Introduction
Usually in the app development the client does not know the application development process, the effort that requires or what information must transmit to the software development company so that they can advise him correctly.
This list of frequently asked questions is far from limited, but it is a reflection of what worries people interested in app development and that we receive every day in contact forms. From your reading, you can draw some conclusions and I hope better understand the application´s path you want to develop.
1. What will my app cost?
That´s the star question, but it is easier to ask it than answer it especially if you do not have enough information. Imagine that someone enters a car dealership and says they want a 4-door car budget. Although the salesperson can advise him, he cannot give a price with that data because the style of the vehicle and its extras will determine the final cost. Well, in the same way it happens with custom-made app development, only that for better or for worse they are not exposed behind a showcase waiting to be chosen by the customer: So the range of complexity is very wide and only gets closer as there is more information about the application to be developed. Therefore, to know the price of an application, the technical team needs to receive a document that contains its purpose, the functional description and even the views it will contain. In the event that this work has not been done previously, a consultancy work will be necessary to help the client to define their app before we can give him a budget.
2. How long will it take to develop it?
This issue is related to the previous one because depending on the size of the application, the effort in the app development will be more or less. To get an idea, we could say that a simple app would need on each platform a month and a half of work, one of average complexity between 3 and 5 months and those of high complexity from 6 months onwards.
3. What do I need to contribute as a client?
The app development company needs to understand the client, what problem does your application solve, what is its objective, where do you get the data offered by the app, what kind of monetization will have, what is your business model. All these aspects help us to put ourselves in the skin of the client, this is not just functionalities. Ideally the client has previously worked on the idea of his app, writing a briefing that contains the functionalities of his mobile application. If you indicate your priority, the core of the app will be better understood and it will make it easier to obtain an MVP or to divide the project in phases if necessary.
4. What are the phases of app development?
- Functionality study: review of the documentation provided by the client.
- Meeting with the client to clarify doubts and jointly validate the final project.
- Expose the proposed solution, planning and budget to the client
- UX design and validation by the client
- UI design
- Android app development / iOS app development
In this post about the steps of developing an app you can find more information.
5. What is the backend? Who is responsible for developing it?
The backend, also called CMS or mobile application server centralizes the requests made from the mobile device. Thus, when the user makes a request in the app, the backend accesses its data repository, finds and filters the requested information and returns it to the user. It must be taken into account that most of the app development need a server, and the development has the investment of at least a simple application. Sometimes there are companies that already have a CMS running that will use the mobile application to obtain the data, for the rest of the cases we take care of the server development.
6. If the app is a product, who deals with branding and the web?
When the customer trusts us, they should not worry about anything else. We just need to understand what your needs are to accompany you on the road, from the choice of colours for your brand to the design of your logo. Our design department will provide several options and advise on the best choice. At the same time as the development of apps progresses, the web must do so, important to achieve greater conversion and facilitate contact with future customers. We also take care of the necessary animations to present the product in the event that it is requested.
Here you will find some tips about how to market your app.
7. What if I already have something developed?
In this case, to assume a project that is already started we would have to do a previous audit to see that the native application is compliant with our quality standards. Once we verify that we can work with the existing code, we would have to budget the development of apps in the same way we do in the rest of the cases.
Understanding the entire process of creating and app development involves the customer and improves communication. If you need a “turnkey” app, contact us.
