Mobile app development can be a valuable investment, but it requires time, effort, and resources. To ensure a positive return on investment, you need to maximize the project's value by thoroughly preparing before engaging with a potential app developer. Without proper preparation and planning, you may encounter issues that could prevent the project's success. Therefore, we have compiled the following five steps to take and decisions to make before embarking on mobile app development.
1. Find Your Goal
The first step in developing an app is to identify the overarching goal and reason for creating it. This goal doesn't necessarily have to be measurable, but it must express the simple reason why you believe your company needs an app. Determine whether you want to increase brand awareness, optimize customer engagement, or improve internal communications. Defining the problem first will guide every step of the process.
Further reading: How to Know When You're Ready to Build an App
2. Define Your Audience
Before developing an app, you should have at least a general idea of who your target audience is. The developer will help you explore the implications of your app's target audience, but this decision will have significant implications throughout the development process. Features and platform choices will depend on whether you are matching your audience's needs enough to achieve your goals.
3. Gather Your Resources
You must know what resources are available throughout the development process, including budget, time, and personnel. Your budget will determine the scope of the app you can develop. However, time and personnel are equally important resources to consider, as anyone involved in the process will spend significant time that cannot be spent on their daily business functions. Knowing the available resources going into the process is crucial.
Further reading: Budgeting For Your App
4. Determine Your Involvement
How involved do you want to be in the app development process? This question is related to the resources you have available. Time resources may constrain your involvement, but you need to ensure that you have time available for feedback and testing to make sure that the end product aligns with your goals.
5. Set Measurement Benchmarks
It's essential to determine how you will measure the app's success and set benchmarks to track progress. Setting a timeline and benchmarks early in the process can help ensure that you develop an app that meets and exceeds your goals. This step will be increasingly difficult to set once the development process begins.
By following these steps, you can maximize your chances of success and develop a mobile app that meets your business needs. Preparation is key to the development process, and it's never too early to start thinking about your goals, audience, resources, involvement, and benchmarks. Contact us to learn more about app development and get started on your project.
