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Business Apps Development 

Beginning the process of developing an app might show a bewildering array of development alternatives. But it's much simpler if you have the correct app development method at your disposal. We'll explore several tried-and-true methods for developing apps in this study, which draws on academic publications, research, data, and examples. We'll also go over the procedures involved in developing an app and the app development lifecycle while recommending the best information to include in a PRD (Product Requirements Document) that developers may use.

Businesses can boost their chances of success by following the app development stages, from conception through wireframing, and market research to cross-platform development. Additionally, there may be benefits to employing a Mobile App Development Strategy-Finding (MADSF) paradigm for choosing the best programming environment.

What is the app development process?

The complete app development process, from inspiration and design through development and execution, is referred to as the mobile app development process (MAD). The MAD approach, according to Flora, H.K., Wang, and Change (2014), varies from typical software development in that it necessitates a thorough understanding of what mobile applications are. Additionally, they contend that factors that distinguish the development of mobile apps from desktop applications include functionality, dependability, adaptability, accessibility, portability, efficiency, maintainability, usability, and responsiveness, iterated in accordance with users' needs.

How are mobile apps developed?

There are many different technological and procedural approaches that can be used in the MAD process. Furthermore, elements including resources, knowledge, market positioning, and team capacity will all play a role in success. Additionally, numerous changes and challenges arise during the app development process, such as constrained deadlines, frequent User Testing (UT), and production cost limitations.

However, developers have a range of approaches to choose from at the outset of the MAD process. These are either an Agile technique that may incorporate DevOps, Kanban and Scrum or a more conventional and structured Waterfall approach known as Cascade. Making the appropriate methodology choice can make or break the development of an app. Since selecting a methodology is a crucial choice, we'll go into more detail about it in the section that follows.

Most popular software development methodologies worldwide 2022

How are mobile apps developed through different methodologies?

The Agile methodology encourages early ROI through iterative and collaborative project management. Agile methodologies allow teams to work on project phases concurrently and to short-term deadlines. Plus, being agile, there’s flexibility to shift direction at short notice or experiment with new approaches.

The most widely used Agile methodology nowadays is DevOps. Additionally, it provides a set of techniques that encourage a quicker development cycle. However, it also encourages the use of automation, microservices, security, and service virtualization throughout the creation of mobile apps. DevOps is preferred by over 35% of software development teams. Agile approaches appear to be the most widely employed form of development in the process of developing apps, according to the research on MAD methodologies applied in the Omani market. On the other hand, Waterfall relies on a tried-and-true, linear method of developing apps. Additionally, it often involves five to seven organized steps, i.e.

 Requirements, System Design, Implementation, Testing, Deployment, and Maintenance.

What is the mobile app development lifecycle?

Now that we have a better understanding of the MAD process, the approaches that are available, and the broad philosophical perspectives, let's investigate the subject of how mobile apps are built in accordance with the mobile app development lifecycle. Although opinions on the ideal form of the app development lifecycle vary, we've defined it according to four principles:
• Pre-launch
• Frontend Development
• Backend Development
• Post-Launch

Pre-launch

The primary idea and objective of an app have to be determined during the pre-launch phase. The success of the ultimate result depends on how well this stage is completed. An app's functionality and purpose are clearly envisioned from the start of the pre-launch phase. Additionally, in order to succeed, teams must conduct extensive study and design planning.

UI/UX should also be reviewed by developers during this time, with the creation of a prototype being the ideal result. Over 50% of survey respondents believed creating a prototype for a great user experience should be the top priority in developing mobile apps, according to Flora, H.K., Wang, and Change (2014). A prototype, however, can also increase an application's adoption and usage, which will increase its success. According to both sets of data, User Testing (UT) ought to be a crucial element of the pre-launch phase to guarantee success.

A mobile application development strategy-finding model should also take into account UT, research, and prototypes found during the pre-launch to help in choosing the optimal programming environment and development strategy (MADSF). Developers can choose the best approaches for their situation with the help of this specific model. However, it can also help them choose the best development plan for achieving their objectives and guiding their own mobile app development procedure.

