Mobile App Planning : 5 Questions to Ask before Start

If you want to build a mobile application, do you know where do you start?

Your application development project may likely falls into one of three categories. It is either a consumer application that has the potential for widespread adoption; modernization of new or existing business processes; or migrating a web application to a version optimized for mobile devices. If you are seeking for solution, I will assume that you already know the basic knowledge on mobile application.

You need a reasonable plan to turn your application ideas into reality. Organizations often bring their mobile applications to market without considering a few key factors. The lack of a plan is the easiest way to manage an application development project in error, which will eventually lead to re-work, reduce profits, and decrease utility.

Therefore, it is critical for your organization to develop a mobile application development plan that can solve the following problems:

#1 Why are you building the app?

This seems to be the easiest question to answer, but I can’t tell you how many times we have customers tell us they need to build a mobile app, but they can’t clearly state their specific purpose or how they differ from the services provided on their website or content already available through their existing business systems. It is important to have a clear vision of the application, which can helps to achieve your business goals and helps to save the time between both party between you and developer.

#2 What is the target functionality of your app? 

Can the proposed features bring value to your organization or customers? Will people want to use it? If the proposed functions do not increase efficiency, make routine tasks easier to complete or provide other value, they are unlikely to be used. Focus on the features that will have the greatest impact, rather than adding unnecessary features that are unlikely to be used.

#3 Should you create a Native App or a Mobile Web App? 

If your application requires access to device-specific hardware, such as cameras, barcode scanners, etc., it is best to create a native application for the desired platform. If you just want to provide an optimized mobile experience for existing websites or lightweight features, then mobile web applications may be the answer. If you decide to use native mode, are you planning to build for iOS and Android, or will you port to Windows Mobile?  If your target audience is medical staff that exclusively uses hospital-issued iPads, it doesn’t make any sense to develop your app for Android.

If your application is projected to be widely adopted and you have an appropriate budget, it may be necessary to build a separate instance for each operating system. Having a clear understanding of the target audience, including usage patterns, user scenarios and device usage, will ultimately guide you to choose a platform. For a more in-depth discussion of the pros and cons of these two methods, please read our blog post here to understand the difference between native and mobile web applications..

#4 Does your App Developer have a good understanding of Design and Usability?

If the mobile application is aesthetically unsatisfactory, intuitive, and easy to use, the ultimate success of the application will be affected. Application developers must understand the design options and constraints of the target platform to create the best experience. It is also very important that usability is taken into consideration early on in the project. If you build the application correctly, the user should be able to perform the intended function without assistance. Ensuring that the application is developed to optimize screen space, use appropriately sized buttons and fonts, and use intuitive navigation between tasks will help create a user experience that users will enjoy.

#5 Do you need a Privacy Policy?

A Privacy Policy is probably one of the most important legal agreement for your online business. If you plan to have your app collect any sensitive information from users, you must include a privacy policy that describes what information is being collected and how it is used and it is also a way to protect the privacy of users.

If you have a plan and decided to build your mobile application, contact us, we would like to help you to make your plan into reality.