Thinking about developing your own mobile or web app? In this article, you will find out what value these can add to your business and what it takes to deliver a quality product.
The three paths of application development
Let’s begin by answering a fundamental question: how do you create a dedicated application? These are the three possibilities:
- Writing the application yourself,
- Putting together a project team (in-house application development),
- Contracting a technology partner to develop the application.
Different challenges await you, depending on your choice.
It is essential that you have both programming skills and soft skills to lead the application development project if you build it yourself. The chances of your solution coming to market faster are higher if you are an experienced programmer.
In option two, you must put together your own internal team, which is much more time-consuming. For this to happen, you need skills related to headhunting and recruiting co-workers with the right competencies. Each man-hour you spend on a project will cost you heaps, so you should also be familiar with the technical aspects of running projects.
The fastest and, for most businesses, best solution is to partner with a technology company. This allows experienced professionals who have often worked on similar projects to get started quickly.
How much time does it take to develop a mobile or web app?
We asked Oksana Wojtkiewicz, who leads the sales and marketing department at Solwit S.A., about this question: “The average completion time varies depending on many factors. No two projects are exactly alike. Hence, we must know all the details and specifications in order to determine the exact timetable for its implementation. A fully functional and sophisticated bespoke software takes between four and nine months to create. Although this timeline can shrink or stretch depending on the complexity and requirements of the project.”
Five steps to creating a dedicated app with a technology partner
What is the shortened process for developing a mobile or web app?
1. Business Analytics
Verifying your idea is the basis for moving forward. This is the stage when your partner helps you clarify your needs, expectations, and goals. They will also match specific technological solutions to your requirements.
2. App design
Visualizing and presenting the application view are some of the most thrilling moments in the application development process. The first time you see your idea after programming is at this stage. If you need to make any corrections or improvements, now is the time.
A team of experienced professionals will oversee your project throughout the process, just as interested in the app’s success as you are. Therefore, it is crucial to maintain open communication – do not be afraid to ask questions or express your expectations clearly.
If you want to know how long it takes to visualize an app, check out this article: “Everything you should know about creating a dedicated app”.
3. Project planning
At this point, the Project Manager takes over the project. They determine the team’s schedule, priorities, and requirements for everyone and the backlog, i.e., a ranked list of all tasks to be completed. Delays and overspending can be prevented with a properly prepared plan.
Most tasks can be completed within a few hours. You will, therefore, start to see small successes, and the application will begin to take shape.
4. App coding
Now that your project specifications are ready, it’s time to get down to the ‘creme de la creme’: application programming. As part of this crucial stage, a multidisciplinary team is assembled, consisting of the following:
- Project Manager – responsible for organizing the whole project. Their responsibility is to divide tasks, monitor deadlines, and ensure the flow of information between you and the team.
- Programmers – in charge of designing the application and user interface and writing code.
- Testers – check that the whole application works correctly. At the end of development, the team will present you with the application’s core functionality. This will enable you to verify that it meets the assumptions from point 3.
5. Testing your dedicated app
How should mobile and web applications be tested? Here we will use the example of the Solwit team – one of the leaders in creating such solutions in Poland.
At Solwit, application testing starts with quality assurance experts. They test usability, assess the code’s quality, and check the product’s security. The entire process takes place according to the ISTQB standard, of which Solwit is a Platinum Partner. According to the latest Computerworld report, this is one of the reasons why they are among the top software testing companies.
Have an idea for a mobile or web app?
If you’re looking for an experienced technology partner, check out the projects the Solwit team has completed with clients who, like you, needed custom software.
If you already have a ready-made action plan and application description, Solwit’s experts will prepare a quote for you in as little as 24 hours after you submit your specifications!
No harm done if not. Get in touch and set up a free consultation on Solwit.com to work out the next steps together.
