Is it practical to operate the world without mobile applications? For more than a decade, smartphones are facilitating our lives with mobile applications. We have mobile applications for virtually everything today. App developers throughout the world are continuously working towards improved versions and creating applications to support our day-to-day chores. Furthermore, it is predicted that the IOS app development Companies would become one of the lucrative industries in a couple of years.
Dilemma, isolation, helplessness, and exasperation would step into our lives without mobile applications. Well, it is difficult to think and make decisions without highly-effective apps. The overuse of mobile phones and associated mobile applications might create a ruckus, but with limited notifications and micro changes, these applications are solutions to a myriad of problems.
However, mobile app developers must know the different phases of mobile app development. Comprehending the stages of app development helps in building a successful application from the commencement of the project to its final point. It is beyond the bounds of possibility to develop a mobile application in one step. So, it is imperative to split them into various steps to ensure premium-quality of results.
The phases of mobile app development include
– Project initiation
– Collection and analysis of requirements
– Planning
– Designing
– Development
– Testing
– Deployment
– Maintenance
Step 1 – Project initiation and requirement analysis
App developers give utmost consideration to project ideation while making an application. Whenever a client comes with an app development project, he/she tells about the business needs, goals, and vision of the product/service being offered. If the developers find the project’s concept vague and incomplete, they ensure to help the end-users.
Designers draw prototypes and User interface sketches to let customers know about what their application would look like. On the other hand, requirement analysis of an application should be done professionally to meet the expectation of potential users. Requirement analysis includes user requirements, system requirements, and business requirements. It is important for app developers to test what the application is responsible for, how it works, and whether it meets the requirements of users or not.
Step 2 – Focus on planning.
If you are an app developer, you might be afraid of missing the deadlines and features of the client’s application, right? Well, the risks can be eliminated if planning is done reasonably. Estimation and planning of a project give a sense of flexibility to the team. Below a shadow of any doubt, planning increases the overall success of the project by providing insights into the risks of the project. Additionally, planning covers other important functions including evaluation of an application, availability of tools and resources, and fulfillment of projects within the given time constraints. A pre-planned app development project reduces risks, avoids uncertainty, allows developers to make better decisions, establish trust, and convey information. The planning of an app development project covers all the activities and tasks.
Step 3 – Prototyping and designing
Prototyping is one of the crucial phases of an app development life cycle. In this phase, app developers design a sketch of your application. When the UI/UX designer draws the design of an application, then app developers focus on designing and animations. It streamlines the usage of applications and makes it convenient for the users.
Step 4 – Development
App development is a lot more than coding. Every client wants their application to be completed within the given time and budget constraints. That is why before developing an application, the app developers should prioritize the estimation of tasks. Estimation helps teams in defining the time they need to complete the task.
The development process of an application is carried out with the technology stack that is defined at the starting of the project. Software engineers work along with the UI/UX and quality assurance engineers. Together the team has various meetings with clients regarding the approaches and models of an application.
What are the acceptance criteria of app development?
The development of mobile applications is always done according to the acceptance criteria. Imagine asking your app development team to allow users to search for a product by category. So, an application should have a clear and unique interface with category links to click on them. The acceptance criteria of an application give users a search bar feature so that users can easily type in the category they are interested in.
Acceptance criteria (AC) are the terms and conditions that an application must meet so that more and more users are satisfied with the application. The criteria are different for every application. It depends on the behavioral patterns and perspectives of users. Well-written and pre-planned acceptance criteria help developers avoid unexpected results when the development stage ends. It ensures that all stakeholders and app users are content with what they are getting.
One of the crucial aspects regarding acceptance criteria is that the conditions have to be defined before the development team begins working on an application’s project.
Step 5 – Testing
Mobile app testing is a process in which the applications are tested for usability, persistency, and functionality. The testing of an application can be done both, manually and automatically. This testing is crucial for conducting the business processes in an optimum manner.
Types of mobile application testing
There are three primary types of mobile application testing.
Functionality
– Coverage of cross-platform
– UI testing (landscape, portrait, and languages)
– Business flows
Real environment
– Network conditions
– Gestures
– Backgrounds
– Interruptions
Non-functional
– Security
– Accessibility
– API testing
– Performance and availability
Users throughout the globe are using mobile applications that work on a broader range of devices.
Test automation frameworks for applications
There are several mobile test automation frameworks that are used by mobile app developers. The important ones are
Appium
It is a cross-platform automation framework that is used for both Android and IOS applications.
Espresso
This mobile app automation framework is designed for Android users.
XCUITest
This mobile test automation framework is designed for IOS users.
Optimize the testing of your mobile application
App developers get everything they need to build a successful mobile application test plan.
– App developers can test any type of application. Native, hybrid, PWA, and more.
– It accelerates the testing process of any kind of application – functionality, non-functional, and real environment.
– It makes the testing process easier on emulators and real devices.
The basic idea of mobile application testing is to build a safe and change-free application so that a team can develop an application efficiently and effectively. With mobile app testing, users of an application get error-free results.
Step 6 – Deployment and maintenance of mobile application
When speaking of mobile app development processes, you must remember one thing. The overall success of mobile applications begins and ends with the users. It is all about the experience you give to your customers. The UI an application delivers determines whether your mobile application is a hit or fail in the market.
When app developers are done with the software testing, it clears all the coding errors and makes an application error-free. The Software development team plays a crucial role in checking the deployment process for eliminating the possible issues.
Following are the best practices to maintain your application after deployment.
To make sure that your mobile application stays on top of the market, here are the practices app developers need to follow for long-term mobile application maintenance.
– Incorporate timely updates
Every mobile app developer needs to monitor how the users are interacting with their applications. Always ensure to pay attention to customers’ reviews and feedback. This way developers can understand the psychology of users and make changes according to their requirements. Based on the interaction and feedback of users, there is an immense need for app developers to add timely updates. Also, bugs need to be fixed in timely updates. Ensure to update your applications according to the requirements and specifications of new devices.
– Fortify the security and privacy of users
Mobile applications should not disturb the users with tons and tons of permissions. No one wants to see or respond to a long list of mobile app permissions. It gets exhausting and frustrating concurrently. So, always ensure that an application you designed should ask users about the relevant permissions. Users will not respond to any unnecessary permissions.
– Improve customer support
Your mobile applications should allow potential users to connect and get assistance anytime, every time. An accessible help desk of an application will enable customers to get their queries solved conveniently and instantaneously.
Wrap Up
The mobile app developers should acknowledge that mobile applications need to be evolved and upgraded from time to time. It is indispensable for app developers to keep up with the latest trends and ever-changing technology. If you do not invest a certain amount of time and money in the user interface, user experience, and other features of your application, they will not be able to survive in this dynamic app market. Follow all the phases of mobile app development so that your application stays on top of the mobile application market.
