Nowadays, it is becoming commonplace for everyone to have a smartphone. And with the spread of smartphones, various mobile apps such as SNS, online shopping, and games have become a part of people's lives, so the number of mobile App’s being developed by companies is on the rise. However, if you are new to the world of mobile app development and want to develop an App, you may not know what to do and how to proceed because you do not know the mobile App development process.

On this page, we will introduce the development process of mobile apps and points to note when requesting development from overseas.

WHAT IS MOBILE APPLICATION DEVELOPMENT?

Mobile app development is defined as the process from conception of an idea to post-launch monitoring of a mobile app. It can last anywhere from a few weeks to a few months, depending on the complexity of the mobile app, desired timeline, and budget. The development of an application is a complete process consisting of proposing an idea for an application, finding and hiring a development team (developers, project manager, etc.), developing the application (coding, appearance, functions, etc. .), launch the application and maintain (analysis and improvement) the mobile application after its launch.

Methods of mobile app development

There are two types of mobile app development: in-house development and external development. In the case of external development, there are two types of development methods. The waterfall method or the Agile method.

The waterfall mobile App development method is often used in system development. This development method follows the step by step process from planning to application release. The advantage of the waterfall type is that you can visualize the progress of development in real time, so it is easy to understand how far development is progressing. On the other hand, the disadvantages are that it takes a long time to start development after firmly solidifying the specifications and design, and it is difficult to respond to specification changes during development.

The Agile type mobile App development method specialises in mobile application development and web service development. It is a development method that is widely used by start-up companies in the United States and Japan. Like the waterfall, the agile development process is divided into step-by-step processes, but after deciding the amount to be mounted in advance, we will proceed with development by repeating small cycles for each function.

The merit of the agail type is that it is possible to flexibly respond to sudden specification changes during development because it is developed in functional units. On the other hand, the disadvantage is that it is difficult to determine the specific budget and development man-hours, so it can end up taking more development man-hours than planned, and the cost may increase accordingly.

Next, let's explain the development process step by step.

Decide the plan in-house

"Planning" is an important process to clarify the purpose and image of developing an application. If the purpose or the vision of the application is ambiguous at the planning stage, the App developer will not be able to accurately map the App owners expectations.

Therefore, it is important to clarify the purpose and image at the planning stage. By clarifying the content while exchanging ideas about the target group of users and what kind of application to develop, it will be possible to have the ideal application developed.

Choose your Mobile App development company

Once the image and purpose of the app have been clarified at the planning stage, the next step is to select a production company. If you don’t have an in-house development team then you will have to choose from one of these three.

Hire an App development company

Since the completeness of the application depends on the skill of the engineer, if you are looking for technical capabilities, we recommend hiring a trusted App development company. Large companies have abundant talented and proven human resources, and the advantage is that the development speed is fast.

However, large companies tend to have high development costs, so if you want to keep costs down, it is a good idea to ask a development company of a small business. Even small and medium-sized enterprises may have excellent human resources that are not inferior to large enterprises, but it should be noted that the development speed may be slowed down due to the lack of equipment and personnel.

Hire a freelancer

If you can give proper direction, you can make a request at a lower cost than requesting a development company. However, it takes time to release the app, and there is a risk of failure during development. It also takes time to find the best freelance personnel.

Crowdsource

Crowdsourcing is a service that outsources business to an unspecified number of people. The advantage of crowdsourcing is that you can keep costs down and increase the number of people you need as much as you need. Therefore, it is possible to divide the work for each application development process.

However, in crowdsourcing, all exchanges are basically online, so it is difficult for each other to understand what kind of person they are, and it is difficult to judge whether they are reliable, or to have a common understanding of the content and quality of deliveries.

Get a Quote from a Mobile App Development Company

Once you choose a developer then it is time to get a quote from them. To get an accurate quote you will need an RDD document.

A "requirement definition document" is required when requesting application development. A requirement definition document is a document that summarizes the purpose and image of application development determined at the planning stage. If the content of the requirement definition document is easy to understand, the developing company will be able to effectively provide a concrete plan. The contents described in the requirement definition document include the background to the development of the application, the outline / concept of the application, the design, the type of screen layout, and the function requirements.

After this stage you are ready to commit to a developer.

Design

Once you have finalised a developer, you can enter the design stage by referring to the requirement definition document. There are two types of design in the design stage: external design and internal design.

External design is a design process that determines the operation method of the application and the configuration of the application. At the same time as external design, we will decide the application development schedule and development system. When the app is released, it is the part that the actual user sees and touches, so how easy it is to use is an important design criterion.

Internal design is the design process that determines the system structure of the app in detail. In order to implement the contents decided by the external design, it is necessary to design every detail such as information and procedures necessary for programming. Also, at the design stage, there is a test design separate from the two designs. Test design is a design process required to confirm that it actually works after developing an app.

Development / testing

When the design process is complete, it's time to move on to the app development stage. Here, we will develop, check the operation to see if it works as designed, and modify it. In order to make the development process smooth, it is important that the person in charge of programming and the man-hours required for development are chosen carefully.

There are two types of test processes: unit tests and combined tests. The unit test confirms that the application starts and data registration is performed correctly according to the requirement definition document. The compound test checks whether data can be exchanged as designed when combined with multiple programs.

In addition, there is an acceptance test separate from the two test processes. The acceptance test confirms whether the app is easy for users to use and whether it is suitable for the purpose. In addition, the acceptance test also checks whether the specification changes are reflected correctly and whether there are any defects.