The authors of the study A Mobile Application Development Strategy-Finding Model by Edgard, G., and MBAYEN, M. (2013) developed their own model to help developers select the most effective development strategy. The model is composed of five milestones and is referred to as MADSF. Additionally, each milestone stage should be followed by developers in order to ensure they choose the optimal app development plan.A Mobile Application Development Strategy-Finding Model: Milestones and Variables

The authors suggest asking the following questions at each stage:

• Purpose: Will the app be for demonstration purposes or a business marketplace?
• Device Target: Which mobile platforms will the app target and on which devices?
• Core Device API Utility: Would the mobile application use the Core Device API feature?
• Update Process: Will the mobile app update from the server side or the usual mobile application marketplace?
• Quality Standards: What level of quality will the mobile application aim for – high, medium, or low?

Developers can also use the MADSF model in the pre-launch stage to support in making a decision on the most appropriate development structure.

Frontend development

Frontend development is the second stage of the mobile app development process. The way front-end developers work on an app's functionality differs from UI/UX. The major goal here is to translate pre-launch concepts and UX or UI designs into code. Developers must therefore make sure that interface components direct users to the correct locations and that data is stored for processing.

Developers assess all interfaces, designs, and payment gateways during the front-end development phase. Using reusable codes can also hasten the development process. For early versions or to satisfy MVP requirements, mobile app development features may be minimal. And if developers or business owners adopt a MADSF model, it might assist them in determining which of the following might be the most suitable for their needs:

• Native: Often used for a single platform with programming languages and tools specific to that platform. Examples include developing a native Android app using React Native, Java, or Swift and Objective-C for iOS apps.
• Hybrid or Cross-Platform Functionality: Apps development that works across several platforms. This is often favored by startups who prefer the reduction in time and cost. Apps are faster to build but need an abstraction layer that can result in lower performance.
• Web to Native: Web Native is a form of cross-platform mobile application development using web technologies to create native mobile applications for iOS and Android, as well as mobile-optimized Progressive Web Apps (PWA).

Developers will take into account a variety of factors from the prototype or pre-design phase when deciding on the best method for developing an app. The levels of personalization, security, social network integration, app speed, customer service assistance, and responsiveness can all be considered among these.

Backend development

The opposite of front-end app development is this. And that's where the last phase of the creation of the app happens. Its function is to provide assistance with the development of the system architecture, databases, servers, application programming interfaces (APIs), security, and several other background operations. And it accomplishes this by establishing the core code that enables the app to handle front-end actions.

Third-party SaaS, MBaaS solutions, and custom-built backends are examples of several types of mobile app backend solutions. This decision is influenced by a variety of criteria, including scale, funding, and whether internal or external development will be used.

An e-commerce company app, for instance, might handle media assets like photographs and videos. In this situation, either a headless CMS as a SaaS product or even an off-the-shelf e-commerce business platform may be the ideal choice.

Additionally, two areas on which developers will concentrate during this stage are security and functionality. And since iteration is a big part of the development process, it’s important to note the differences between the first and final releases. Agile developers may benefit from changing out features throughout each iteration of development if the app's priorities change.

Post-launch

All the stages of developing a mobile app are bookended by the post-launch stage. Support, tracking, and maintenance of the app are key components of the mobile app creation process that guarantee its usefulness and seamless operation. However, they are frequently neglected. Additionally, app developers must pay close attention to app security in order to enable the discovery of vulnerabilities and any coding flaws prior to release.

If a mobile app has any navigational flaws, users are likely to get disinterested or disengaged. Thus, it is crucial at this point of the app development process to conduct Quality Assurance testing, User Acceptance Testing (UAT), and Test Driven Development (TDD), where feature components are turned into tests.

After testing is over, deployment can begin. Developers should use Continuous Integration (CI) and Continuous Deployment (CD) methodologies as part of the DevOps LifeCycle if they decide to work with DevOps.

What are the steps of the app development process?

A helpful overview of the app development process is provided by the four-phase framework of the app development lifecycle. But how does this actually work out more specifically? Here, we'll go over the numerous tested app development processes that improve results.

Idea creation

Every instance of developing a mobile app must proceed through a series of phases that begin with conception or imagining. To make sure an app meets both user and company demands, this stage is crucial. The goals of the app will also be decided during the ideation phase. And this can influence choices when deciding what services the app will provide.

Another study by Flora, H.K., Wang, X., and Chande, S.V. (2014) found that 60% of those polled said mobile apps should be straightforward and concentrate on a few key features. They believe that apps should focus on achieving their own unique objectives rather than trying to do everything.

A good outcome from this stage, then, is to establish an MVP (Minimum Viable Product) that defines provisional app features, functionality, and purpose. And once there’s a clear vision for an app, developers can move to the next phase.

