Mobile App Development Process: From Idea Glimpse to Success

Mobile applications are a vital aspect of our daily lives. The demand for mobile apps never stops growing, and so does the need for an efficient mobile app development process.

The process of developing an app can be complex and challenging. It consists of product discovery, UI/UX design, active development, testing, deployment, and post-release maintenance processes. Later on, we will review each step in greater detail.

Generally speaking, the entire process requires a solid understanding of app development's technical and design aspects. This article will shed more light on a comprehensive guide to the mobile apps development process. We will divide it into several shorter steps we cultivated at Codica. Whether you are a founder, a seasoned app developer, or new to the field, it doesn’t matter. This guide will be a good starting point highlighting vital tools and knowledge to develop a successful mobile app.

So, let's explore the mobile app development steps and dive into this world together. To start with, we’ll take a look at the main development approaches.

Four main development approaches

Before starting any processes in mobile app development, it’s recommended to choose the approach first. Why? Because the development process can vary a lot, depending on your chosen approach.

To ensure a successful app development process, it's essential to follow a well-defined development approach that incorporates best practices and industry standards. In this section, we'll explore the various development approaches commonly used in mobile app development. At this point, you need a potent understanding of them. Each is vital to delivering high-quality mobile apps that meet the needs of your users.

Native app

A native app is designed to run on a specific operating system, making it platform-specific. This means that in order to launch an app on both iOS and Android, businesses must develop separate apps coded specifically for each platform.

Although building a native application can be costly, it often results in better performance and an improved user experience. Spotify is a great example. It’s a native music app optimized for both iOS and Android operating systems.

Cross-platform application

A cross-platform app is created with a single, unified code that can be used across multiple platforms. This means that the same code can be used in the app creation process that is compatible with both Android and iOS devices.

Compared to native apps, cross-platform apps are often cheaper to develop because of their platform-independent nature. For example, Facebook is a cross-platform app. It allows customers to access their services from both iOS and Android devices using the same codebase, not to mention how comfortable and natural it feels.

Hybrid app

A hybrid app is a combination of a native mobile app and a web app. Essentially, a hybrid app is a web application that's placed into a native shell. When downloaded, the app appears and functions similarly to a web app, but it's built using a native container.

Hybrid apps are always more efficient to build. They are simply faster and more straightforward development-wise. However, they may be prone to performance issues. For instance, Evernote is a world-known hybrid app that's available on multiple platforms, including iOS, Android, and desktop devices.

It allows users to create and store notes, documents, and other content in a hybrid environment that combines native and web technologies.

Progressive web application

A progressive web app (PWA) is a type of web application that provides users with a native app-like experience. Unlike traditional native apps, PWAs run on the web, which means that users don't need to install a separate app to use them.

One of the significant advantages of PWAs is that they consume less data and perform better than traditional web apps. They also tend to increase user engagement rates, making them a popular choice for businesses and developers looking to create high-performance web applications. Let’s take Impact as an example.

Impact Personal Training is a progressive web app the Codica team has built from scratch. It is a complex fitness app created to help people simplify their training. Thanks to the cross-platform nature, this PWA solution allows users to quickly access their training sessions, track their performance in charts, and create nutrition programs on their smartphones and desktops. Here’s a short showcase of how it works:

Product discovery process

This is the most crucial point in the whole strategy development timeline. Notably, there are various names for this stage, including the product discovery process that we conduct at Codica.

At the core of this process lies the foundation of your app, its idea, and its philosophy. Apart from them, there are more practical ones. For instance, we help our clients to identify objectives throughout the development journey. We select the right platform to cover more users, choose monetization means, and research potential rivals in the market. Throughout the years we conducted it, we learned best about those crucial aspects.

Let’s list them in more detail now.

Identify objectives

It is essential to identify objectives during the strategy planning phase in mobile app development. They can provide direction and focus for the entire app development process. In short, objectives can be defined as measurable and understandable goals. They usually align with certain results that you hope to accomplish.

Clarifying objectives can assist in guaranteeing many things. For example, the team responsible for developing the app is in agreement and working together to achieve a shared objective. You can find it really helpful in allocating resources or prioritizing certain development tasks. Hence, it will allow you to make moderate decisions throughout the process.

Choose your platform

Instead of reading a wall of text, let’s keep everything simple. In terms of choosing the platform, you should consider three potential options: Android, iOS, and an app with a cross-platform nature.