App release

If there are no problems in the development and testing stages of the app, it is finally time to release the app. For mobile apps, please note that the release procedure is different for iOS and Android.

For iOS-compatible mobile apps, you can first register with iTunes Connect, then register the app information in the App Store and apply. There is a review of the application, and it takes about 1 to 2 weeks.

For Android-compatible mobile apps, you can apply by first registering with a Google play developer and registering the app information. This also requires examination, and the maximum is about 7 days, but in exceptional cases it may take more than 7 days.

Keep in mind that even after the app is complete, it will take a few days to review it for publication.

How To Get Started With Mobile App Development?

So you have one or more application ideas. Now what should we do? Research, research, research ! Unless you are a professional and certified application developer and designer, you will likely need to brush up on your knowledge of the application development process, current application market statistics, and much more. To make it easier for you, here is a list of questions to ask yourself:

The Beginning :

• What do you hope to accomplish with your mobile app? (These are your short and long term goals for your app)

• Who will benefit from your application? (This is your target audience)

• In what ways will your customers find your app useful and convenient?

• On which platform (s) will your application be available? (iOS / Android)

The Competition :

• Who will be your application's biggest competitors?

• What are the applications of your competitors?

• What features do your competitors offer their app users?

Development :

• What is your overall budget for the development of your application?

• How much time do you want to spend developing applications? (Number of weeks, months, even years)

• Once development is complete, when do you expect to launch your app? (A date or a period of the year)

Marketing :

• What is your marketing plan for mobile applications? (Tip: this will include your marketing budget)

• How will you market your app before and after launch? (in-app purchase, advertisements, paid application, etc.)

• Have you answered all of these questions? Excellent work on the research part!

Do your research and select teams of professionals to fill the roles of team leader, marketer, sales specialist, application developer, application designer, IT consultant, etc. many agencies or companies offer more or less fast, quality or efficient services.

How to Choose a Mobile Application Development Company?

Here are the 10 points to take into account when choosing your mobile provider:

1. Research

The first step is to find the different providers. You need to research the companies, list them, and review their previous work. Checking their portfolio can help you understand how they visualize and how they can work creatively on your project.

2. Skills

This is a crucial point in recruiting a mobile application development company. Always consider the area of expertise of a company before choosing. Make sure that the actual functionality of your concept can be implemented. It is important to consider comments from past or current customers. Each of their projects must be unique and the team must be able to think differently depending on the project in order to be as close as possible to your initial idea.

3. The price and characteristics

Pricing is the aspect that most of us primarily look at when choosing a mobile app development company. But the price alone cannot be the deciding factor in your choice. Sometimes choosing a cheap agency can turn out to be your project's worst nightmare. But we also can't say that every low-budget job will be of poor quality, or that expensive companies will necessarily do great work. The best thing to do is to compare the features provided by each agency against their prices and then decide.

4. The level of innovation

Know the level of all developers and designers in the company. Check if they are certified and qualified to work on your application. When you plan to integrate different features into the app, make sure that the team is able to develop and implement them. The performance capacity of the mobile application and customer satisfaction are directly proportional.

5. Time bound delivery

Punctuality is another important point to take into account. Check whether the teams are able to deliver their work on time . Using available time and resources efficiently and productively always plays an important role in a company's reputation. On your side, make sure you have enough dedicated resources to work on your app project.

6. Communication

Effective communication between you and the project manager is the most important criteria for successful product delivery. Even if the time zone is different, specify before signing the agreement the number of times the team will interact with you and the communication channel used. In addition, constructive feedback from the customer can improve work by implementing suggested changes and ensuring a higher quality product.

7. Design and quality

Always put design and quality at the top. The fundamental principle of the design is its consistency (visual, functional and external), which eliminates confusion. Make the design eye-catching and fluid with less complexities in the user interface.

8. Marketing strategy

Another important point to consider is the release of your application on the market. This is the crucial part of the developing procedures. A good developer will help you plan for your marketing campaign, and provide you with any tools or help you will need for it.

9. Support and maintenance

A regular upgrade of the application is important as your business evolves but also when updating the different technologies used. By signing an application maintenance contract, your App developer can give you an overview of the overall cost of the entire application life cycle. Most of the time, the agency offers a warranty period to resolve bugs for free. Beyond this period, it can make you subscribe to a support contract . The maintenance team is responsible for this repair process. It includes the resolution of bugs, crashes, management of corrections in the application.

10. Security updates

Application security relates to user data , in particular the personal information collected. They must never be mishandled or misused. And this must be strictly mentioned in the privacy policies and user agreements . Also make sure that if the app crashes, user data or other confidential information is not lost from backup.

Once your development team is assembled, share with them your thoughts and conclusions (your answers to the questions above that you researched). This will allow you to start off on an effective note.

Is Building An App Expensive?

As we saw above, the cost of the development app is one of the factors to consider when choosing a good app company. A word of advice: the cheapest is not always the best. Spending a few extra dollars on a reputable mobile app development company will add value in the long run. Sometimes the $10,000 you invest with a more experienced, higher quality vendor outweighs the risk.

Every business wants to save money. But where does the compromise end? When developing an app for your business, don't compromise on cost . Hire a company that will provide quality and success to your project.

Summary

In this article, we have explained the procedure of the mobile application development process and points to note in the case of external development. In order to realize the production of the application that your company imagined by an external developer, it is important to choose an App development company that is suited to your specific needs.

When selecting a development company, let's judge not only the cost but also the technical ability of the engineer, past achievements, and ease of communication.