Market research

By concentrating on data collection, user research, competitive analysis, and budgetary analysis that realizes the idea and informs any cost/benefit judgments, the market research phase builds on the ideation stage. A review of the best programming languages, such as PHP, Javascript, or Swift, is also probably included in this step. Additionally, any relevant infrastructures and databases are needed for front-end and back-end development.

Further research elements confirmed during this stage include the following:

• Target audience and personas: Establishes who the potential users are.
• User Testing: UAT may be appropriate to carry out at this stage.
• Competitor analysis: Reviewing competitors and understanding how the app fits within the industry or sector ecosystem.
• Potential investment: App development requires time, effort, and money.
• App marketing trends: Assessing the potential marketing strategy.

Sketch concept

The sketch concept is the following phase of app development. Making sure everyone involved understands the app's or website's fundamental idea is the goal at this stage. The ideal time to test usability and emphasize functionality while gaining support is during this period.

The main goal is to sketch down the idea for each individual app screen or function in order to get input from developers or users. In this stage, suggested features and functionality are investigated, and each phase is outlined in the proper framework. This will help with the subsequent wireframing stage. Additionally, the sketch concept stage is helpful for investigating issues like data access, cross-platform compatibility, and any ambiguous or insufficient requirements.

Wireframing

Wireframing is a tool that marketers and developers can use to visualize an app once they have a solid conceptual idea, extensive market research, and a sketch of the app. A crucial step in validating all mobile app development features and fundamentals is wireframing. It can be viewed as a blueprint for creating an app, ensuring that it is constructed on strong foundations. This stage should be used by marketers and developers to evaluate each component of the app and make sure consumers are aware of the effects the app is intended to have.

Before moving on to medium or high-fidelity wireframes, the wireframing process may start with low-fidelity sketches made with a pencil and paper. The approach used to create the weather app Sundayz is an illustration of low-fidelity and medium-fidelity wireframing. Simple pencil sketches were the first step in their wireframe process, which was followed by more official Balsamiq wireframing.

Wireframing Examples

Coding

The coding stage becomes exceedingly challenging without wireframing. And the person most likely to really implement a wireframe notion is a programmer. The crucial task of guaranteeing functionality and creating a test or fully working app falls to coders.

Developers must guarantee cross-platform compatibility with several operating systems while coding. For instance, apps created for Android users must be compatible with both the most recent and earlier versions of the operating system. The coding phase could concentrate on creating an MVP with sufficient fundamental features to finish essential functionality. Additionally, since a network may be used to transfer data, encryption may be a top priority. especially considering that some apps sync data with online sources. Developers may employ a Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) that encrypts client information or request a certified mobile certificate to prevent attackers from accessing valuable data and resources on a mobile device. The initial versions of frontend and backend development are likely to contain a lot of faults in the coding for backend development is probably rife with errors. And this leads us to our next subject.

Testing

The purpose of the testing phase of the app development process is to guarantee that all coding errors are fixed. It could involve a cycle of test-driven development and a time of user testing (UT) (TDD).

App testing, according to Flora, H.K., Wang, and Change (2014), should be done on actual devices and should be done often, iteratively, early on, and as often as possible.

Launch

It's now time to deploy the app after testing is finished. And the launch process includes two stages: the first involves setting up your web server (API) in a scalable production environment. The second step entails publishing your program on the Apple App Store and Google Play.

For most mobile apps to operate and to move data to and from the app, a server back-end is required. In a scalable environment like Amazon Web Services (AWS), servers should be able to accommodate any traffic increases. Scalability will also be simpler to attain as a result of this.

The proper confinement for release, including metadata descriptions and marketing materials, is then required before delivering apps to the App stores. Developers require an account in order to publish an app to the App Store or Google Play Store. Additionally, since Apple reviews each software that is uploaded, they might need to make adjustments to comply with the rules.

App development process requirements

Business owners can now communicate with app developers using a Product Requirement Document after completing the app development stages and tasks (PRD). A PRD is a project management tool that aids in outlining the vision, goals, and objectives of an app. It combines a Business Requirements Document (BRD) and a Systems Requirements Document into a single document (SRD). A PRD should contain the following components:

App purpose

Every PRD should define the purpose and objectives of the mobile app. This includes an outline of the following:

• Which problems the app seeks to solve
• What the app intends to achieve
• A profile or personas for app users
• The type of experience app users expect to have

To influence stakeholders and outside parties, it is helpful to make the app's goals and purposes clear. Everyone involved should support the progress and development of the app and concur with its goal.

