Mobile app development is both an expensive and time-consuming process. There might be many other developers working on apps that have a similar idea to yours; in these scenarios, it is important to stand out from the rest. To get a definitive lead in comparison to your competitors it is important that your app is ready to be deployed at the earliest.
It is important to note that gaining that lead is not easy. Many companies struggle to reach their audiences after launching their mobile applications as their development team is slow. Good and high-quality applications require a lot of planning. There are many decisions that the developer needs to make in terms of the platform, methodology, design, and features to add. Once these choices are made the actual process of app development begins. Programmers need to write the code, the app needs to be tested through mockups or prototyping and the app needs to be checked for issues before it is launched.
To launch your application faster you need to speed up the app development life cycle and approach app development in a systematic manner. You not only need to launch an innovative app, you need to stay ahead of the competition.
Here are 6 tips that can help you accelerate your app development:
- Invest in Cross-Platform Development: After formulating an app idea, the first problem almost all app developers need to address is: Which platform to choose? While restricting your app to a single platform can help you launch your app faster, it can limit your access to potential users. Launching an app on multiple platforms is a better idea in the long run but app development for different platforms is a tedious job.
Developers code and maintain various codebases to develop apps suitable for each platform, this process can double up your app launch time. To solve this issue, you can go with the cross-platform app development option. There are many cross-platform app development tools in the market that allow developers to create and use the same codebase for different platforms, taking away the need to spend time on rewriting code. Some popular cross-platform development tools are, Xamarian, NativeScript, and Flutter.
- Explore your Ideas with Wireframes: Before you start developing an application it is important to design wireframes to get to know the information architecture of your mobile app. A wireframe provides a visual low fidelity representation of the app’s UI. You can explore several app designs and structures in less time by generating wireframes. Once you have singled out the best design strategy you can refine these wireframes.
The main benefit of creating wireframes is to help you identify all the UI/UX issues before beginning the coding process. Through wireframe, you will be able to make significant changes to the app without needing to spend weeks or even months writing code all over again.
- Create an MVP: Do not think about launching a complete version of your application. Take the MVP (Minimum Viable Product) to understand how your app performs and if there is a demand for your application in the market. An MVP is the most basic version of your app idea that only has the core features of your app. You can study how your target audiences interact with the app and learn what changes/ modifications need to be made for launching a successful app. Sometimes, you may find that there is actually no demand for your application in the market when you launch an MVP first. This will prevent you from investing your time and efforts into a product that no one is looking for.
- Carry Out Routinely Quality Assurance Tests: The biggest mistake developers should avoid during app development is leaving quality assurance until the end. It is important to have routine QA checks and code reviews as this will help find the deeply ingrained issues within the app. Developers should check each and every element within the app for issues once it is developed.
Developers must test out the different functions of an application and try to fix these issues as soon as possible. These tests are critical because users will be quick to install a faulty application. Launching an app quickly should not mean losing quality. Only good quality apps thrive in the market.
- Be Strict about your Shipping Date: By setting and fixing a shipping date you can communicate your vision and the end goal to all the project stakeholders, clearly. Ensure that you over-communicate and send a message to all the project members that the date is fixed and all the development related assignments need to be completed by then. Deadlines are a great way to boost motivation and a fixed date will allow developers to prioritize tasks based on risk and their importance.
- Automate App Testing: Automated testing allows developers to run more app tests without having to spend hours. Testing should be automated especially when the app tests need to be repeated over time. Manual tests are inefficient and have additional costs. To enhance product quality, automated app testing will increase the depth and scope of tests.
To decide whether the product is behaving as expected, automated software testing will look within an application and see file contents, internal program states, memory contents, and data tables. During each test run, automated testing offers better coverage that is impossible to achieve with manual testing. Automated testing will also examine the application whenever there are any changes in the source code. These features empower developers to deploy apps much faster.
The best way to develop an app faster is to critically analyze each step as you go, instead of fixing the finished product. You can always delegate non-essential tasks or tasks which exceed the skill capacity of your internal tech team to a reputed app development company. Outsourcing app development is a great option. By outsourcing app development, you can cut costs since app development companies will have the know-how and the required resources already. Ensure that you are clear about your requirements when you outsource and ask for documentation in every stage.
