Last updated on December 28th, 2023
The number of mobile apps has been increasing for a long time. This part of software development is all about making apps that can be used on mobile devices.
Different operating systems, like iOS and Android, need different kinds of apps. Apps offer a better user experience than mobile web browsing because they use the phone’s built-in features.
There are many different apps, such as music, games, communication, calendars, etc. I’m sure you’ve heard of Spotify, HeadSpace, WhatsApp, Instagram, and Facebook, some of the most used apps worldwide.
Anyone who wants to build or make a mobile app should be encouraged by the numbers. But before we conclude, let’s look at how mobile app development works. Building a mobile app to get a piece of the billion-dollar market may sound like a great way to make money, but the decision needs to be well thought out and planned.Â
It’s a good business move to make an app. But you need to know how to make a mobile app. That’s why we created this guide.
What is Mobile app Development?
Mobile app development is making apps that work on mobile devices. These programs can be pre-installed, or the user can download them and install them later. They use the device’s network features to work with computing resources from afar. So, making a mobile app involves:
- Installing software on the device.
- Setting up backend services so that APIs can be used to access data.
- Testing the app on the devices it will use.
To make mobile apps that many people can use, you also need to consider screen sizes, hardware requirements, and many other things. Since there are more and more jobs in the mobile app development industry, entrepreneurs, startups, and especially developers need to understand how the process works.
Why is it essential to make mobile apps?
Since smartphones and other intelligent devices are constantly increasing, more people are installing and downloading apps than ever before. Mobile apps are the lifeblood of most businesses today, bringing in more customers. Statista states the overall sale of mobile apps will reach up to 613 billion USD in the next three years.
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Some Crucial things about Mobile App Development Roadmap and Process
- When developers and customers can talk to each other well through an app, they build a customer base that stays loyal to the developer.
- App development is a tried-and-true way to ensure that your brand is everywhere.
- If you run a business, the app is the fastest way to tell your customers about possible deals or new products.
- The number of sales of your products or services increases when payment options are built into the app.
Step-by-step process For Roadmap of Mobile App Development :
When you break the process of making an app down into steps, it’s easy to understand. If you want to make apps, use the following formula:
- Studying the market
- Refine the idea and approach a plan
- Resources
- Make a UX design
- App Development
- Testing
- Costs are Tight
1. Studying the market
After you’ve decided on your idea, you should look at similar apps already out there. It’s rare to have a brand-new concept that has no competitors.
- Who are you up against?
- What kind of public do you desire to reach?
- What’s your strategy for setting yourself apart from the competition?
- Which platform is best for launching your app?
How will you get people to know about and use your app?
Researching the market is an important step that you can’t skip or hurry through. You don’t want to spend time and money on an idea only to find out that no one wants it. So you can save a lot of money if you take care of this before you start building.
2. Refine the idea and approach a plan
Before making software, you need to come up with some ideas. Some of you may by now know what I’m chatting about. Some people might be starting over.
Here are some good questions to ask yourself as a place to start:
- What do you crave to do with your mobile app?
- What are the goals of your app?
- What problem(s) will your app help customers solve?
- What will your app be able to do?
- How much cash do you desire to spend?
- How are you leaving to create the app? (An in-house team, an agency, a developer of apps, etc.)
When coming up with ideas, it’s easy to get off track. But it’s essential to stick to the app’s main features. Don’t worry about extra features or “nice-to-haves” that take away from the app’s primary purpose.
3. Resources
The search for resources is also a big problem. Setting up a team of developers is much easier for tech companies than for non-tech companies. And you need top-notch developers to make a successful mobile app.
And it’s not easy to find developers who are good at their work. So, do the following to make it easier to hire skilled mobile app developers:
- Learn how to do simple checks.
- Find absent how long they’ve been in the trade.
- Do they know how to talk to people healthy?
- Do they have enough ideas?
- What platform are they best at?
- Can they suggest more things for the app to do?
You could also hire someone else to do your project. Look for a reputable company that outsources software and employs app developers to make apps. This way, you can have experts build your app under your direction while keeping the cost of the project low.
4. Make a UX design
The process of a Complete Roadmap of Mobile App Development is another crucial step. Start thinking about the look and feel of your app. Start sketching out the app and making wireframes so you can see how it will work.
Focusing on how the user feels should be the most important thing. You should ensure that the user interface works well and is easy to use.
- Make a storyboard or road map to show how each screen fits together.
- Think about how people will use your app differently from how they would use a mobile website (app development and web development are not the same).
