Mobile App Development Process: Step-by-Step Guide for 2023

by Shivangi

Mobile App Development Process is transforming drastically in 2023. With more than 5.48 billion mobile phone users globally, the utilization of smartphones is gradually rising at a rate of 2.9% than the previous year. Hence, it's no surprise why companies are drawn to Mobile app development.

With the progression of cutting-edge micro-processing technologies, you can now operate mobile apps on several platforms. Simply put, smartphone apps will run smoothly on desktops in the next few years. Businesses with optimized mobile applications have already accumulated over $129 billion of total app revenue by the end of 2022.

Are you planning on building a mobile application in 2023? Wondering how to develop a mobile app step-by-step? You've arrived at the right place!

Whether you're planning to develop an app for your business or simply looking to expand your skill set, this guide will provide you with practical steps to follow. So, let's get started!

In this article, explore What is mobile app development process?, How to build a mobile app? and Steps to create a mobile app.

Mobile App Development Lifecycle 2023

Before explaining the step-by-step mobile app development process, it's important to know about the mobile app development lifecycle in 2023. Mobile app development involves planning, design, development, testing, deployment, and maintenance to create apps that meet user needs and drive business growth.

According to recent research, Americans check their devices once every 12 minutes. In North America, there were 12.1 billion mobile app downloads in 2018, and that number is expected to rise to 15.2 billion by 2023. There are more statistics to consider:

  • Every day, 11.5 billion hours are spent on social media mobile platforms worldwide.
  • By 2023, mobile app sales are anticipated to reach $613 billion.
  • An average user uses mobile apps for roughly 35 hours each month.
  • 58.33% of internet traffic is generated by mobile devices.
  • 85% of customers prefer mobile apps over websites.

The statistics mentioned above may inspire those interested in developing a high-quality app. However, it is crucial to understand the specific steps for mobile app development beforehand. While developing a smartphone application can be a profitable venture, it is important to approach the decision with thoughtful analysis and planning.

Remember that your mobile application will compete with 3.55 million apps on Google Play Store and 1.6 million apps on the App Store.

Before we start with mobile app development steps, know here How to Choose a Mobile App Development Partner?

Mobile App Development Steps 2023

Your mobile application development journey begins here! Go through these mobile app development steps to build an app:

Step #1: Specify your goals

You must have a proper goal for app development. The goals you set will simplify the whole mobile app development process. So, try to focus on setting measurable objectives. You can create SMART goals for catering to your end-users along with your business goals.

People often describe goals monetarily instead of focusing on their mission and motive. Here, it's crucial to have transparent numerical KPIs to succeed.

For example, if you wish to build an application for an eCommerce company, one of the major objectives will be lowering cart abandonment rates on smartphones. To reach that goal, you must know the recent abandonment rates.

Step #2: Perform market analysis

Once you've specified your goals, perform a market analysis for the app. Mobile App Development needs in-depth market research and pre-planning.

Market research aids your business in understanding the industry trends, target audience, and competitors. You need to validate your idea to build a top-notch application. For a market evaluation, you can do the following:

  • Create surveys
  • Perform interviews
  • Operate a focus group
  • Research your competition
  • Know the best way to build an app that boosts the customer experience.

Step #3: Assess and plan your app development

Likewise, after market research, pre-planning helps the developers plan the most unforeseen issues, such as strategy development issues. Moreover, it aids in managing market competition. The significance of pre-planning is the following:

  • It gives a transparent route and assists the developers in planning for the target audience.
  • It maintains the transparency of the interaction system between the developers and users.
  • It aids in goal-based and focused creation and production procedures.
  • It gives clarity on goals and concepts.
  • It provides precise cost evaluation.
  • It reduces delays.

Step #4: Develop UI/UX Design

Users form strong opinions about your mobile application based on its appearance and performance. Whether a complete program or an MVP, you must ensure the design is excellent and the user experience is at its best. While creating mobile apps, it's vital to know user experience and user interface.

Mobile application design process

You need to consider your end-user while designing the mobile application. The steps to design a mobile app are the following:

  • Creating user diagram/ user flow for every screen.
  • Building wireframes.
  • Selecting design patterns, elements, and palettes.
  • Building mockups.
  • Generating an animate prototype and asking specific questions.
  • Provide final touches to the mockup concerning user feedback.

Step #5: Opt for a preferred mobile app development method

Various methods are available for app development, so it is essential to identify the appropriate approach that suits your specific situation before commencing the development process.

From software development outsourcing to no code application builder, you have to opt for the right mobile app development platforms. These are the three core parts of mobile app development projects:

  • Innovations for mobile backend servers
  • Object-Oriented Programming Interfaces (OOP)
  • Front-end programming.

Step #6: Experimenting the built application

The quality-checking is important once you develop an app. It ensures the stability, credibility, and usability of the application built.

Generally, testing is of two types: manual and computerized. Whether a program requires manual testing or computerized testing can produce reliable findings is contingent upon the type of application.

Any application must successfully navigate various testing procedures to produce a flawless application. These are the primary testing techniques for any mobile applications:

  • Functional Screening
  • Performance Screening
  • User experience & interface screening
  • Documentation screening
  • Security screening
  • Configuration screening
  • Platform screening
  • Recovery screening
  • Beta screening
  • Certification screening

Step #7: Testing stages

The app testing stage is essential to the mobile app development process. It helps measure the application's quality. Go through the steps below to finish a mobile app development testing procedure:

  • Test scope
  • Planning
  • Tracking
  • Evaluation

Step #8: Deployment & maintenance

It's time for deployment once you have developed and evaluated an app. Another name for app deployment is mobile application launch. Here are the best practices to follow:

  • Assess the app's performance.
  • Update the user interface.
  • The app must support the newest software.
  • Fix bugs.
  • Insert new features regularly.

App development is not an easier process, but you can refine your strategy with each subsequent iteration. With approximately 6.5% of total retail sales coming from smartphone checkout, mobile eCommerce apps have become a crucial digital platform. This is how it helps maximize global reach and drive business growth in 2023. Therefore, following the eight steps mentioned above will aid you in building and publishing a successful app.

Also read our blog, Tips for Scaling Mobile Apps Beyond An MVP