COST OF CREATING A MOBILE APPLICATION: HOW TO PLAN THE FIRST RELEASE?

COST OF CREATING A MOBILE APPLICATION: HOW TO PLAN THE FIRST RELEASE?

Mobile application budget is not determined only by the design seen on the screen. The operations performed by the user, the rules behind these operations and the systems to be connected constitute the scope of development. Therefore, before asking for a price, it is necessary to explain whose problem the application will solve.

Basic user journey before the feature list

Define the most important task that the user will complete after opening the application. In a field application, this might be to view the assigned task, record the action, and report completion. In a customer application, finding products and creating orders is the priority.

Planning the initial release around this basic flow makes it easier to evaluate secondary features. The minimum viable product, that is, the MVP, is the first version with a limited scope that meets a specific need.

The main decisions affecting the budget

Which devices to support, the number of user roles, the administration panel, the need for offline use and connections with existing software should be written into the scope of the proposal.

Functions such as notifications, map usage, file uploading and payment can have both a development and external service dimension.

Just comparing the number of screens is not enough. Behind a simple-looking order screen may be price rules, stock control and order confirmation. Discuss these rules as well as the appearance of the screen during the proposal evaluation.

Do not forget the post-development needs

Server services, external services used, maintenance work and compliance with operating system changes should be planned separately.

It should be clear at the beginning who will own the broadcast accounts and who will manage the store application processes. Publishing the application in the store also depends on the evaluation process carried out after the application.

How can you prepare for the first meeting?

Prepare a one-page needs note:

• Who is the target user?

• What is the basic action the user will complete?

• Which platforms are required?

• Connection with which systems? to be installed?

• Which features are mandatory in the first release?

Then separate the requests into “required in the first release” and “can be evaluated in the next release”.

For example, in a service application, the task list and transaction record can be imported into the first release. Advanced reports can be left for later. However, authorization and basic error checks should not be skipped just to reduce the budget.

Does every business need a mobile app?

No. Depending on the frequency of use and the features required, a mobile-compatible website may also meet the need. Make the implementation decision based on target user behavior.

Let's create a development plan suitable for your project by determining the basic user flow and first release scope together with Arra Media.