5 STEPS To Developing A Successful Mobile App
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Table of Contents ...................................................................................... 2Getting Started ........................................................................................... 3The 5 Steps to Developing a New App ................................................. 6 Step #1—Plan ..................................................................................... 7 Describe your Business Goals ........................................................ 8 Identify Your Customer’s Needs in an App .................................. 8Step #2—Design ........................................................................................ 9 Create a Design That Meets Your Goals + Customer Needs .. 10 Determine App Requirements ........................................................ 10 Get Help with Design and Development ...................................... 12Step #3—Build ........................................................................................... 15 Code the App ...................................................................................... 15 Choose a Mobile Platform ............................................................... 16 Test the App ........................................................................................ 16Step #4—Launch ....................................................................................... 17Step #5—Engage ....................................................................................... 20 Create an Engagement Strategy ..................................................... 21 Learn What Your Customers Like .................................................. 21 Contact Customers Regularly .......................................................... 22 Use Fresh, Relevant Content ........................................................... 23
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GETTING STARTED
Are you ready to create a new mobile app for your business or organization? If so, then you’re probably wondering…how do I get started?
While developing a new mobile app can seem intimidating, it doesn’t have to be. Our step-by-step guide can walk you through the entire process, from beginning to end.
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GETTING STARTED
What Does an App Need to be Successful?
Successful apps have a few common traits:
1. Theysolveaspecificcustomerorend-userneed.
2. Theyalignwithyourbusinessstrategiesandobjectives.
3. Theyprovidecontextualcontentandcommunications.
4. Theydelivermorepersonalizedexperiences—themoreyouusethem.
What Are Your Goals for Developing a Successful Mobile App?
Ifyouwanttodevelopasuccessfulmobileapp,you’llneedtodefineyourgoals.Thisisthefirststepoftheprocess,andwe’llwalkyouthroughthisphase.
How Long Will It Take to Develop?
Dependingonthecomplexityoftheapp,andwhoyouchoosetodevelopit—anappcantakeanywherefrom30daysto1year(orlonger)todevelop.1
How Much Will It Cost?
Anappcancostaslittleas$50,000todevelop,orasmuchas$1million—dependingonthecomplexity,andhowyouchoosetodevelopit.2
1 State of Enterprise Mobility Survey. Kinvey, November 20142 State of Enterprise Mobility Survey. Kinvey, November 2014.
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What Factors Increase the Cost and Time for Development?
Whyistheresuchavarianceincostandtimetodevelop?
Thebiggestdrivertothelengthoftimeittakestodevelopanappisthefeaturerequirements.Themorefeaturesyouwantincludedintheapp,thelongeritwilltaketocreate—andthehigherthecost.
Otherimportantcriteriathatinfluencethetimeandcostofdevelopmentare:
• Operatingsystems—howmanyoperatingsystemswilltheapprunon?
• Customization—doestheappneedtobe100%custombuilt,orcanyouuseapre-builtappand“whitelabel”it?(Thismeansaddingyourownlogo,branding,andfeaturestoabasicappthat’salreadybuilt—whichwillsaveyoutimeandmoney.)
• Integration—howmuchintegrationdoyoureallyneedfortheapptodelivertheintendedexperience?
In general, the more features, customization, operating systems, and integration required—the more expensive it will be to develop the app, and the longer it will take.
GETTING STARTED
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THE 5 STEPS TO DEVELOPING A NEW APP
There are 5 basic steps to developing a new mobile app successfully:
• Step 1—Plan your business goals and user needs.
• Step 2—Design the app, including how it should look and operate.
• Step 3—Build the app to make it work.
• Step 4—Launch the app.
• Step 5—Engage your customers with personalized content and targeted communications.
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Describe your Business Goals
Everyapphasabusinessgoal.Whatisyours?Ifyoudon’tclearlydefineyourbusinessgoalwiththeappatthebeginning,you’llneverachieveit.Do you want to:
• Increaseproductsales?
• Buildlong-termrelationshipswithcustomers?
• Improvebrandawareness?
• Getcustomersintoyourstore?
• Simplifythepurchaseprocess?
Anappcannotbesuccessfulifyoudon’tclearlydefineitsbusinessgoalsbeforeyoustartthedesignanddevelopmentprocess.
Byaligningyourbusinessgoalswithyourcustomers’needs,youhave a much better chance of creating a successful app.
Identify Your Customer’s Needs in an App
Howdoyouknowwhatyourcustomersreallyneedinanapp?Bystudyingthem,observingthem,andtalkingtothem—beforeyoustartappdesign.
Findoutwhatyoucanofferyourcustomersthroughanappthatexcitesthem—andkeepsthemcomingbackagainandagain,forthelong-term. Isitrewards?Freebies?Deals?Coupons?Entertainment?“Insider”info?Easeofaccess?
Avoidthepitfallofmakingtheappintoaduplicateofyourwebsite—whichcompaniesoftendo.Thisisabigmistake,andwillnotworkinmostcases(althoughthereareexceptions).
STEP #1—PLAN
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STEP #2—DESIGN
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Create a Design That Meets Your Goals + Customer Needs
Nowthatyou’veestablishedwhatyourcustomerneedsinanapp,andyou’vedefinedyourgoalswiththeapp,youcanusethatinformationtodesignasuccessfulapp.Designinganappstartswithcreatingasolidlist of requirements.
Determine App Requirements
Whatarerequirements?Requirementsarealistof:
• Whatyouwantthemobileapptodo
• How you want it to look
• Howitshouldinteractwiththecustomer
• Whatdevicesyouwantittorunon
• Whatothersystemsordatabasesitneedstopulldatafrom(ifany)
Forexample,youmightwantyourretailt-shirtsalesapptobeableto:
• Show125differentproducts
• Offer10uniquecolors
• Offer12differentsizes
• Allowcustomerstopersonalizethemessageonfront
• Pay through a mobile cash register
• Earnrewardsforeveryt-shirttheybuy
• Offerdiscountcouponsfornewdesigns
• Integratewithyourcurrentcustomerandproductdatabases
Ifyou’vealreadycreatedarequirementslist,thenyou’llsaveyourselftimeandmoneywiththeappdevelopmentprocess.
However,ifyou’veneverdonethisbefore,orareunfamiliarwiththeprocessofdesigningtheuserexperience(UX),thenitwillbenefityou toinvestinagoodcompanythatcanconsultwithyouthroughthedesignprocess.Theycanhelpdeveloparequirementslistforyou.
STEP #2—DESIGN
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Themoredetailedyourrequirementslist— andthecloseritmatchestoyouroriginal businessandcustomergoals—themore successful your app will be.
Starting List of Questions
Ataminimum,yourrequirementslistshouldanswerthefollowingquestions:
1. WhatdoIwantmyuserstodowithmyapp?
2. Whowillmostlikelybeusingtheapp?
3. Wherewilltheylikelybeusingit?
4. Whatshouldtheapplooklike?
5. WhatdoIwanttheapptodoformybusiness?
6. WillIbesellinganythingontheapp?Ifso,what?Howmanyproducts?
7. DoIneedtheapptohaveanyspecialfunctions(suchasiBeacon, ashoppingcart,eventregistration,etc.)?
8. WhatdevicesandoperatingsystemsdoIwanttheapptorunon? (iOS,Android,Microsoft)
9. Willmyappneedtoaccesscontentfromotherexistingsystems (suchasWordPress,apointofsalesystem,oracustomermanagementdatabase)?
STEP #2—DESIGN