First off, there are several notable factors to consider when you will be choosing a platform for your mobile app.

The initial step involves researching your intended audience and determining their preferred platform(s). If iPhone users dominate your audience, then developing an iOS app might make more sense.

Secondly, you should consider your budget and resources. Developing for both iOS and Android can be expensive and time-consuming. Hence, you may want to focus on one platform first and then expand later. Also, you should consider the functionality and features you want in your app. Then, you will need to check whether they are supported on both platforms.

Finally, you should be acknowledged of the guidelines and restrictions of each platform. For example, Apple’s App Store has way more strict guidelines than any other store. Consequently, this aspect affects the deployment process. No worries, though, we will bring it up later in the article.

In conclusion, Android and iOS are the two dominant platforms, each with its own unique advantages and disadvantages. Android has a larger global market share and is popular among tech-savvy users and developing countries. However, it has higher device fragmentation and longer development times.

iOS, on the other hand, is popular among affluent users and in developed countries. It has a consistent and intuitive UI/UX design but a stricter approval process. It may also require a shorter development time.

Cross-platform application development presents a compromise. It enables developers to build applications with a single codebase but for various platforms. Cross-platform development is a cost-effective and efficient solution, although it has certain limitations. Ultimately, the choice between these platforms has to rely on specific needs and goals, as well as your target audience and budget.

Choose monetization method

Choosing a monetization model is crucial for any app because it determines how you will generate revenue from your product. Without a clear monetization strategy, it can be challenging to sustain the development and operation of your app in the long run.

Here are some reasons why choosing a monetization model is important:

• Revenue generation. A proper monetization model helps you generate revenue from your app. You need to decide how you will make money from your app to cover your development and operational costs and make a profit.
• User expectations. You can set clear expectations for your users by choosing a monetization model. They always want to know what they're paying for or if they're paying at all. By providing clarity, you can improve user trust and retention.
• Market competition. The app market is very fierce, and choosing the right monetization model can give you a competitive advantage. By offering a unique and appealing pricing strategy, you can attract more users to your app and stand out from your competitors.
• Scalability. A monetization model can help you plan for the future and scale your app. You can adjust your pricing strategy as your user base grows or as you introduce new features.
• Investor interest. Investors may be more interested in your app if you have a clear monetization model. They care about how much revenue your app will generate and how it will perform in the long term.

Let’s list the most common mobile app monetization models referring to another article of ours. Once again, clarity is crucial in such a complex topic. Mobile app monetization is a crucial aspect of app development. It directly affects the app's revenue and sustainability. The three most popular monetization models include subscription-based, in-app purchases (IAPs), and in-app advertising (IAA). Each model has its pros and cons, and the choice of the best model for an app depends on many aspects.

A successful monetization model should ultimately balance user experience (UX) and revenue generation to create a sustainable business model.

Analyze the market and research competitors

In such a competitive market, it can be challenging to create an app that outstands and outperforms others. The competitor analysis and market research can be helpful in this matter. Let’s figure out why it is important in the first place.

Helps identify user needs

By researching competitors, you can identify gaps in the market and discover what users are looking for in a mobile app. This can help you create an app that meets user needs and offers unique features that set it apart from competitors.

Provides an understanding of the market trends

Researching the market can help you stay up-to-date with current mobile app development trends. This can help you create an app that is relevant and appealing to users, as well as outperform outdated or irrelevant apps.

Allows to analyze competitor strategies

Researching your competitors can help you analyze their strengths and weaknesses. Moreover, it can provide information about monetization strategies, user acquisition methods, and retention strategies. Thus, you can improve your own strategies and take advantage of them.

Makes room to create a unique value proposition

Understanding your competitors and the market can help you create an outstanding value proposition for your app that sets it apart from others. This can help you attract users and build a loyal user base.

Allows to mitigate risks

Market and competitor research can identify potential risks and challenges that your app may face. By understanding these risks, you can prepare for them and mitigate them as much as possible.

Analysis and planning

Given the idea that the product discovery phase is extremely vast and covers many aspects, it would be more convenient to divide its overview into two parts. Apart from the strategy planning we discussed, we also dedicate time to collecting and documenting requirements. As a result, our clients receive a detailed technical proposal for software development. However, there are several more checkpoints.

