The mobile app development process: A guide to building better apps

For large organisations and established businesses seeking to enhance their digital presence, streamline operations, or introduce innovative solutions, understanding the mobile app development process is essential.

While the journey from an idea to a fully functioning mobile app can seem daunting, we're here to simplify it. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll walk you through each stage of the app development process, providing you with the knowledge you need to build the apps that will help you stand out from the competition. 

Understanding the basics of mobile app development

Before we delve into the specifics, it’s essential to understand the basics of mobile app development. With nearly 1.5 billion dollars in daily spending and 257 billion total app downloads, the app economy has shown resilience and a strong capacity for growth. Here are the foundational steps that set the stage for a successful app development journey.

Ideation and research

The journey begins with a solid idea. This initial phase is crucial, as thorough research lays the foundation for a successful app. By exploring current market trends, analysing competitor apps, and gathering insights from potential users, you can ensure your app idea is both viable and innovative. Understanding how to make an app that stands out in the crowded app development landscape starts with this comprehensive research.

Apadmi’s work with Chetwood Financial involved extensive market research to understand user needs. This led to the creation of a seamless signup process for their credit card app, which ensured the app met user expectations and regulatory requirements.

Defining the scope and objectives

Clearly defining your app's scope and objectives helps streamline the mobile app development process. This involves detailed discussions to pinpoint the exact functionalities your app will offer and the problems it aims to solve. 

Having a well-defined scope and clear objectives ensures that every team member is aligned and focused on delivering a cohesive and effective product. This step not only saves time and resources but also helps in managing expectations and setting realistic milestones throughout the mobile app development process.

Key steps of the mobile app development process

The process of mobile app development can somewhat vary on an individual basis. However, the following steps are the ones that you’ll likely go through:

1. Strategy development

2. Analysis and planning

3. Designing your app

4. Developing your app

5. Testing and quality assurance

6. Launching your app

7. Post-launch support and maintenance

1. Strategy development

Identify objectives

Whether you’re building a consumer or enterprise app, start by identifying its main objectives. What problem will your application solve? Who are its target users? What results do you want your app to achieve? Clearly noting these objectives helps ensure a focused mobile app development process. By understanding your app's core purpose, you can align your development efforts to meet user needs and achieve your business goals effectively.

Apadmi helped the NHS with a life-saving organ donation app, clearly defining objectives to manage organ donations efficiently. This clear focus helped streamline the app development process, ensuring the app served its critical purpose effectively.

Research competitors

By researching your competition, you can bypass common pitfalls and identify opportunities to differentiate your app. Analyse existing apps in your niche to understand their strengths and weaknesses. This competitive analysis is a crucial step in the mobile app development process as it provides insights into market expectations and helps you craft a unique value proposition for your app. Conducting a thorough competitor analysis can save on development costs by identifying successful strategies and common pitfalls​.

Select a platform

Decide whether to build a custom Android solution, an iOS app, or a cross-platform application. Each platform has its own advantages. Android apps can reach a larger global audience, while iOS apps often generate higher revenue per user. Cross-platform apps offer the benefit of reaching both audiences with a single codebase. Each option has pros and cons, so it’s important to thoroughly research each platform to make an informed decision tailored to your app’s specific needs.

Choose a monetisation method

For consumer apps, consider how you will monetise your app. Options include in-app advertising, in-app purchases, subscriptions, affiliate marketing, and paid apps. The choice depends on your app’s goals and target audience. 

There’s a range of options when it comes to a business model for your app and how to decide the best strategy for you. For instance, a subscription model could be ideal for a productivity app. Understanding how to build an app that effectively generates revenue involves selecting the right monetisation strategy from the outset.

2. Analysis and planning

Functional and non-functional requirements

Defining the specific actions your app needs to perform (functional requirements) and the quality attributes it should possess (non-functional requirements) is a critical step in the app development process. Functional requirements detail your app's core features and functionalities, such as user authentication, data processing, and payment gateways. Non-functional requirements, on the other hand, address quality attributes like performance, security, scalability, and usability. 

Defining clear functional and non-functional requirements can help to avoid scope creep and ensure the project stays on track. Clearly documenting these requirements helps ensure a shared understanding among all stakeholders and provides a clear blueprint for what needs to be developed. 

