If you have an app idea or want to convert a webapp into a mobile app, the best way to do it is to create an MVP (Minimum Viable Product). Mobile app development MVP is the process of creating a basic app with core functionality that lets you test the market. The best framework to use is Flutter as it is a cross platform and will you launch an identical app for Android and iOS with one code base.
Why Develop an MVP App?
There are a lot of advantages to starting with MVP app instead of building a full version of your app. It lets you test the marketplace prior to spending a lot of time and money on the full version. It also lets you have a prototype to raise funds for future app development. Finally, it will help you with roadmap of your full mobile app as you can get feedback from real users.
Advantages to developing a Minimum Viable Product?
- Launch the App Faster: Since you are launching an app with basic functionality, it should take less time to develop it. This will ensure that you are is on the stores ready for testing in a fraction of the time it would take to develop the full version of your app’s vision.
- Decreased Cost: The biggest advantage to MVP development is decreased cost. When done right, you can test your concept without spending an arm and a leg, making it more affordable to test your marketplace or finance the first version of the app prior to raising more capital.
- Future Mobile App Roadmap: A lot of times when developing the app’s roadmap, you are not sure what feature to prioritize or perhaps your investors or board of directors cannot decide on best strategy forward. Instead of guessing, why not do the research on existing users, users that are engaged with the app love to provide feedback and what they wish to see in the future. As an example, when we launched Visited, an app that now has over 2 million users, it started with a simple map of where you want to go or you have been, and a counter. Well over the years, it has grown to having a city map, travel list checklist, travel itinerary and inspiration feature and way more travel stats. This is all due to our users asking for those features, we did not have to guess we just had to listen to their requests and quantify to get the priority, resulting in a better app than we can ever imagine when we started out.
How long does it take to build an MVP app for mobile app developer?
When done right an MVP can take anywhere from 3 to 6 weeks to build, in some scenarios it can be 3 months, but should never go beyond 6 months. If it is going to take longer it means MVP plan was not done right. It is important to have a properly MVP strategy in place prior to writing any code, a senior mobile app consultant would be able to assist you with that.
Steps to take prior to doing MVP app development:
Prior to hiring a app development freelancer, it is important to ensure that you have the following MVP checklist complete. This will ensure that your app has the highest chance of success, will be build on time and will be on budget.
- What is the core functionality of the app? In other words why is your app different than similar apps. For example, you may have an app idea to build an ecommerce app to sell your products, however, instead of doing the same app your competitors are building your idea is to have a feature that will let consumers select products by colors so they can match their decor. Therefore, your core functionality would be based on color matching, and then displaying products of that color. That is the core product.
- Target Audience: Who is your ideal user? You do not have to do market research or have a demographic/psychographic profile as they do in marketing agencies. But you need to know who you are targeting. For example, is your app going to be focused on seniors, this means that your app’s UI (design) has to include big font so its easier to read. If your app is focused on those that love to sail, then you need to think how can I make an app that’s accessible offline, because they will be using it on sailing boats that may or may not have Wi-fi. Thinking through the audience prior to building will ensure best performance of the app.
- Defining KPIs for your MVP: It is always a good idea to not only focused on features or development but rather have a mathematical approach to measuring success. Having key performance indicators (KPIs) from the beginning ensures that you have a plan to execute and that your developer knows to implement event tracking inside your app. For example, if you building an app for music teachers, you may want to have a measurement on how many classes a teacher has booked, this needs to be in the development plan. Outside of in-app KPIs, you should have business goals. For example, within three months of launch, we need to have a minimum of 100 DAU (Daily Active Users) for our game app, or it is not a viable product.
Process of MVP Development:
The MVP Development process is fairly simple if you hire the right app development company. Here are the few steps to take to get your MVP into the App Store/Play Store.
- Plan for MVP: What features you want to include? What is the core of your app? The minimum requirements? What is the design going to look like, do you have a designer, brand colors, wire-frames created or would you need to create it from scratch? Do you have back-end that needs to be build to host data? What tools, frameworks and tech stack you want to use in your app development? Where will you be measuring results? Having a specific plan will go a long way, do not worry it may seem like a lot but a professional will be able to guide you and address all of these questions and find solutions in a meeting or two.
- Development: If you are hiring an app development agency or a app freelancer, this is a task for them. As the plan is in place, they can just execute, of course the best development is when there is communication between company the development to ensure that your MVP is build the way you desired.
- Testing: Prior to launch it is a good idea to do testing, while the app developer will probably implement automatic testing to check for bugs however, you should check all functionality. In fact, you should probably give the app to a few people to test or higher a proper QA testers, depending on your budget of course.
- Launch: Prior to launch itis good to go ASO (App store optimization), without it no one will find your app. Once your on page optimization is done, you can now launch your app. If you already have users in other platforms or your CRM, you can let them know that your app is live.
- Future Road map: Post launch, you should give your app some time to acquire users. After a few weeks, it is time to compare your KPIs against your goals, collect feedback from users and analyze data for future releases. After all data is analyzed it is time to map out all future development and continue development.
Where to find mobile app development services for MVP?
If you are ready to have your MVP developed, have an idea or even a plan, maybe even wireframes, it is now time to hire a mobile app developer. There are a few places you can go:
- Mobile App Development Agencies: The agencies typically work on huge budgets, so if your app is small, it is going to be hard to find an agency that will take it on. The agencies also always come with overhead for project manager, designer, testers, etc… However, if you have the budget, you do not need to find your own designer or project manager, they will provide one for you all including in app development fees.
- Flutter Freelancer: Since in our opinion the best framework to use when developing an MVP is using Flutter, you can try hiring a flutter freelancer, such as Brian Kayfitz. Brian is a mobile app developer that has build many MVPs some in a manner of weeks. In almost all industries. He can guide you through your MVP plan and consult you on pre an post development.
- Hire Developer In House: Bringing a developer in house can be a great way to control development, especially for long term maintenance of the app. The problem is if your MVP fails, now you have to let go of the developer which is often the hardest thing for entrepreneurs to do. The other issue with hiring a full time developer is the high cost, you will also need to consider to bring in testers, project manager and designer if you want to develop your own mobile app development department to support your app.
If you have an app idea, have a webapp that you want to go mobile or have MVP wire-frames ready to go, contact Brian Kayfitz, he can consult you on your mobile app strategy, set up your KPIs, develop your MVP and help you with future app’s roadmap.