How to get your app from idea to production

How to get your app from idea to production

Strategic planning
November 29, 2021
author
Diego Machado
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You have an idea for a mobile app. What's next? Ideas are just part of the equation, but what comes next and how do you go about turning your ideas into reality? There are many steps that need to be taken before you can say 'I have an app!' Here we will explore some of the stages and questions involved in getting started with developing a mobile application.

What is the process for getting an app from idea to production

The process for developing an app from ideation to marketing is: thinking of new ideas > creating wireframes that map out the basic design and features > building a prototype with working models so users can try it out early on in the development cycle. Once you have something people are interested in, start coding the final product and get help testing your code before releasing it into the wild! Finally invest some time or money into promoting your mobile application through social media platforms like Twitter , Instagram , Facebook etc., depending on which demographic will be using them most often.

Ideation

The ideation stage is where you come up with your app idea and think about how exactly you are going to develop the app. Create your mind map and flow charts to help organize everything. Then make sure to nail down all of your requirements for the functionality of the app.

Wireframing

Wireframing is the process of taking your mind map and flowcharts and creating a mock-up of what your app will look like. This can be done with pen and paper, or you can use a wireframe tool such as Balsamiq to get nice clean graphics.

Prototype

A prototype is an early version of your app that gives you a chance to play around with some of the functionality to see if everything works as planned prior to starting development on the app itself. A simple prototype can be created using Xcode or Android Studio, but if you need more complex functionality, then a prototype may require coding.

Development

Development is the actual process of creating your app. There are many different languages and frameworks that develop apps, so you will want to make sure you have decided on which technology to use before you start.

How do we at TowerHouse Studio like to handle that process?

Getting an app from the start to production is a complex process, and at TowerHouse Studio we like to break it down into three stages: discovery, design, and development.

Discovery

During the discovery phase, our team works side by side with you to better understand your ideas and turn them into words. Our team will listen to you and ask questions at each meeting, guiding you through the process. We want to be sure we cover everything possible before moving forward so there are as few surprises for you during development.

Once the ideas have been finalized, we start to create a prototype. Wireframes help to make sure that everyone is on board with the idea and design before starting production of an app. This helps you validate two things - if what we understood is aligned with your vision, and it will allow you to test if what you imagined makes sense.

The value of discovering those two things at this stage is huge, if you realize we did not understand your vision or you realize what you thought won't work, it's much better than finding out once the app is actually built.

Design

Creating a prototype is the first step in getting your idea ready for production. UX experts and designers use this time to figure out what design direction you want to go with.

Once we are on the same page, our team will create an interactive prototype of your app to help us test different user flows before starting production.

Once finished, you will be able to see exactly how your app will look.

This is a critical phase, as it allows you to get feedback on your idea before actually building the app.

Development

As you can see, once we get into the development phase, we know exactly what to build. The development team is ready to work its magic knowing exactly how to build your dream app.

The team breaks all requirements into milestones and defines the project roadmap to tell you exactly when every part will be completed and when the final build of the app will be ready to go live.

Conclusion

It clear why you need a mobile app for your business but there are many different stages that need to be considered when it comes to getting an app from idea, prototype and production ready. In order for your app to succeed in a crowded marketplace you will want to consider the following three steps: discovery, design and development. Essentially, this is where we listen closely to what you have created so far (in terms of ideas) before moving forward with developing anything else further. This also includes wireframes which help us validate two things - if what we understood is aligned with your vision or not; as well as if what you imagined makes sense at all. If any of these aspects aren't sitting right with each other then there's no point going any farther because it would just lead into disaster later on down the line. These three stages go hand in hand with each other and together we make sure that your app is on the right path to success!

author
Diego Machado