Functional and non-functional requirements

Functional requirements imply and are the foundation of your app. They stand for the specific features and capabilities that your app must have to meet the minimum users' expectations. These can include things like data management, authentication, payment integrations, push notifications, and many other functionalities.

Non-functional requirements (i.e., non-behavioral), on the other hand, are the technical and performance characteristics that the app must exhibit in order to be considered functional. Oftentimes, they include:

• Accessibility;
• Performance;
• Usability;
• Portability;
• Security.

Once again, let’s summarize everything in a table.

Defining both functional and non-functional requirements is helpful. They help to ensure that the app meets users’ needs and is technically sound and reliable. This involves identifying the specific features and capabilities that are necessary for the app to function as intended. They also assess the technical and performance characteristics that are necessary for the app to be successful in the long run.

Product roadmap

The roadmap stands for a strategic document. It outlines the direction, goals, and priorities of a mobile app's development over a specific period. It provides a high-level overview of the app's planned features, functionalities, and improvements. The roadmap also defines the timeline for their release. Here’s what a product roadmap normally looks like.

A proper product roadmap can include client feature requests, internal input, and customer app ideas. Normally, the contents of a roadmap are always coordinated with the product strategy.

Let’s list several key features a typical roadmap in mobile app development has to consist of.

• Objectives. They stand for measurable, specific, and time-bound targets with clearly defined success metrics. Objectives are critical milestones that must be achieved to deliver your product successfully.
• Themes. These are high-level categories of work that describe how your efforts will support your objectives. Themes show how specific releases and features contribute to your overall strategy.
• Product releases. They represent the launch of new product functionalities depicted on a timeline. A release typically includes multiple features that are delivered simultaneously.
• Epics. These are larger bodies of work that often span multiple releases, similar to categories. Teams usually divide epics into smaller milestones and deliver them incrementally over time.
• Features. They represent specific pieces of new or improved functionality. They are usually related to your app's components, appearance, capabilities, and performance.
• Timeline. This is a schematic representation of product release dates over a certain time period. For instance, the timeline's scale can be set to days, years, or quarters. This variable depends on how detailed the project is and its required dedicated hours.

Technology stack

Selecting the appropriate mobile app tech stack is a vital decision. it can substantially influence the triumph of your application. The technology stack consists of frameworks, programming languages, libraries, and tools for developing your app. Here are a few factors you should care about before choosing.

Platform

Your choice of technology stack has to rely on the platform you want to develop for - iOS, Android, or both.

To build an app for the iOS platform, you'll need to use Swift programming language exclusively. Apple makes a great effort to regularly optimizing it to meet modern users’ app-related demands and standards. Besides, it provides enough support to make your app accessible on watchOS, tvOS, and iPads.

To build an Android app, the most common languages are Java and Kotlin. Both have their pros and cons, but they still hold the lead in the market thanks to the high flexibility they provide.

For cross-platform development, the most popular frameworks are React Native by Meta and Flutter by Google. In the cross-platform realm, React Native is a more comprehensive framework with a tremendous worldwide community, while Flutter is still on its growth way. However, the debates of React Native vs Flutter go on, and it’s unlikely new technologies will replace them.

You may also like: Best Technology Stack for Mobile App Development in 2023

Functionality and complexity

In today’s development reality, there’s no right answer to what technology stack is the best. Accordingly, you have to make a choice based on various aspects.

For example, if your app requires real-time updates, you may need to use a database like Firebase. If your app requires heavy computation, you may need to use a language like C++ or Rust. For apps with complex UI/UX, you may want to consider using a framework like React Native or Flutter, which offers a wide range of pre-built UI components.

Essential technologies to consider:

• For backend development, the app’s data and logic management, you can choose from a range of technologies, including Node.js, Ruby on Rails, and Django.
• To operate data, i.e., store and retrieve it, you will need to set up a solid database. Some of the popular options include MySQL, PostgreSQL, and MongoDB.
• To make your app more scalable and operate on the Internet, you could use cloud services like AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud.

UI/UX design

User interface (UI) and user experience (UX) are crucial components in successful mobile app development. In the UI/UX design services we provide, UI represents the layout and design of the app's interface. UX, in turn, represents the overall user experience. It includes ease of use, navigation, and the overall feeling the user has when using the app.

A well-designed UI/UX can have a great impact on the user's journey and make the app easier to use. Thoughtful UX can also increase user engagement and ultimately drive success for the app. On the contrary, a weak emphasis on UI and UX can lead to customer churn and simple confusion.

