Developing a mobile app is an important way for your business to connect with its customers and offer a better customer experience. However, developing a mobile app can be a time-consuming process. It is estimated that building V1.0 of your app could take as long as 18 weeks. This includes the design, development and testing. Obviously, if there is a way to save time when developing a mobile app, then that is going to save you not only time but money as well.
That is why we have put together the top 10 ways that you can save time when developing a mobile app.
1. Research a Solution to a Problem
Research is probably the main way to save time while developing an app in the long run. If you have a clear goal from the very start, what exactly the app should do and how it will function, then the development process will run much quicker.
2. Who You are Targeting
The next step in the research process is to identify exactly who your target audience is going to be. Different age groups interact with mobile apps in different ways. Therefore, you need a clear picture of who you foresee using your app. That will help you avoid making many changes during the User Acceptance Testing stage.
3. Decide on the Platform
You will save time in the long run if you focus on building apps to run on specific operating systems rather than trying to develop one app which will run everywhere. It may seem like saving time but in the end you will spend much more time and money developing your app. So, go for Native Application Development and develop apps for each of the main mobile operating systems separately.
4. Plan the Features and Flow
Step number 4 in saving time when developing a mobile app is to plan the flow of the app. You can do this on a piece of paper. This will help you identify and resolve potential problems during the development stage.
5. Don’t Plan Non-Essential Features
In order to save time in the initial app development look for features that could be left out of version 1.0. There are many cool features that could be integrated but if they won’t be used, then you will waste time and money developing these. So, just plan for the basics with the idea that extra features can be added later if needed.
6. Have a Sleek Design
Focus on the user experience; the better the app is designed, ]the better the user experience will be. This will also save you time in the long run because you will not have to keep resolving bugs and design issues when the app goes live.
7. Get a Good Team or App Development Company
The next essential tip on how to develop a mobile app and save time is to get a good app development team around you. Even if you are a freelancer, this is important because the better team you have, the more time you will save. It is also possible to reach out to the services of a professional mobile app development company who can provide services to you.
8. Regular Updates from Your Team
App development happens in small steps. Each step affects the next one, and so on. Therefore to save time developing an app, you need to have a schedule of getting regular reviews and feedback from your team. You need to know facts like:
- Their progress
- Suggestions for improvement
- What changes need to be made
- Are they on schedule
9. Get User Feedback Quickly
Once you are in the beta testing stage, it is important to get feedback quickly from users. The quicker you get feedback, then the quicker you will be able to release the final version. This will also mean that your app will be more stable and require fewer updates after the initial release.
10. Manage the Testing Process Properly
One part of the development process where much time can be spent is the testing process. This is when the app has to be fully tested, both using Automated Testing and User Acceptance Testing. However, it can be a challenge to find all the bugs and simulate all users’ experience.
One helpful tool that many app developers use is Bugfender. This can assist in the mobile app development process to quickly find the source of bugs and know exactly what caused them. The integration of this tool can greatly help you save time and money developing a mobile app.