How Apps are Born: The 7 Steps of App Development

Have an idea for an app? You’re in good company. According to Hootsuite data, more than 21 million Australians are currently internet users, and these users spend more than five hours each day accessing the internet through their various devices.

But before you rush in to capitalise on this digital engagement, you’ll want to familiarise yourself with the app development process. Becoming aware of the different stages and processes involved can help you make an educated decision on whether or not to pursue app development for your company.

The Core App Development Process

No two apps are the same; therefore, no two app development processes are the same. In a post on Medium, contributor Craig Mod offers a colourful description of what building an app entails: “How are apps made? Painfully with deliberation or effortlessly without thought. Blind inspiration. Eight hours over a lazy weekend. Fifty grand a day. A million dollars a syllable. Do not look for the sense in it.” 

No matter which end of the spectrum Mod describes you fall on, however, there are some key milestones all developers must reach - broken into seven steps below - to arrive at a successful app.

Step #1: Ideation

App development - whether for desktop or mobile - begins with an idea, which often stems from the observation of a problem. If you’re searching for an app idea for your company, ask yourself what problems your users experience and whether or not an app might be the appropriate channel for solving them.

Step #2: Research

“Research,” in the context of app development, takes many forms. First, you’ll want to identify potential competitors to determine whether or not you can offer something that better meets users’ needs. Research may also encompass validating your app idea. Do people actually want the app you’re imagining? Will they use it? Proper validation prevents you from over-investing in an app no one needs or wants.

Step #3: Wireframing

Assuming you’ve validated demand for your idea, the next step will be to create a wireframe of each screen that will be included. Just don’t get too excited with bells and whistles. Every feature added to your app increases its cost. Think critically about the core features that can serve as a “minimum viable product.” You can always add greater functionality later in the iteration process.

Step #4: Design and Development

Once you’ve arrived at an approved wireframe, you’ll enlist the help of designers (who will create the visual look of your app’s front-end interface) and developers (who handle the heavy lifting of coding the back-end).

Though tools exist that make it possible to handle app design and development on your own, don’t discount the expertise a professional partner brings to the process when it comes to matching your finished app to your company’s needs. Take the case of 1-Stop. When they needed to update the look and feel of their existing web interface, they turned to Windsorborn to create a look that matched their newer, more modern branding.

Step #5: Testing

Thorough testing of the prototype created by your designers and developers prevents your app from going to market with critical errors that limit functionality and frustrate users. Do this on your own or by working with a professional testing service.

Step #6: Launch

Taking your app to market - either through mobile app platforms like Apple’s App Store and Google Play or the broader digital release a desktop app requires - doesn’t guarantee your success. Instead, they must be launched in coordination with a thoughtful marketing strategy that includes media inquiries, customer outreach and more.

Step #7: Iteration

Once your app is live, you’ll begin receiving feedback - often in the form of customer questions and app reviews. All of this information can be fodder for improvements you make to your app.

As Entrepreneur magazine contributor Rahul Varshneya describes, “Once your app goes live on the app store, the first set of customers' usage and behavior will give you insight into how to improve and enhance your app. Enhancements and changes are constant, so keep an eye on user feedback and keep building.”

Getting Ready for the App Development Process

Whether you’re at Step #1 of the process described above or you’ve completed the research needed to validate your app concept, reach out to Windsorborn for help beginning the app development process. We’re standing by to help you safely navigate these confusing waters from initial ideation through to successful market launch and iteration.

 Contact us now or email studio@windsorborn.com to learn how we support app development.