At Codica, realizing the vastness and importance of this step, we divide it into five phases. Each of them has unique objectives and tasks. Plus, it allows us to manage time and resources to comply with deadlines.

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Research

Being the very first phase of the entire process, our designers start their work with in-depth research on the future product. With a solid analysis and a strategy background, they study the subject area of ​​the project.

Besides, during the research, we pay enormous attention to not only the app itself but also how it will resonate in the market. Hence, it’s important to make it follow the latest UI/UX design trends.

The research phase is all about finding the right balance between functionality and user preferences. Hence, we refer back to the product discovery to see who are our potential competitors, what our future users will like, and how we can attract them.

Prototypes

In UI/UX design, prototyping is the process of creating a preliminary version or model of a mobile application. It allows designers to test and refine their ideas and concepts before investing time and resources into the final product. A prototype typically includes the basic layout, structure, and functionality of the product.

Prototyping helps designers to validate their assumptions, gather feedback from users, and identify potential usability issues before the product is built. It also enables clients to visualize and experience the product.

Visualization

Once we have finished with prototypes and they are approved – visualization comes into play. At this point, our design team conducts deep research on suitable color palettes, fonts, and other visual aspects of the future app. They are crucial to ensure the brand’s uniqueness.

In other words, during the visualization process, the designers’ mission is to ensure the style of the app is as appealing as possible to attract people to use it. Normally, we create several complex options for our clients to choose from.

Related reading: How to Choose the Right Font for Your Website: Typography Advice by Codica

Design & style guides

Once the visualization process is finished, begins the very last point in the whole UI/UX design of the mobile app. During the app design stage, we summarize everything we achieved during previous stages and compose detailed documentation. It serves as a reference for the design team, developers, and stakeholders to ensure that the app is built according to the agreed-upon design specifications.

For example, the documentation always consists of the following:

• User flows. They are usually presented in the form of a diagram or flowchart. It visualizes how users interact with the app. How they navigate through the interface, and which features they use. It maps the user's journey and allows the design team to optimize the usage, making it comfortable and more user-oriented.
• User personas. They stand for fictionalized characters that represent your target audience. Normally, the documentation on user personas includes complex researched data on users. Their demographics, goals, needs, and problems your app has to be able to help them solve.
• Prototypes. As mentioned before, prototypes are an essential part of the whole process. They can be very helpful for developers to get into the layout and functionality of each screen or page of the app.
• Mockups. Being a direct heir of the prototypes, mockups are a high-fidelity representation of the app. The main difference is that they already must include color schemes approved for the project, typography, and imagery.
• Style guides. Guidelines for the app's visual design. They include typography, colors, assets, etc. For example, designers have to provide maximum information about the typography and colors with their respective HEX/RGB codes and other details.
• Interaction design. This part usually includes details on how the app should respond to user actions. It includes animations, transitions, delays, and other interactive elements.
• Design specifications. They include instructions for developers on how to implement the design. Specifications consist of measurements, dimensions, and technical requirements.

Active development phase

It's essential to define the technical architecture, pick a suitable technology stack, and define the development milestones before the app development process begins. However, the lion’s share of these things has already been defined during the project discovery. Consequently, adhering to our approach allows developers to provide mobile app development service without delays, as they have everything prepared.

Speaking of the actual development, though, there are various aspects on the way. However, it is clear that the whole process of app development can be divided into two parts: a backend and a frontend. Let’s draw a line between them, shall we?

Backend

A backend part of the mobile application development process refers to the server side. It handles data storage, processing, and management. In simpler terms. It’s responsible for tasks like user authentication, data retrieval and storage, push notifications, and many more.

The backend mainly works with a database, a server, and an application programming interface (API). The latter connects the server and database to the mobile app. The server handles requests from the mobile app, processes them, and returns the required information to the user.

The database is responsible for storing and retrieving data. The API presents a middle ground between the server and the app. It makes their communication possible.

Mobile app developers use various programming languages and technologies to build the backend of an application, including Node.js, Ruby on Rails, PHP, and Python, among others. Additionally, developers oftentimes rely on pre-built infrastructure and services to deploy and manage the backend of their mobile applications. Some such cloud-based services are Google Cloud, Amazon Web Services (AWS), and Microsoft Azure.

