Technology advancement has given a great hike to the mobile app industry. Mobile phones started with simple communication via text messages or calls and now have extended their features that benefit the users in every possible way.
For instance, users can now easily book movie tickets, do online shopping, pay through digital wallets, and so on.
A study by Statista has declared that the mobile app market revenue is expected to reach $613 billion by 2025.
In this blog, we have listed the 5 significant steps of the app development process that will take your app ideas to live products in the marketplace. But before moving further, let’s understand the importance of mobile application development for your business.
So, without any further ado, let’s dive right into the blog!
Why Is Mobile App Development Process Imperative for Your Business?
One of the significant reasons to build a mobile application is the number of hours people spend on different mobile applications. For the record, users spend 4.2 hours daily.
Apart from this, mobile applications offer better customer engagement, improved accessibility, enhanced visibility, appropriate marketing and communication skills, etc.
Mobile app development lets your business thrive at an unprecedented rate with fruitful results that results in better ROI and increased sales. Moreover, it provides brand awareness and recognition to the targeted audience and sows the seeds of trust and belief via regular user interaction.
The Key Stages Of The App Development Process (5 Steps Detailed Guide)
The first (and key) step of mobile app development is the discovery phase, where you put your app ideas into words and visualize the application’s look and feel. This phase integrates market and user research, planning & analysis, MVP, and prototype.
In short, the discovery phase is about designing a mobile application prototype and exploring the app idea along with other necessities, like the app development cost. The discovery phase is followed as:
- Step 1- Concept Analysis
It is the first step, where you define the app idea, review financial and technical viability, pay attention to the basic user requirements, and create a product roadmap.
- Step 2- Market Research
The market analysis is crucial as it targets your competitors and intended users based on age, gender, app preferences, etc.
- Step 3- Information Gathering
Collect the data on different features and functionalities you want for your mobile application to benefit the targeted audience.
- Step 4- App Prototyping
In this phase, you are allowed to draw a visual representation of your mobile app and see what features can be added for a better user experience.
- Step 5- MVP Development
It is the last step of this phase. Here the sample product is built by incorporating necessary features to represent the mobile application’s core value.
Start the Mobile App Development Process
After conducting user and market research, app prototyping, and information gathering, you can move ahead with the mobile application development process. Before building a mobile application for your business, decide on the technical architecture per your business requirements.
A mobile app development process is integrated with three major domains- back-end, front-end, and application programming interface (API).
- Back-End Technology
This part has a database and server-side, which are used to support the mobile application’s functioning.
- Front-End Technology
It is everything a user sees on a mobile screen, including the app design too. In simple language, front-end technology is what a user experiences while accessing the application.
- Application Programming Interface (API)
It is a code that carries an interaction between the application and a back-end server (or the database).
Focus on App Testing
Once the app development process is completed, you can move on with the mobile application testing to ensure that the app is error-free. The app testing is done with the help of a script or tools in order to identify any bugs.
The sole purpose of mobile application testing is to guarantee the app’s functionality, usability, and consistency to provide a flawless user experience. Mobile application testing is carried out in two stages- manual testing and automated testing.
- Manual Testing
As the term suggests, manual testing is software testing conducted by testers without using any automated tool that tests the specific features.
- Automated Testing
The quality assurance (QA) team automates different testing scenarios from the end user’s point of view to assess the smooth usability, functionality, and application performance.
App Deployment and Final Launch
Next comes app deployment. Here the app’s server is sent to the client to make him see the overall app production before the final launch.
Afterward, you can launch your mobile application with an eye-catching design logo, app title, description, category, app screenshots, and more on either Google Play Store or Apple Store. However, before launching the application on the store, you need verification from the respective app development services.
- App Store- Sign Up for the Apple developer program, prepare the mobile application for submission, create an App Store listing, paste app screenshots, upload the mobile application to the App Store using Xcode, and finally submit the application for feedback (or reviews).
- Google PlayStore- Create a developer account, link merchant accounts, design an app, store listing, upload application bundles to Google Play, fix the app pricing and distribution, and finally publish the mobile application and get reviews for it.
Provide Constant Support and Maintenance
Now, your mobile application is up and running with the demand for constant support and post-launch maintenance. Ensure that the end-users are receiving continuous support during any challenge that may hamper the user experience.
Also, provide timely software updates or solutions for queries asked by the end-user in order to maintain the app. That said, if you want more downloads for your application, you have to ensure that the application is the best fit and fulfilling the end user’s requirements.
The Bottom Line
You may find the mobile app development process a bit challenging, but with the right technology partner, you can easily convert your app idea into reality. Once you become familiar with the process, everything will look smooth, and when you have a mobile app development company beside you, it is a cherry on the cake.
So, leverage the mobile application and flourish your business by keeping the above points in your mind. Don’t hesitate with the thought of developing an app (even if it’s your first time) because this guide will really help you out.
All the best!