- The user experience should be your number one goal.
Before you start building a fully functional app, you should make some prototypes of it based on your wireframes. You can create an MVP from here (minimum viable product). This app doesn’t have a lot of bells and whistles, but it does what it needs to do.
5. App Development
Now it’s time to make the app itself. This includes all the backend tech, APIs, and building for the front-end. What you have to do is:
- Choose how you want to grow.
- Assemble your development team.
- Choose someone to run the project.
- Set up a timeline with goals and milestones.
- Be flexible and ready for changes as you go.
Depending on how you build apps, you might need to make two versions, one for iOS and one for Android. You can also use cross-platform development tools to make one version of the app that works on both platforms.
6. Testing
You need to make sure that your app works before it goes live. During testing, you can find glitches, bugs, and anything else that needs to be fixed before your customers can use it.
- The best thing to do is to have QAs test your app as it is being made.
- Make sure that the app is tested on both platforms.
- Try the app on various devices (smartphones, tablets, etc.).
- Do tests with real users to get feedback and determine how to improve things.
There is no perfect app. The goal of testing is to make an app that works well and doesn’t crash so that users can enjoy the experience.
7. Costs are Tight
Startups usually have a small budget but a clear idea of what they want to do. So, it becomes essential to make plans. Research, design, development, launch, and marketing cost a lot of money when making a mobile app.
So, it is one of the hardest things to do when completing the Roadmap of Mobile App Development. The following things can make a big difference when making a budget for your application:
- Whether to pay the developer by the hour or for a set amount?
- Are you making a mixed-type app?
- How much will it cost to keep up?
- Would you like to do a job with a new company?
So, think carefully about what to do.
Dos and Don’ts to Think About
Make sure your mobile app has the basic features it needs to succeed in the global market. Here are some things you should and shouldn’t do to avoid trouble.
How to Do It?
- Accessibility:Â Your mobile app should be simple and easy to download. A bad user experience could cost you a lot of money.
- Remember the Flow Map:Â You should have a well-written flow map to ensure the navigational structure is logical and makes sense.
- One Platform at a Time:Â Many new companies fail because they build apps for more than one platform at once. So, it’s best to stick to just one platform.
What Shouldn’t You Do?
- Avoid Having Too Many Features:Â The users will get confused if there are too many features. Also, the app could get bugs, making it less fun to use.
- Never Make a Clone App: You might think it’s a good idea to copy a successful app, but you’re making a big mistake. Customers will always be interested in something new, so it is better to be original and not just copy and paste something already on the market.
- Don’t release the app too quickly: When your app comes out can make or break its success. A more straightforward app with no bugs is better than a full-featured app that doesn’t work right. There’s never a good reason to be impatient.
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Roadmap of Mobile App Development
A roadmap is designed to assist others to comprehend the goals easily. The roadmap for mobile app development must be clear and concise in describing your strategy so that the user can comprehend it quickly. It is essential to know the uniqueness of your business before getting the necessary elements of a plan. The most important ones are:
Necessary Elements of a Mobile app development Roadmap Plan
- Timeline
- Features
- Goals
1. Timeline
It is not required to specify dates for your roadmap. However, you must know and prioritize features based on the timeframes. The features you choose to include should be designed to be planned for both the short and long term.
For instance:
- Now, Next, Later
- May, June, and July
2. Features
The features of an application are the most crucial thing. In this section, you’ll define the features and functions you would like your application to offer. You can group them into categories such as communication, service, etc. depending on the tools you are using. It is easy to list the features you’d like to use, or construct a list of general options to make it more specific.
For instance:
- Video messaging, onboarding new users, and collaboration between teams.
- Making audio and video recordings and sharing files among teams and creating a signup flow.
- Sharing audio and video files and audios, integrating Dropbox, and creating SSO
3. Goals
You’re not working just to get the pleasure of it. There’s a purpose to make your business more efficient. Goals are a factor where you are aware of the goals you wish to achieve by using your app. It is essential to include these objectives in your mobile application development plan to let your business know what direction you’re taking. The goals you set may be contingent on your app or business.
For instance:
- Growing active monthly users
- Upgrading dashboard analytics
- Enhancing team communication
There are various kinds of roadmaps, based on the nature of the product and the stakeholders (who you develop this roadmap with). However, the development roadmap must include eight basic elements:
- Vision. The description of the entire concept of the final product. Typically, this is the part that will answer the questions regarding what the app is intended for and for what purpose it is designed, and also exactly what it ought to appear like.
