
Making an app for mobile devices may appear like a maze to people who have never had the chance to develop an application. On the other hand, the process appears easy—simply follow the basic phases of development and complete every step step-by-step. However, every stage affects the previous one and any mistakes in design or management could ruin the entire product. The reason is that all phases of app development are essential to the app’s success and each one is less significant.
In this article, we’ll review the most important steps during the development process, aiding you in confidently moving your start-up consulting services in the right direction.
What is App Development for Start-Ups?
App development for start-ups can be described as turning an idea from a start-up into an efficient, user-centric app that addresses the needs of specific markets. In contrast to traditional app development, the development process for start-ups usually focuses on speed, agility, rapid testing and agile design to ensure that the product is market-ready quickly. To test new business concepts, apps allow start-ups to test ideas, gather feedback and modify the product based on more about their customers.
The most important aspect of this is choosing the correct tech stack, which is the combination of frameworks, programming languages and tools that allow the app’s capabilities and growth in the future. Many start-ups choose flexible frameworks like Laravel to develop web apps or React Native to support cross-platform functionality. The best tech stack can aid in streamlining the development process while reducing costs and guaranteeing scalability as the app develops.
The bottom line is that developing apps for start-ups isn’t just about creating an app; it’s about proving a business concept, refining it with user feedback and making it ready for growth. This strategy allows start-ups to make the most of their resources, be flexible and successfully introduce innovative solutions to the market.
5 Stages of Innovative Start-Up App Development
Let’s now examine every one of the five mobile app development phases.
Pre-planning and Strategy Development
Before starting the task, there are concerns that you and your team of developers must find the answers. A second important thing to remember to consider is to collaborate with a reputable company that will assist you in creating an application.
If you decide to partner with and outsource start-up solutions agency or in-house developer, most likely, they will inquire from you questions about your
- The project’s requirements for design and tech
- App’s purpose and audience
- preferred platform (iOS android or both) and the development method (native or cross-platform)
If these types of questions cause you to be worried, do not worry; simply getting an idea of the mobile app you want to develop will suffice. Usually, the company offering the development services must provide business strategy and tech support to help you make a well-informed decision.
After the initial planning phase, you’ll receive the project’s roadmap or plan, which details the timelines and milestones, the budget and risk and the technical and design needs. To bring these requirements to reality, you must begin with the design of UI/UX.
UI/UX design
The design phase starts—no, it’s not with the design. Research is just as crucial. UX/UI designers employ various techniques to determine whether the product they create is competitive on the market, desired by users and satisfactory.
The research methods are comprised of
- Examining the market and identifying the competitors
- Identifying the audience you want to target as well as their main issues and creating a user profile
- Inquiring about potential users
Once the designers have an idea of the kind of product that the target market wants and the aspects that can make it distinctive in the marketplace, they design the user flow and the first prototypes of the app.
Usually, they are wireframes, which are the basic designs that outline the app’s pages and structure. Wireframing is not just for careful interface design but also for rapid function modifications. If you think that certain features should be removed or added, it’s simple and quick to change them. After that, the designers will design high-quality clickable prototypes that will allow you to assess the user’s experience within the application.
Once the user flow is approved, it’s time to choose the design aesthetics, which include the colors, fonts, logos and illustrations. Typically, in addition to all the designs, clients receive a style manual to guide them through the brand’s identity and help bring unity to its appearance.
Development
When the UX/UI designers are finished, we can move to the next development phases. Development is naturally equally important as designing. Whether it’s iOS app development or Android app development, having an experienced team behind you can help you meet milestones in app development faster and with greater outcomes.
At this point, customers generally have decided on the preference for a mobile operating system (iOS or Android) and technology stack. It’s now time for mobile developers to step up and complete the job. By feature, engineers create the ideas and develop the infrastructure needed. In terms of the language, Swift is used for native iOS development. Android developers use Java or Kotlin and a cross-platform solution could be achieved using Flutter and React Native.
In most cases, a variety of applications must be integrated, including messaging APIs for payment, payment gateways or security standards. There’s always plenty to do, so it’s no wonder that the development process is among the lengthiest phases of developing mobile apps.
Testing
Many people believe that creating apps ends when the final piece of code is completed. However, this isn’t true. Even with the best developers, small bugs can happen; it’s normal and is part of what happens. However, you shouldn’t let your users suffer from inconvenience while using the app and, consequently, become frustrated. Testing is among the most crucial mobile application phases of development.
Usually, the QA phase includes
- Performance tests are used to determine the speed at which the app loads the app, the quantity of data that the app can handle and its overall speed and responsiveness.
- Tests for security to determine the possibility of leaks and also the reliability of the storage
- Tests for usability to observe the app through the eyes of the user and to notice any bumps
After all bugs are eliminated and the entire team is certain that the app will run smoothly, the team will take care of the last stages of development, maintenance and release.
Launch and Maintenance
Obtaining the appropriate certifications, deploying the application and streamlining the revenue stream are crucial stages of development, just as writing code is.
If the launch isn’t done correctly, any efforts made in every one of the earlier stages of development are wasted. This is why we advise our clients not to skimp on any of the stages of app development. The team you’re working with will launch your app at the Apple App Store or Google Play Store.
Also, looking at the metrics of your app should be a part of your mobile application development processes. When you track the app’s performance and satisfaction levels, you can identify the issues and then fix them or even add features the user is looking for. These are the fundamentals of scaling to a start-up. You can assess your app’s performance using specific tools, read reviews and speak to your audience.
What Are the Costs For App Development for Start-Ups?
The final numbers are based on several variables. The most important one is the complexity of the app. Native app development tends to be more laborious than cross-platform development. Similar principles apply to templated and custom development techniques: the custom version generally takes longer.
Five factors determine the timeline and cost of the project:
Specific Technical Solutions
You might need to buy a license or subscription for certain start-up solutions services development platforms. This allows you to utilise certain applications and solutions.
Legal Requirements
Fintech, Edutech and healthcare tech may require additional conformity to local regulations.
Development Approach
You must decide which best fits your needs, whether template, cross-platform or native. Determine your goals and options to determine an appropriate strategy.
Development Team
Working with teams outside of your own is more legal since you don’t have to pay taxes, employ an additional accountant for larger teams or alter taxes.
Team’s Location
Working with Eastern European teams is cheaper than hiring experts from the UK, Canada or Western Europe despite their similar expertise levels. However, Eastern European teams usually have backgrounds similar to Western people and the two teams will be able to understand each other.
The amount required for the mobile app development process for start-ups can vary. The average app takes 1.5-3 months to build and 3 to 4 months to market and launch, which means it’s going to cost between £30 and £40K for the entire project. In this scenario, you’ll receive the most current adaptable app and the marketing needed to market it during the initial months.
An advanced app will require more time and effort to create and launch, so you’ll need to invest more. A well-designed start-up app is an investment that could boost your company’s growth.
The Key Takeaway
In the digital age, start-up app development is a significant factor in the success of a start-up. The key is to choose the best partner for app development, create a compelling app concept and manage the app development process for start-ups efficiently.
A mobile-friendly app can be an ideal opportunity for entrepreneurs to begin their business quickly. If the business is a success, they can receive new capital within 18 months.