In today’s digital age, mobile applications have become essential tools for many businesses, to engage with their customers and stay competitive in the market. According to Fingent, roughly 62% of businesses already have an app or are in the process of developing one.
However, the journey from ideation to launch can be complex and challenging without a well-defined roadmap.
For companies venturing into application development, understanding the pre-launch stage is crucial for success. Let’s delve into the process of creating an app development roadmap and what potential clients should know beforehand.
Defining Your Objectives and Target Audience
Before diving into development, it’s essential to clearly define your objectives. What problem should your application solve? Who is your target audience? By delving deep into these questions, you can ensure that the roadmap is tailored to your specific needs and aspirations.
As industries such as finance, beauty or insurance grow more and more, the need of switching to a mobile-friendly approach becomes more and more clear. To answer the challenges faced by one of our clients in the banking industry, we first defined the need for paperless processes, that also enhanced the speed of closing cases.
Market Research and Analysis
Conducting thorough market research is essential, in order to identify your competitors and analyze their strengths and weaknesses. This will help you position your application effectively and identify unique selling points.
We used a series of consumer insights before starting the actual work for Anastasia Beverly Hills’s eyebrow application. Such insights were important for the application, in order to enrich and maximize the users’ experience, while answering their needs. We adopt a similar approach in most projects, which require us to know beforehand what is the target audience, what are the pain points and gain points of these consumers, as well as what is already available on the market.
Conceptualization and Wireframing
Once you have a clear understanding of your goals and target audience, it’s time to conceptualize your application and create wireframes. Wireframing allows you to visualize the application’s layout and functionality before proceeding to development.
Prototyping
Develop a prototype to test the application’s usability and gather feedback from potential users. Prototyping helps identify any usability issues early in the development process, saving time and resources in the long run.
A situation which highlights the importance of prototyping, is our partnership with BCR ERSTE. We wanted to break the paradigm of time-consuming, paper-heavy, and stressful mortgages and help customers move into the house of their dreams faster and stress-free.
We started with 4 product design sprints that culminated with a 48-hour rapid prototyping workshop, resulting in hundreds of prototype iterations and a validated prototype for the platform. We put together the Product Playbook and in the next 10 weeks we built and launched the scalable platform, the web app and the customer-facing iOS and Android mobile apps.
Design Phase
Design plays a crucial role in the success of your application. Focus on creating a user-friendly interface with intuitive navigation. Pay attention to visual elements such as colors, typography, and branding to create a cohesive user experience.
As mentioned in the BCR ERSTE project, as well as for Anastasia Beverly Hills, the application roadmap relies heavily on a strong design. The product developed for Anastasia Beverly Hills is governed by design thinking principles, which span from the get-go user interface, up to the unique selling point, Anastasia Soare’s Golden Ratio® Method, added into the mobile experience.
Development
With the design finalized, developers can begin building the application. Choose the right development approach – native, hybrid, or cross-platform – based on your requirements and target audience. Collaborate closely with developers to ensure the application meets your expectations.
Just as the products developed by our teams, thoroughness and the drive for perfection in crafting a digital flow, are the pillars of creating not only beautiful, but simple, efficient, and fast applications.
Testing and Quality Assurance
Thorough testing is essential to identify and fix any bugs or issues before launch. Conduct both functional and non-functional testing to ensure the application performs well across different devices and platforms.
Feedback Iteration
Gather feedback from beta testers and stakeholders to identify areas for improvement. Iterate on the application based on this feedback to enhance its functionality and user experience.
Application Store Optimization (ASO)
Prior to launch, optimize your listing on the application stores to improve its visibility and discoverability. Pay attention to keywords, descriptions, and visuals to attract users to download your app.
Launch and Marketing Strategy
Plan a comprehensive marketing strategy to promote your application and reach your target audience. Utilize various channels such as social media, email marketing, and application store optimization to generate buzz and drive downloads.
Whether the final product generates a new sales pipeline or it boosts operations’ efficiency for the end-user, mapping out the right marketing strategy before launch is essential. It is the best way of maximizing your results within the first months of the release.
Bonus: Post-Launch Support
Launching your app is just the beginning. You need ongoing support and updates to ensure your app remains relevant and competitive in the market. Monitoring user feedback and analytics is required in order to identify areas for improvement and implement updates accordingly.
For companies considering an app development roadmap, it’s important to understand that the process involves careful planning, collaboration, and iteration. By following a structured roadmap and working closely with experienced developers, companies can increase their chances of success in the competitive app market. Embrace the journey of the app development roadmap as an opportunity for innovation and growth, and remember that the success of your app ultimately depends on delivering value to your users.
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