- Plan of execution. The list of practical steps you need to complete to reach the vision that you’ve sketched out.
- A practical goal. An objective that is planned to be achieved after the execution phase. It’s crucial to ensure that the achievement of this goal can be assessed using specific indicators.
- Initiative. Broad themes that link elements that have to be integrated into the final product.
- Feature. A piece of an item, that is part of the functionality or a third-party program.
- Timeframes. Fixed or protracted timelines to deliver the entire product as well as its particular characteristics.
- Status indicators. Markers the team will use to assess the development of products.
- Measurements. The list of metrics that you can utilize to determine the progress of your goals.
The process of developing an app for mobile has specific challenges and involves many iterations. This is why having a plan for developing mobile apps as an integral part of process management plays a significant influence on what the result will appear like.
Why would you need a roadmap for software?
The mobile app roadmap development has several purposes:
- To make it easier to work on a particular product. In other words, the roadmap for mobile app development is a bridge between the overall concept of the app and the desired business objectives by laying out an outline of how to accomplish the goals.
- To simplify communication with stakeholders outside of the company. This relates to all contractors, investors, and investors involved in the development process as well as the end-users.
- To help make the strategy and concept of the product easier for the audience of the roadmap.
- To allow the display of the latest developments and changes to the product to meet the needs of the market.
- To prioritize specific elements that are in the process of developing and establish timelines for these units and set timelines for.
An incredibly clear and precise development roadmap will assist you to navigate through the whole process of development. What your priorities should be on in the short-medium, medium, and long-term? What aspects of your app need to be prioritized right now, and how to manage the expectations of stakeholders throughout the development process?
Here are some key considerations when creating a mobile app roadmap
Before you begin to draw the roadmap for mobile app development and start to visualize all of the data, there are some things you need to keep in mind.
1. Who do you think is responsible for the development of mobile apps?
The type and content of the roadmap are determined by the stakeholders. The audience for the roadmap can be either internal (teams directly involved in development), or external (individuals who are not involved in app development).
2. What are the main features and functionality of the mobile app?
It is important to emphasize the importance of prioritization when creating a featured listing for the mobile app development plan. Define the resources needed to create each feature, and establish deadlines that coincide with the tentative launch date. It is important to remember that feature descriptions must be clear enough to allow development teams to create the best solution.
3. What set of metrics should be used to measure progress?
You should set KPIs for each team to ensure that your mobile app development roadmap is efficient. Consider making a detailed list of all the features you would like to include, and linking them with appropriate metrics to track progress.
4. Keep the roadmap current
The mobile app development roadmap should be kept dynamic as it can reflect development progress. This is essential for sharing information among all teams involved in a product.
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There is no secret to Complete Roadmap of Mobile App Development. It is like an open book. Your ideas are essential, just like in any other business.
The mobile app development lifecycle gives you a clear picture of what you need to do to get what you want. iTechnolabs offers complete Roadmap of Mobile App Development for your customized app designs. Drop a message below for your queries, our mobile app developers will contact you
We’ve told you all the different things you can do. The cost of making a mobile app depends on the idea and how long it will take to make it. If you want to make a mobile app, this in-depth guide will help you with everything you need to know.
Frequently Asked Questions For Mobile App Development Roadmap
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What do you mean by ‘mobile app development roadmap’?
- In very general terms, a roadmap is a comprehensive strategy that explains the end objective and all the necessary steps in order to achieve it
- Similarly, a mobile app development roadmap will comprehensively define the app concept and an elaborately laid out plan to achieve it
- The mobile app development roadmap must have the primary idea of the app, its objective and features with a detailed process along with timelines
- It is essential to have a somewhat flexible roadmap so that mandatory modifications can be made to it
2. Give an overview of the Android app development roadmap.
The gist of the Android app development roadmap is as follows –Â
- Before starting anything, question your app idea
- Get to deeply know your target marketÂ
- Check if your app concept fulfill your target users’ needs
- Conduct a full-fledged market research into your competitorsÂ
- Define the must-have, distinctive features of your app in extensive detail
- Decide who will develop your app
- Get in touch with your developers and prepare a well-structured development process for your Android app including the deadline and the cost estimation
- An intuitive and intelligent UI/UX design is prepared for your app
- A full-scale development process will take place soon after the designing
- Multiple tests will be conducted to take care that the app is of the highest quality
- App will be launched, if devoid of any bugs and loopholes