Product roadmap

Creating a detailed roadmap will outline your app’s features and their development timeline, helping to keep the project on track. 

Start by prioritising the essential features that will form your Minimum Viable Product (MVP), ensuring you can launch quickly and gather user feedback. Plan for additional features and improvements in future updates based on user feedback and evolving business needs. A well-structured digital product strategy & roadmap guides the development process and helps establish realistic and achievable timeframes.

Technology stack

Identifying the right technologies and skills needed for your project is crucial to its success. Whether you’re developing for iOS, Android, or opting for a cross-platform solution, choosing the appropriate technology stack impacts your app’s performance, scalability, and maintainability.

For iOS development, Swift or Objective-C might be used, while Android development typically involves Java or Kotlin. Cross-platform development could leverage frameworks like React Native or Flutter. Selecting the right technology stack also involves considering backend technologies, databases, and third-party integrations necessary for your app. 

Ensuring you have a skilled team proficient in these technologies is key to building a robust and efficient app.

3. Designing your app

User Interface (UI) design

Crafting visually appealing and easy-to-navigate interfaces enhances the user experience and is a key contributor to user retention. Selecting the right colour schemes, typography, and visual elements that align with your brand identity are all methods that can help you focus on creating intuitive layouts that make it simple for users to interact with your app. A clean and aesthetically pleasing UI attracts users and keeps them engaged, making them more likely to continue using your app.

In developing the Very Group's app, Apadmi’s UI design focused on creating a visually appealing and easy-to-navigate interface, which significantly boosted user retention.

User Experience (UX) design

UX design focuses on the overall feel of the app, which ensures that your app is not only functional but also provides a seamless and enjoyable user experience. This means designing user flows that are logical and straightforward, reducing friction points that could frustrate users. 

Personalisation plays a large part in a successful UX, as 71% of app users expect a tailored experience, and 76% feel frustrated when they don’t get the personalisation they were hoping for.

By prioritising the user's journey and satisfaction, you can build an app that users love to use and recommend to others. 

4. Developing your app

Front-end development

Ensuring your app performs well across all devices is key to maintaining user engagement. By prioritising the front-end development process, you can create an app that engages users from the moment they open it.

Investing in the latest technologies allows you to focus on building an interface that is not only visually appealing but also responsive and user-friendly. This includes implementing smooth animations, intuitive navigation, and responsive design principles to provide a consistent experience across different screen sizes and orientations. 

The app update for Dominos by Apadmi focused on revamping the existing app to deliver a more personalised digital experience for its customers, with specific focus on easy ordering and increased personalisation.

Back-end development

A scalable and secure back-end can handle increased user loads and protect user data. 

The back-end development handles the server-side logic, database management, and integration of third-party services. A robust, scalable back-end architecture will support your app's functionality and growth. This includes setting up secure databases, developing APIs for seamless data exchange, and integrating necessary third-party services such as payment gateways and social media logins. 

5. Testing and quality assurance

Functional testing

Conducting extensive functional testing will ensure that every feature of your app works as intended. This involves verifying that all functionalities align with the requirements and perform correctly under various scenarios. By thoroughly testing each aspect of your app, you can guarantee that users can interact with all features seamlessly, providing a reliable and intuitive experience.

Performance testing

Performance testing helps us identify and rectify any issues related to app speed, responsiveness, and stability. Ensuring your app can handle peak loads is essential for an ideal user experience​. 

You can also simulate real-world conditions to assess how your app performs under different loads and stress levels. This allows us to optimise the app's performance, ensuring it remains fast and responsive even when handling a large number of users or complex tasks.

The app update for Dominos by Apadmi focused on revamping the existing app to deliver a more personalised digital experience for its customers, with specific focus on easy ordering and increased personalisation.

Security testing

Ensuring your app’s security is paramount, especially for apps handling sensitive data. Rigorously testing for vulnerabilities will protect your users and data. This includes testing for common security threats such as SQL injection, cross-site scripting (XSS), and data breaches. By identifying and addressing potential security issues, you’ll safeguard your app against malicious attacks and ensure compliance with industry standards.