User personas

A user persona is a fictional figure created specifically to reflect the typical target app user. They often take the form of a user profile and include information about the traits, habits, objectives, and problems of the target audience. The purpose of user personas is to describe what individuals do, why they do it, and what they need or want from a good or service. Some reasons why user personas are helpful include:

• Help define the context(s) of the app
• Easier to predict user behaviors on the app
• Clarify what users want or need from an app
• Highlight the difficulties users may want to overcome through the app

App features & functional requirements

Lists of the app's essential features and features should be included in a PRD. For instance, it's crucial to take into account throughout development the UI area, network access, functionality, social media connectivity, and database access while creating a responsive app. Being unique and meeting users' requirements are also important.

Localization and reach are additional factors for app features. Localized features may enhance User experience and distinguish an app from its rivals in situations where mobile devices have the advantage of GPS and cameras.

UX & app layout

Over 75% of survey participants, according to Flora, H.K., Wang, and Change (2014), agreed that user experience (UX) is a decisive element in mobile apps. Additionally, they recommend that for a great user experience, a person should feel at ease using a device. They should, however, also believe that they are capable of completing any activity with ease and without instruction or assistance. According to L. Chand et al. (2014), user interface (UI) design is heavily emphasized during the creation of mobile apps, and this can make it more difficult for developers to fully utilize the smaller screen real estate.

This also applies to user experience (UX), where a mobile app's design is greatly influenced by factors like screen layouts, user interaction methods, and smaller displays. This could result in limited uptake and utilization if it is poorly constructed. Therefore, mobile applications and other applications may share UI components. If so, they must follow the UI standards that have been defined and put into software development kits (SDKs) as a component of the platform.

Technology and infrastructure requirements

The approach, IDE, and technological infrastructure required for the creation of mobile apps should all be described in a PRD. This could be Native, Web to Native, or Cross Platform Native, for instance. The MADSF model can be applied here to aid in making any decisions.

Some aspects of tech to consider include:

• Databases, servers, services, and whether they’re cloud-based.
• Which operating systems your app should support
• Any documentation for API
• Maintenance and any future support
• Distribution infrastructure

Potential constraints and obstacles

Finally, any hypotheses discovered throughout the creation of the mobile app should be included in a solid PRD. For instance, it could be less dependable if the app developer intends to use a third-party library. Furthermore, there is no assurance that it won't have flaws or issues that could affect project management.

At this stage of the app development process, security is another important factor. The security features of a platform should be integrated by mobile developers, but they should also take into account the encryption of important data over both open and insecure networks. This step must also take into account any technical limitations and potential feature dependencies, and it must demonstrate whether one feature requires another in order to function.

How much does the app development process cost?

The degree of involvement of the developers in the process will determine how much an app costs to produce. For instance, hiring a Full Cycle Agency or an app developer to custom-build or finish any unfinished apps is one possibility. However, there are also pre-made, low-code, and no-code options available in the form of app builders. An in-house development could be a choice if there are sufficient resources, capabilities, and funds. But doing so will cost money, as would the need to hire and integrate new employees.

App development cost benchmarks

It is still challenging to identify a primary budget for app development, as was emphasized in our research report on app development costs. But in our essay, we've included some straightforward benchmarks that can be useful. It's also worth reading our research article on the typical cost to hire an app developer for reference.

Mobile app development best practices

To recap our report, here is a summary of the best practices in app development:

• Determine a strong reason for creating an app and make sure it doesn’t replicate an existing app.
• Give users control over their data. But also, try to maintain the simplicity and clarity of the application from the customer’s perspective.
• Include user interaction and performance reviews, followed by frequent and rapid iterations of requirements during testing.
• Design a prototype to achieve excellent UX.
• Speed up development with reusable codes and light features.
• Consider an Agile approach that you can tailor to each development team.
• Use TTD, pair programming, regular code reviews, strong QA, and constant measurement post-launch.
• Consider encrypting sensitive data across open or unsecured networks.
• Build privacy into mobile apps with open communication, clear and simple language, and choices for users.
• Use an analyst to analyze performance.
• Use emails, social media, and bug reports to collect feedback from users.

Final thoughts

The process of creating and promoting a profitable app takes time. It necessitates thoughtful study, meticulous planning, and development. However, by following the app development process, business owners can discover frameworks that help them decide which technical and procedural techniques are best suitable for any app scenario. They're also more likely to release a well-designed and well-developed app by following the processes of app development.