In case you already have some certain ideas about your app (or if you are an owner of a prosperous company), your first step has already been made. However, in most cases, our aspirations tend to differ significantly from the final result. Therefore, before the final product’s implementation (even in case you already have a successful business model), it is worth spending some time to carry out marketing analysis, specifying your target audience, and dividing it into significant segments.
The following questions may be useful for you:
- What are your preliminary expectations about the future app? Do they correspond to your company’s marketing plan?
- Which people use your products and services? Which problems do they cover?
- Which platform are you going to use for your app and how much money are you ready to invest?
- What are your deadlines? When are you going to publish your app?
- What are your promoting plans?
Don’t forget to carry out a thoughtful overview of your competitors’ product and their features. This will help you gain a clearer understanding of your app’s structure.
It is essential to have detailed answers to the aforementioned questions, using certain dates, amounts of money, numbers, since the deeper your analysis is, the fewer mistakes you are going to make, and the more money you can save.
So, let’s dive in:
Product’s purpose
Which goal do you pursue while making an app? Who is your target audience? You should have a clear view and understanding of your clients – it is a cornerstone for future work.
Our business used to bear a resemblance with a blind kitten, which remains active just for the sake of staying active, unless in-person communication (including feedback, questionnaires, and regular congratulations) with our clients had become established practice.
An in-depth analysis of the target audience helps you establish priorities in mobile app development, which leads to the further optimization of your time and money resources.
Framework and storyboard
Having established the target audience and the ways your app is going to solve its problems, it is time to work on the app’s design. You’d better have a clear view not only of the app’s features but also of its visual components (for example, its color scheme should match the colors of your company). Moreover, it is vital to discuss the shifts between the app’s screens and the user’s navigation.
Your app is a part of your brand – it is supposed to point out your uniqueness, not being a sore thumb of your company. The app’s design should reflect your warm attitude toward your clients, based on usability principles.
Testing and improvement
This step rests on the programmers’ shoulders. They work on the server, preparing your app’s beta-version and its prototype, fixing all the problems.
This approach enables one to evaluate the whole concept of the app – from its mistakes to features and design.
The testing phase also helps one attract more clients, giving them an opportunity to try a new app with further feedback. This will shed some light on the users’ reaction toward your business. Moreover, you can also adjust your product to your audience’s requirements.
App’s appearance
Congratulations, you have just reached the next phase, named “design”. During this step, a designer creates your app’s screens, which will subsequently turn into your app’s framework. All you need to do is to monitor the designers work to decide whether it reflects your ideas and requirements, since the app might be useful, yet, have aesthetic problems, which is essential for the users. Your clients should be delighted with your apps’ usability.
Details
As you might have guessed, the process of development is not that simple, implying different steps, which include design production, server configuration, and other technical issues. Each of these steps will need your time and efforts, so you’d better get yourself morally ready – one cannot launch an app in 2-3 days. To avoid mistakes, you should not hurry up your team of developers – it would be better for the quality of their work for them to have enough time.
Choose your developers scrupulously, for him not only to be a recognized professional, but also comfortable in communication. A lack of a good relationship with your developer will probably lead to a bad result.
Trust, but verify
This step is considered the most important for the client since everyone wants to create a perfect product and have no problems with its publishing. All the goals have been accomplished; all the previews have been prepared – now it’s testing time. It would be better if a professional QA finds out the app’s possible mistakes than your clients will do so. After the last check-ups’ over, the finishing touches are made.
Towards the app’s release
It is strongly recommended to use a marketer’s services during the primary steps. His job is to help you determine keywords, present, and sell your product. Target audience and market analysis will help you develop several articles about your product – for its better promotion.
It is better to have a company’s website, which will finalize your brand’s elaboration. Use SMM tools and tell about the app on your website.
The long-awaited launch
It seems a good idea to set the date of your app’s publishing: your audience should become interested in its use and purchase, for you to receive maximum profit.