Frontend

In mobile app development, the frontend refers to coding the user interface and following the guidelines composed by designers. It is part of the app that users interact with directly, including the menus, buttons, screens, and animations. Nonetheless, it’s much more complex than simply building the UI of the app. Here are the essential parts it involves:

• Building the layout of the app. This involves creating the app's screens according to the documentation provided by the design team. Basically, the app has to be literally replicated from the guidelines, which makes it a very responsible task.
• Building the UI components. This step includes creating individual UI components such as buttons, text fields, checkboxes, search bars, and other elements. Besides, developers also have to import assets, fonts, and imagery to their working environment.
• Developing the navigation flow. This involves creating the logic that enables users to navigate through the app. It sets up menus, tabs, and buttons to manage transitions between screens and other functional parts of the application.
• Implementing animations and other visual effects. Based on the design team's perspective, developers have to replicate animations, custom transitions, and effects from the documentation. They make the app feel more engaging and intuitive for users.
• Integrating with APIs and backend systems. Frontend developers may need to integrate the app with APIs and other backend systems to access data on the web or cloud. They are needed to perform various tasks that require an internet connection.
• Testing and code reviews. When working on complex projects, it’s always worth the effort to test the app on various devices and platforms. Developers always identify and fix any bugs or issues that arise during the development process.

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Mobile application testing

It is a critical process in the development of any mobile application. Quality assurance services verify that the application is operational, user-friendly, and satisfies the intended requirements and specifications. In today's mobile-first world, apps have become irreplaceable in our daily lives. Consequently, it's important to ensure that apps are thoroughly tested before release.

In this section, we'll explore the various aspects of mobile app testing. We’ll take a look at the types of testing, how they work, and why you need them beforehand. However, we’ll organize it in a neat question-answer form for your convenience.

Usability testing

User experience (UX) testing is the process of evaluating a product or service to determine how easy and satisfying it is for users to apply. This process encompasses collecting feedback and insights from genuine users. It helps to recognize usability problems and opportunities for enhancement.

Use cases

UX testing is applicable at various stages of the design process, including during the initial design phase, after a prototype has been created, and after the product has been launched. You can also use it to rate existing products and services and identify what needs improvements.

UX testing involves creating a scenario or task for users to complete while interacting with the product or service. For instance, they can be tasked to find a piece of certain information or complete a transaction. Users are then observed and asked to provide feedback on their experience. The data collected from UX testing is then analyzed to identify pitfalls and usage trends. They, in turn, can provoke design changes and improvements.

Functional testing

Functional testing is a software testing method that guarantees the proper functioning and adherence to the expected requirements of every function within a software application or system. Its main objective is to ensure that the software functions appropriately and fulfills the needs of the end-users. Functional testing can be applied anytime during the app development life cycle. It is typically conducted following unit testing and integration testing and before user acceptance testing.

Use cases

Functional testing is applicable at any point throughout the software development. It can be applied anytime between the early stages of app development to post-release maintenance. QA specialists usually start functional testing after unit testing.

Functional testing involves creating test cases based on the software's functional requirements. Then, they are executed to verify that the software functions as intended. Test cases can be manual or automated. They include input values, expected results, and the actual output obtained from the software. The testing can be performed on the individual components of the software or the entire application.

Performance testing

Performance testing is a type of software testing that evaluates how well a system or application performs under specific conditions (e.g., heavy load or high traffic). It aims to identify and measure the performance characteristics of a system, including its responsiveness, scalability, stability, and speed.

Use cases

Performance testing can be applied at any stage of the software development lifecycle, from its initial phases to post-release maintenance. Usually, it is carried out after functional testing and before user acceptance testing.

Performance testing involves creating test scenarios that simulate real-world usage conditions. For example, high traffic, peak loads, or extended usage periods. The performance of the system is measured and analyzed under these conditions to identify potential bottlenecks, issues with scalability, or other performance-related problems. Testing tools and software are often used to automate performance testing and generate reports on system performance.

Security testing

Security testing is a software testing approach, that is conducted to check the security of an application or system. It is created to uncover potential vulnerabilities, risks, and threats. The objective of security testing is to guarantee that the system remains protected against unauthorized access, data breaches, and other security risks.

Use cases

Security testing can be carried out at any point during the software development lifecycle. Normally, QA specialists conduct it every time a new feature is added. It is usually conducted following functional testing and prior to user acceptance testing.