Platform and device testing

Testing on various devices and operating systems ensures compatibility and smooth performance across different environments. You should test your app on multiple platforms, including different versions of iOS and Android, as well as various device models and screen sizes. This comprehensive testing approach ensures that your app provides a consistent and high-quality user experience, regardless of the device or platform used.

6. Launching your app

App Store Optimisation (ASO)

App Store Optimisation (ASO) is crucial for your app’s visibility as optimising your app’s listing improves its chances of being discovered by potential users. This involves selecting the right keywords, crafting a compelling app description, and creating eye-catching visuals such as icons and screenshots. ASO not only boosts your app's visibility but also increases its conversion rates, driving more downloads and user engagement.

65% of all app downloads occur directly after a search, highlighting the importance of ASO and your app’s visibility. Enhancing these elements can ensure that your app stands out in the crowded app stores, making it easier for potential users to find and download it. 

Marketing and promotion

Effective marketing strategies are essential to ensure your app reaches the right audience. This includes leveraging social media, content marketing, email campaigns, and paid advertising to generate buzz and attract users. You can even take additional measures to maximise your marketing output, such as engaging with influencers and online communities that align with your app’s target audience. 

By implementing a well-rounded marketing strategy, you can begin to build a strong user base, encourage downloads, and foster user loyalty — maximising your app’s reach and impact, ensuring a successful launch and sustained growth.

7. Post-launch support and maintenance 

Regular updates

Regular updates are crucial for user retention, as apps that are frequently updated show a 25% increase in user engagement compared to those that don’t. As technology evolves and user expectations change, keeping your app up-to-date is essential. Regular updates introduce new functionalities and address any bugs or security vulnerabilities, ensuring that your app continues to perform optimally and provides a seamless experience for users.

User feedback and iteration

Listening to user feedback is crucial for your app's ongoing success. By gathering and analysing user feedback, you can understand user needs and pain points, which will guide you to make informed decisions about future updates. This will help you iterate and improve your app, enhancing user satisfaction and engagement. Taking an iterative approach like this ensures that your app remains user-centric and continues to meet the evolving demands of your audience.

Performance monitoring

Tracking key metrics such as app downloads, user retention, and crash reports will allow you to monitor app performance to identify and fix issues promptly. Performance monitoring helps you detect and address any issues affecting user experience, such as slow load times or crashes, helping you keep your app in top shape. By continuously analysing these metrics, you’ll ensure that your app maintains high performance and reliability, providing a consistent and enjoyable experience for users.

What to consider before developing an app

Strategic relevance

It’s vital to consider whether building a mobile app aligns with your overall business strategy, as apps aligned with business goals are more likely to receive the necessary support and resources. 

Ask yourself how the app will contribute to your business goals and whether it addresses a specific need or opportunity in your market. Evaluating strategic relevance helps you make informed decisions and ensures that the app development process is aligned with your long-term objectives.

Enterprise vs. consumer apps

Different strategies apply to enterprise and consumer apps. Enterprise apps often focus on improving internal processes, enhancing productivity, and facilitating communication within a company. Consumer apps, on the other hand, aim to attract and engage users, often focusing on entertainment, utility, or social interaction. Understanding the unique requirements and goals for each type is essential to ensure success. 

For enterprise apps, prioritise functionality and integration with existing systems. Consumer apps, on the other hand, should focus on user experience, market differentiation, and scalability.

In-house development vs. outsourcing

Decide whether to develop the app in-house or outsource to a development partner. Consider factors like your team’s expertise, project workload, and the complexity of the app. 

In-house development allows for greater control and closer collaboration with the team, which can benefit ongoing projects or apps requiring frequent updates. However, outsourcing can provide access to specialised skills and resources, often leading to faster development and potentially lower costs. Weigh the pros and cons of each approach to determine the best fit for your project.

Get in touch with the experts

Building a mobile app is a collaborative effort. At Apadmi, we are committed to supporting you throughout the entire app development process. Get in touch with us to learn more about how we can help you create an app that meets your business needs and delights your users.

By following this guide, you’ll be well-equipped to navigate the mobile app development process. For more detailed insights and personalised assistance, don’t hesitate to contact us at Apadmi. We’re here to help you craft mobile experiences that unlock value for you and your customers.