Understanding of Mobile App Development Lifecycle

Posted by Christina James on June 5th, 2023

Mobile app development is becoming increasingly prevalent since mobile applications are incredibly advantageous for businesses. However, the mobile app development process is still a mystery. 

A few crucial steps are followed, one after the other. The method of developing apps will suffer greatly if each of these phases is skipped. Therefore, the various stages of the mobile app development lifecycle are discussed in this blog. 

What is Mobile App Development?

Mobile app development involves building software applications that run on various mobile devices. 

The process includes writing code to create the software and the app design. For instance, applications may make use of smartphone capabilities like GPS, Bluetooth connections, a camera, a microphone, and other built-in tools.

Mobile App Development Lifecycle at Mindster

Research & Planning

Initially, you should be very clear and transparent about the research phase, where you must figure out the market and the intense competition within that market. 

While researching, brainstorm on information like the app’s purpose, the target audience, the required medium, the app development language, competitor app characteristics, the timeframe for the development and app launch, and the promotional activities.    

You will have to initially carry out a strategic business analysis which helps calculate the correct ROI (Return On Investment). This aids in deciding and estimating an accurate budget. 

Wireframes

The second phase includes documentation and a wireframe of your application. Finally, a visual or pictorial depiction of your ideas helps you take your concept or plan into the next stage of mobile app development. The graphical representation is sketched on its look, the features it can hold and the overall experience with the app.  

In this stage, you can align your design elements so that it pleases and attracts the target audience without issues in user experience and engagement. 

After setting up your design elements, you can view how each element fits, helping boost your creativity level. 

Technical Suitability and Back-End Evaluation

After setting up the visual representation, you must dive deep into the back-end systems. Again, this ensures that the back-end systems will aid the app’s functionality.  

You will have multiple requirements, such as data integration, push notifications, servers, data diagrams or APIs. These demands depend on the app development types, such as Android app development or an ios app development lifecycle. In addition, a minimally different back-end is used depending on whether it is a mobile phone, tablet, or wearable. 

Eventually, at this step, you discover that some initial features don’t support you. Therefore, you will rethink and assess that features again. 

Prototype

In the prototype phase, you understand that the user experience of an app is accurately interpreted by feeling it and checking on the workflows. 

For this, develop a prototype of an app and give it to a user to gain insight into the working and feeling of the app while using it. Give the prototype to users who share valid reviews, as this stage will direct you to the completion of the app development process.

 Design

After the prototyping is successful, you can enter the development phase. Finally, in the design phase, you will code your design; thus, the UX & UI designers will participate.

Your UX (user experience) designer will create a better user experience by developing better flow and structure to give a feel to the app. 

UI (user interface) designer will develop designs that improve the visual part, i.e., the look of your app.  

While designing, you will get the visual directions and the blueprint, guiding you to inform your engineers about your vision regarding the result. This also includes how the interaction with the customers must feel.

 Develop

The app development process involves working on and assessing a functional prototype at each stage. However, as this stage advances, the core features are tested intensely. After this, the app is taken to the deployment stage, where all bugs are fixed and handled. 

The more significant applications are split into smaller modules when the project is complicated. These smaller modules are considered for assessment before assembling everything so that the app is ready for release with no issues. 

Test

Testing has paramount importance in the mobile app development lifecycle. It is feasible to test at early stages, so there is less probability of a cost overrun.

The app is tested for each factor, such as flexibility, usability, user experience, safety, stress, and efficiency. In addition, you can refer to particular target audiences for the test and collect feedback from them to gain insights about the real-world usage of your app.

Deploy

Eventually, you will publicize your app. However, the launching process differs for the iOS and Android app development processes. Thus, check on these facts.

Execution is not the final stage of mobile app development; but the next improvement phase. 

After publishing your app, you will get many feedbacks and reviews from the users, which include criticisms as well. Therefore, you must fix those requirements and demands of the users in future versions of your app. 

Here, the following deployment phase will include resources and your long-term commitment. So ensure you follow up on the mobile app development lifecycle after the launch. 

Thus, mobile app development follows a loop, where the development process continues with the new app advancements.

Duration for a Mobile App Development Lifecycle

The period for mobile app development is based on the complexity of the app, its features, and its functionality. 

The mobile app is developed within a short period of time or over a more extended period. Thus, the accurate duration of a mobile app development lifecycle must be determined more clearly. 

Summing Up

We hope that you have gotten a very good understanding of the mobile app development lifecycle. You may also be aware that app development is not a simple task but follows a series of steps. These steps must also be continuously monitored and reviewed to get better results. 

Hence, if you’re interested in developing an innovative, intuitive, and flexible mobile app, connect with the leading mobile app development company, Mindster at www.mindster.com  

We have a team of highly passionate and experienced UI/UX designers able to develop customized mobile apps to meet your requirements at any time.