Security testing involves evaluating the system or application against various security standards and regulations. It includes vulnerability scanning, penetration testing, security audits, and risk assessments to identify potential security issues and vulnerabilities. Testing tools and software are often used to automate security testing and generate reports on system security.

Compatibility testing

Compatibility testing is a software testing method that assesses the performance of an application or system on various hardware, software, and network configurations. The objective of compatibility testing is to evaluate how well the system operates across different setups. It ensures that the application is compatible with various operating systems, browsers, and devices.

Use cases

Compatibility testing can be applied at any point during the software development lifecycle, ranging from the initial phases of development to post-release maintenance. It is usually conducted following functional testing and before user acceptance testing.

Compatibility testing involves testing the system or application on different hardware and software configurations to identify any compatibility issues or conflicts. It can include testing on various operating systems, browsers, devices, and network configurations to ensure that the system or application works as expected. Testing tools and software are often used to automate compatibility testing and generate reports on system compatibility.

You may also like: How Automation Testing Increases Execution Speed, Test Coverage, and Effectiveness

Deployment

Once the app is planned, designed, built, tested, and polished to perfection – it’s about time to deploy it.

However, the deployment step is vast, to say the least. It differs for both Android, with Google Play Store, and iOS, with Apple’s App Store accordingly. Let’s reveal the peculiarities of app store optimization for both platforms.

App Store

The App Store is an online marketplace made by Apple Inc. It serves as the main platform for obtaining apps for Mac, iPad, and iPhone users. Here are the most controversial things about App Store you should consider.

Submission and approval process

The App Store is known for its strict and lengthy submission process. Normally, it takes around 2-3 days to receive approval and get the app published. However, apps can be rejected due to many reasons. The most common are security breaches, poor performance, and compatibility issues. Apple has a special team that carefully reviews each app and ensures that they publish only trustworthy and verified ones.

Cost

Submitting your app to the App Store is pricey as well. They came up with a special Apple Developer Program, which works in the form of an annual subscription and costs $99. For the price, it provides the ability to submit apps and a handy set of tools for developers. For instance, devs can access cohesive analytical dashboards, the latest beta versions of the new software, and TestFlight. The latter is the app that allows developers to share their product in a test mode with up to 10,000 users to gather feedback.

Play Store

The Play Store is an Android app store that lets users browse and download numerous applications, games, books, movies, and other digital content. It is owned and operated by Google and is typically pre-installed on the majority of Android devices. It covers the broadest range of different devices with the only condition – support an Android OS. Here are aspects to think about before building an app for this platform.

Fierce competition

The proliferation of mediocre apps can make it challenging for users to locate the authentic or simply the right version of an app. This often results in confusion when users try to locate the original version of an app. For instance, if you’d try to look for a specific dictionary app, the search result will show you hundreds of them. There’s no guarantee the right one is on top of the list. As a result, major corporations often prefer to host their apps on their own official websites rather than relying on the Play Store.

Lower app quality

In addition to the challenges of locating the authentic version of an app, Google Play Store has also faced criticism for its handling of advertisements within downloaded content. Many users find the prevalence of ads to be frustrating and disruptive and may opt to pay extra fees to remove them.

While advertising is an important source of revenue for many app developers, excessive ads can detract from the user experience and ultimately discourage users from continuing to use the app. Some users may feel that the frequency of ads is too high or that the ads themselves are intrusive or irrelevant to their interests.

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Comparison

Obviously, both the App Store and Play Store have their nuances. They might seem frustrating, but it’s still important to know about them. Now, let’s look at a comparison table, which may be helpful in making a moderate choice.

Support and performance monitoring

After a mobile app has been released, the role of support and performance monitoring becomes crucial. This process makes sure the app expands and grows as expected. For more understanding, let’s divide support and performance into two different aspects and take a closer look at each. Here’s what you need to know about post-release support.

Support

Addressing user issues. Once the app is published, the team becomes responsible for handling user complaints, feedback, and inquiries. They must respond promptly, courteously, and efficiently to resolve any issues and ensure a positive user experience.

Bug fixing. When users report bugs or issues with the app, the team should take them seriously. They investigate, diagnose, and fix the problem as quickly as possible so it doesn’t affect users for a long time.

Updates and maintenance. The team should ensure that the app is regularly updated with new content or features. Moreover, it has to be maintained to address any issues and provide new improvements.

