In 2022, mobile apps are projected to generate $693 billion in revenue via app stores and in-app advertising. What’s more, enterprise mobility is estimated to be worth $510.39 billion in 2022.
While many companies are trying to take advantage of this trend, many do not know how to create an app successfully. Success within the competitive landscape of these growth projections can become a reality—but only if supported by a precisely cultivated mobile app development process.
An effective app development process flow spans over six key phases. In this article, we’ll take a closer look at each one in-depth.
1. Strategy
The first phase of the mobile app development process is defining the strategy for evolving your idea into a successful app. You may include a more significant part of this in your overall enterprise mobility strategy. As one app’s objectives may differ from another, there is still an app-specific impact to the mobility strategy to address during the development process.
In this phase, you will:
- Identify the app users
- Research the competition
- Establish the app’s goals and objectives
- Select a mobile platform for your app
On average mobile apps cost $150,000 - $200,000 and can take anywhere from four to six months to develop. Your strategy helps focus your vision on a clear picture of your app idea. From here, you can go deeper into the next phase of the mobile application development process.
2. Analysis and Planning
Analysis and planning begin with defining use cases and capturing detailed functional requirements. After you have identified the requirements for your app, prepare a product roadmap. This includes prioritizing the mobile app requirements and grouping them into delivery milestones.
3. UI / UX Design
The success of a mobile app is determined based on how well users are adopting and benefiting from all its features. The goal for mobile app UI / UX design is creating excellent user experiences making your app interactive, intuitive, and user-friendly. While polished UI designs will help with early adoption, your app must have intuitive user experiences to keep app users’ engaged.
- Information Architecture & Workflows
- Wireframes
- Style Guide
- Mockups
- Prototype
4. App Development
Planning remains an integral part of this phase in the mobile app development process. Before actual development/programming efforts start, you will have to:
define the technical architecture,
pick a technology stack, and
define the development milestones.
A typical mobile app project is made up of three integral parts: back-end/server technology, API(s) and the mobile app front-end.
Back-End/Server Technology
This part includes database and server-side objects necessary for supporting functions of your mobile app. If you are using an existing back-end platform, then modifications may be needed for supporting the desired mobile functionality.
API
An Application Programming Interface (API) is a method of communication between the app and a back-end server/database.
Mobile App Front-End
The front-end is the native mobile app an end-user will use. In most cases, mobile apps consist of interactive user experiences that use an API and a back-end for managing data. In some cases, when an app needs to allow users to work without internet access, the app may utilize local data storage.
5. Testing
Performing thorough quality assurance (QA) testing during the mobile app development process makes applications stable, usable, and secure. To ensure comprehensive QA testing of your app, you first need to prepare test cases that address all aspects of app testing. A best practice approach is involving your QA team in the Analysis and Design stages. Their familiarity with your app’s functional requirements and objectives will help produce accurate test cases.
Your app should undergo the following testing methods, to deliver a quality mobility solution.
- User Experience Testing
- Functional Testing
- Performance Testing
- Security Testing
- Device and Platform Testing
Testing is imperative to an app’s future success; it encompasses a substantial section of our overall mobile app development process.
6. Deployment & Support
Releasing a native mobile app requires submitting your app to the app stores, Apple App Store for iOS apps and Google Play for Android apps. However, you will need a developer account with Apple App Store and Google Play Store before launching your mobile app.
An app’s release in the app store requires preparing metadata including:
- Your app’s title
- Description
- Category
- Keywords
- Launch icon
- App store screenshots
After your app becomes available in the app stores, monitor its usage through mobile analytics platforms and track Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for measuring your app’s success. Frequently check crash reports, or other user reported issues.
Encourage users to provide you with feedback and suggestions for your app. Prompt support for end-users and frequently patching the app with improvements will be vital to keeping users engaged.
Conclusion
App development is an ongoing process similar to developing enterprise software applications or developing with emerging technologies. App development will continue after the initial launch as you receive user feedback and build additional functionality. Following this enterprise mobile app development process will ensure a successful launch of your app.
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