Mobile App Development Guide

A step-by-step guide to developing a mobile app for your business

We know from experience that the excitement of a mobile app development project sometimes means that key considerations can be overlooked. If you are in the process of considering an app for your business, we hope these pointers will help you through the process.

10 Steps to Success

Identify the opportunity

Think about the audience and how an app might appeal to them. Before you start spending money, it is important to work out the market and size of the opportunity. Calculate the ROI.

Engage an experienced development partner

Speak to your contacts and ask for a recommendation. Have an initial discussion with potential suppliers. We recommend asking them to sign an NDA, particularly if you need to share commercially sensitive data or ideas.

Create a specification

Be thorough and really clear about what you need. This process normally has a cost, and with the right partner this is money well spent. You should end up with a specification that guides the development team through the entire process.

Agree a price & establish ongoing costs

Cost is normally calculated based on development days plus ongoing costs such as hosting, support and maintenance. Check what is included in the price.

Include support & maintenance

Ensure your development partner can support your ongoing and future needs. App store updates are a regular requirement — compliance is essential, not optional.

Devise a clear app strategy

This needs to dovetail with your business strategy. How will the app support and deliver the overall business plan? Ensure your plans are aligned to extract maximum ROI.

Keep the app simple

Avoid complex layers and navigation. Be realistic about what is possible on the device. Say no to gimmicks and don't try to do too much with your first version.

Integrate analytics

Analytics are valuable for monitoring the app, tracking issues and understanding how users interact with it. Make sure you are GDPR compliant with a clear privacy policy.

Promote the app

Tell your clients, contacts and prospects. A mobile app is excellent marketing collateral — easy to share digitally and sends a strong message about your brand.

Ask for feedback

Incorporate a structured feedback mechanism so that users can share their thoughts on the app's design and functionality. This feeds directly into your app strategy.

Ready to start your app project?

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