Application performance monitoring (APM)

Monitoring app performance. This monitoring type involves regular key metrics tracking. They are user engagement, app crashes, load times, and server response times.

Identifying performance issues. By monitoring performance, the team can quickly identify any issues that negatively affect the user experience. Then, they take steps to fix them.

Optimizing performance. Monitoring can also help the team identify opportunities to optimize app performance. Some practices are reducing load times or streamlining user flows. The team should ensure that the app's infrastructure, servers, and databases are maintained and updated to ensure optimal performance.

Benefits of creating the app for your business

As the world shifts to a digital realm, businesses realize the importance of having a mobile app. In addition to providing customers with convenient access to their products and services, mobile apps offer a range of benefits for businesses of all sizes, which we will review next on.

Increase customer engagement

Creating a mobile app can seriously increase your customer engagement in several ways. A modern and thoughtful app can:

Improve accessibility

It allows customers to access your products and services conveniently. Besides, it is extremely useful for users with special needs as you can make the app very adaptable to ever-changing needs.

Personalized users’ experience

Creating an app will allow you to collect data on your customers' preferences and behaviors. This, in turn, creates room for you to personalize their experience with your business. By tailoring your offerings to their specific needs, you can foster deeper connections and increase engagement.

Provide push notifications

Unlike websites, mobile apps can leverage push notifications to provide customers with real-time updates, alerts, and promotions. This allows you to stay top-of-mind with your customers and create a sense of urgency that can drive engagement.

Take advantage of social integration

By integrating social media sharing features into your mobile app, you can leverage the power of social proof to increase engagement and drive new customer acquisition.

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Gain a competitive advantage

Needless to say, the right treatment of steps for developing an app can significantly boost your business’s performance. Here are some key aspects the app provides to do so:

Improved customer experience

A well-designed and user-friendly mobile app can enhance the customer experience. Thus, it will be easier for customers to engage with your business and increase loyalty.

Increased convenience

Mobile apps allow customers to access your products and services at any time conveniently. This can give your business an edge over competitors who do not offer a mobile app.

Accent on personalization

A mobile app can provide customers with personalized experiences based on their preferences, behavior, and location. This can help you tailor your offerings to meet their specific needs and stand out from competitors.

New revenue channels

Expanding your business with a mobile app is not only about covering more customers. Also, it is an additional revenue stream that can be either supplementary or even equal to your regular one. Here are some tips on how to gain additional income from the app:

Add in-app purchases

IAPs work fairly simply. You can offer additional products or services within your app, such as premium content or features, that customers can purchase for a fee.

Add subscriptions

You can offer recurring subscription plans within your app. The most common options are monthly or yearly subscriptions that grant access to exclusive content or features.

Implement in-app ads

You can offer advertising space within your app to other businesses and generate revenue through advertising fees.

E-commerce

You can offer an e-commerce platform within your app, allowing customers to browse and purchase your products directly within the app.

The time it takes to make an app

First, arguably, the time for creating an app is highly volatile and depends on numerous factors. Accordingly, we’ll limit timeframes to months to neither disappoint nor encourage you. With that in mind, here’s a table outlining the general time frame needed to create an app.

It would be wise to turn to the pricing section next to shed more light on why the timeframe for each app type differs. Each app has a varying set of functionality, which, in turn, requires time to implement.

Mobile app development cost

Knowing that modern mobile apps are extremely diverse, it would be challenging to predict the price of a full-scale application. Simply put, there are lots of aspects that influence the cost, and each app has a unique set of those aspects. Accordingly, let’s follow another article of ours about mobile app development costs and overview them in smaller milestones.

Conclusion

In conclusion, developing a mobile app can greatly increase customer engagement, improve employee experience, gain a competitive advantage, and even generate new revenue streams for your business.

However, the app development process can be complex and time-consuming. By following a step-by-step guide, such as the one outlined in this article, you can ensure that your app development process runs smoothly and efficiently. Each step is crucial to creating a successful mobile app, from conducting a product discovery and creating a UI/UX design to testing and launching your app. Remember to focus on the user experience and continually gather feedback from users to improve and enhance your app over time.

In this matter, Codica can become a dedicated, hard-working, and attentive-to-detail partner. Feel free to review our portfolio and make sure we’ve been in the market long enough to know all the behind-the-scenes intricacies of mobile app development.

Contact us to develop a high-quality mobile app that meets the needs of your users and drives growth for your business.