to solve, what benefits they expect from the app
- Pain points: What frustrates them about existing apps, what problems they encounter when using their devices, what they dislike about their current app experiences
Communication preferences: How they prefer to receive communication from the app, what channels they prefer for communication, what language they prefer for communication
Once you have your answers to all of the above points, marketing your app will be much easier.
You know exactly what you have to do to impress your ideal consumer.
To break it down even further, you can create user personas.
1. Identify key characteristics: Identify the key characteristics of your target audience, including demographic information such as age, gender, and location, as well as psychographic information such as values, interests, and behavior
2. Create personas: Develop user personas based on the data you have gathered, using fictional characters that represent your target audience. Each persona should have a name, background information, and key characteristics that align with your target audience.
3. Include goals and pain points: Include the goals and pain points of each persona in order to understand their motivations and challenges when using your app. This will help you design features and user experiences that meet their needs.
4. Define key features: Define the key features that each persona would find valuable in your app. This will help you prioritize which features to develop and ensure that you are meeting the needs of your target audience.
4. Decide The Features & Functionalities
Review your app idea and think about how the app is supposed to execute your requirements.
This will help you understand the features your app is going to require.
Visualize how any user is going to interact with your app, and how he will navigate through the screens. Consider the following questions:
- How will users interact with the app?
- How many screens will your app require?
- What screens will they need to navigate through to achieve their goals?
- What buttons, menus, or other interactive elements will they need to use?
- What content will be displayed on each screen?
Once you have a rough idea of the screens your app will require, you can start to think about the specific features that will be necessary to create those screens. Some common features to consider include:
- User authentication and account creation
- Navigation menus and buttons
- Search functionality
- In-app purchases or subscriptions
- Push notifications
- Social media integration
- Analytics and user data tracking
It's important to remember that not all features will be necessary for every app.
You should prioritize features based on their importance to the core functionality of your app and the needs of your target audience.
Finally, once you have identified the core features of your app, you should consider how to organize and structure them in a way that makes sense for users.
This means thinking about the layout and design of your app's screens and how they will be interconnected.
5. Choose The Technology
When it comes to mobile app development, one of the most important decisions you will make is choosing the technology to build your app with.
The technology you choose will impact the functionality, performance, and scalability of your app, as well as the development timeline and cost.
Here are some factors that will assist you in deciding on the right technology for your mobile app development project:
1. Target Platforms
The first consideration when choosing a technology for mobile app development is the target platform(s) for your app.
Will your app be developed for iOS, Android, or both?
Each platform has its own unique programming languages, development environments, and design guidelines.
Some technologies, like React Native, enable you to develop for both platforms using a single codebase, while others require separate development for each platform.
2. App Complexity
Another factor to consider is the complexity of your app.
Simple apps with basic functionality may be able to be built with simple technologies like HTML5 or jQuery Mobile, while more complex apps with advanced features may require more robust technologies like Flutter or Laravel.
It's important to choose a technology that can handle the complexity of your app while still delivering the performance and user experience your users expect.
3. Development Team Skills
The skills and experience of your development team should also be considered when choosing a technology for mobile app development.
If your team has experience with a particular programming language or framework, it may be easier and faster to develop your app with that technology.
On the other hand, if your team is not familiar with a particular technology, it may take longer to learn and develop with it.
4. Integration with Backend Systems
If your app requires integration with backend systems like databases or APIs, it's important to choose a technology that supports those integrations.
Some technologies, like Firebase, provide built-in backend functionality, while others require custom backend development using technologies like Node.js or Ruby on Rails.
6. Draft A Scope Of Work Document
Once you have finalized the above points, compile them into a proper scope of work document.
Creating a scope of work document is crucial for successful mobile app development.
This document outlines the goals, requirements, and deliverables of the project, ensuring that all parties involved understand what is expected of them.
Here are some steps to follow when creating a scope of work document for your mobile app idea:
1. Define the project scope: Identify the specific goals and objectives of the app, as well as the expected outcomes.
2. Outline the app features: Specify the features that will be required for the app, including user authentication, search functionality, and push notifications.
3. Identify the app platform: Determine which platform the app will be developed on, whether it is for iOS, Android, or both.
4. Define the app audience: Identify the target audience of the app, including demographics, interests, and behaviors.
5. Outline the app user flow: Establish the flow of the app, including how users will navigate through it and what screens they will encounter.
6. Identify the app timeline: Establish a clear timeline for the app, including deadlines for specific milestones and deliverables.
7. Define the app team: Identify the specific roles and responsibilities of the app team, including developers, designers, and project managers.
By following these steps, you can create a comprehensive scope of work document for your mobile app idea that will help ensure a successful development process.
This document will be very useful to present to your mobile app developers. You will not have to spend a lot of effort explaining your app idea to them.
7. Hire Mobile App Developers
Trying to hire in-house developers for mobile app development is a recipe for disaster if you do not have the necessary technical expertise.
All of the pressure will be on you to guide them throughout the project.
That's why many businesses choose to outsource their mobile app development projects to experienced mobile app development companies like WDI.
At WDI, we have a team of mobile app developers, designers, and project managers who specialize in mobile app development and can ensure that the project is completed on time, within budget, and to the required specifications.
Our team at WDI has extensive experience in developing high-quality mobile apps across various industries, including healthcare, e-commerce, education, and more.
We have a proven track record of delivering successful mobile app development projects for multiple startups across the globe.
When you work with WDI, we take care of the entire app development process, from ideation and design to development, testing, and deployment.
Our team of experts ensures that every aspect of the app is carefully crafted to provide the best user experience and achieve the desired business outcomes.
We understand the importance of clear communication and effective project management. That's why we keep you informed throughout the development process and provide regular updates on the project's progress through Skype, email, calls, and weekly meetups.
Our hybrid methodology allows us to adapt to changing requirements and ensure that the project stays on track and within budget.
If you are looking for a reliable and experienced mobile app development company, look no further than WDI.
Get in touch with us today to discuss your mobile app development needs and learn how we can help you bring your app idea to life.
Let us build something ground-breaking together!
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