App development step by step process (life cycle explained)

What is the app development lifecycle?

App development life cycle refers to the process of converting an idea to reality. The life cycle will take you through all the small and big steps of app development, describing the process of research, planning, creation, testing, and deploying.

Steps in app development

Step 1: Discuss the idea or plan with the client

The first step involves discussion on the idea or a plan that the client is bringing. At Idea Usher, we sometimes come across clients who have a full-fledged program, while other times, clients give us a competitor’s name and tell us that they want an app like that.

For example, clients tell us that they want a food delivery app like Uber Eats or a skincare app like Nykaa.

The idea can also be completely new, but if it’s not, we try to improve its competitors in terms of the user interface, better domain, unique features, etcetera.

“Remember that Facebook was not the first social network, and Google was not the first search engine! “

Step 2: Market Research

Market research is one of the essential steps before jumping onto the development process. It requires you to know your competitors, target market, identify their needs, habits, and requirements.

At Idea Usher, we not only ask our clients to do the research, but we also help them with the research and development. After the analysis, we sit with the clients to discuss the further proceeding of the project.

Step 3: Decide the UI/UX

Remember that it only takes three clicks to uninstall an app. Every day, out of 100 apps downloaded, 50 are deleted in seconds after downloading because of a bad user experience.

It is imperative to create a good user interface. I’d like to suggest which we do at Idea Usher is create a wireframe (not every company does this). We convert user stories into a graphical representation of high-level UI for our clients before moving forward. Once our clients show us a green signal, we proceed to the next step.

Step 4: Development phase

This is the step that is close to changing your idea into reality!

The app development process goes through two crucial phases, Alpha and Beta.

Alpha phase: This is the phase where all the bugs are identified and fixed.

Beta phase: After all the debugging, when some more bugs are identified, they are fixed in the Beta phase. It is vital to fix all the bugs before launch so that your app gets better feedback and fewer updations.

We at Idea Usher keep in mind while developing an app to grow in small parts and test the small pieces so that there are almost no bugs and the testing gets simplified and less time-consuming.

Step 5: Test launch

Once the app is ready to launch, launch it for a few people and take their feedback. If you receive any helpful feedback that can improve your app, implement it before the launch to make your app better and more user-friendly.

Step 6: Go through all the guidelines of the selected platform.

Play Store and App store have different guidelines; it is essential to go through all the procedures before the final launch.

Step 7: Help the client in launching the app and getting more installs

Whoa, It’s finally time to launch your app!

But, hey! You just launched an app, but how are people going to know about it?

This is another step where Idea Usher helps you. We help you market and advertise the apps and get more installs so that you can focus on other essential parts of growing the app like sales, employee management, and more.

Why does Idea Usher stand out from others?

Well, there are many companies out there building apps, but what makes Idea Usher the best? Come, let me spill out the secret here.

1. Use the best software — We use the best software and tools available like Figma, XD and After effects, which a lot of other companies do not use.
2. We convert user stories into graphical representation- This gives our clients an initial idea of how their app will look like. This is again an important step that most companies miss out on.
3. We have experience in all the domains like hyper-local delivery apps, fitness apps, meditation apps, and more.
4. Adhere to the guidelines — We always follow the guidelines issues by apple and android before launching an app.
5. Take feedback from Apple and Android — We not only follow the human interface guidelines, but while launching the app, we also take feedback from apple and android and then implement the feedback on our project.
6. Quality assurance — we have multiple stages of testing like unit test,white-box test, and more. A dedicated testing team is there so that it is ensured that every app is tested. We use the agile method so that bugs can be traced faster and fix immediately.
7. Always give the client more than what they expect-We do not want our clients to get an app developed from us and then forget us. We always try to add more to their project or design a new product altogether, which can help their business grow enormously.
8. We follow standard and industry practices and clean coding methods.