7 Mobile App Development Tips for Founders
July 23, 2024
Case Study: Healthcare App Development
April 16, 2024
7 Mobile App Development Tips for Founders
At Chipsy.io, we believe that every great mobile app starts with a visionary founder. We partner with founders to transform their innovative ideas into fully functional mobile apps. By combining your vision with our expertise in full-stack mobile app development, we create seamless and efficient solutions that bring your product to life.
Our team’s extensive experience in design and development allows us to work swiftly and effectively, ensuring that your app not only meets but exceeds your expectations. But efficiency is just the beginning. Specializing in mobile app development offers immense advantages for founders, CIOs, and CTOs. Here’s why partnering with an expert development team can make all the difference:
Value
Specialization means that our team can hit the ground running from day one. We know the ins and outs of mobile application development, allowing us to anticipate challenges and find solutions quickly. This eliminates a lot of waste during software development, ultimately reducing your costs. Unlike a general development shop that assembles new teams for each project, our team has history of working together using well-established processes.
Think of it like a surgical team: data shows that surgical teams with consistent experience together make fewer mistakes and achieve better outcomes compared to teams working together for the first time. Similarly, our experienced team delivers a finished project faster, with higher quality, and at a lower cost. Expertise born from experience ensures that your mobile app development is smooth, efficient, and successful.
Time to Market
Getting an app into the hands of customers as soon as possible is a top priority for founders. Delays in development cascade into other areas like marketing and sales, and the longer it goes on, the more competitors benefit from your absence. Stumbling in development due to an inability to execute the vision often leads to irreversible lags. Once problems creep up in software development, they often signal more issues ahead.
As a founder, one of the best ways to ensure your mobile app development partner can execute effectively is to have a clear vision for your app. If you already have a desktop app, that’s a great start, but it’s not enough. You need to carefully consider which features you want in the mobile app. Bringing in all the features from a desktop app might bog down the performance of a mobile app.
Consider a financial services brokerage firm. Their desktop app might offer functionalities like setting up new accounts, transferring money, and downloading tax forms. However, these features are not likely what their customers want on a mobile app used for checking stock prices and making trades on-the-go.
Having a set of prioritized features for your mobile app at the start of the project is crucial. If you’re unsure which features to include, conducting customer research is essential. We understand that founders are busy and may not have all the answers. It’s the rare founder who has expertise in survey methods and experience with building mobile apps. Research methods are a specialization that take years to build. That’s why we offer research services with all our engagements. Our expertise in research ensures that your app will include the features that matter most to your users, setting the stage for a successful launch.
Mobile Native
There are many software development companies, many with years of experience and competitive pricing. So, how do you decide which one to choose? Mobile is unlike other platforms in that “good enough” usually isn’t. Let’s start with design. Users are less forgiving of a bad mobile UX that hasn’t thought through efficient pathways to app features and functionality. A mobile designer has to be much more economical with gestures due to space constraints and user expectations. The difference between designing for desktop SaaS and a mobile app is like the difference between landscaping your lawn with shrubbery and designing a bonsai garden.
The next important consideration is performance. When dealing with mobile OTA (over-the-air) data transmission, careful thought must be given to what gets stored locally and what is accessed remotely (we’ll touch on security a little later). The wrong decision can bog down an app and frustrate users, leading them to abandon your app.
Additionally, decisions must be made about whether to develop natively on iOS and Android or use a hybrid approach that works across both platforms. You want to ensure that the software development firm can provide objective advice and doesn’t have a vested interest in a particular solution. For example, a firm that prefers developing hybrid apps using Flutter might not be the right fit for your market and customers.
There are many low-rated apps due to poor design and performance. It’s cheaper and faster to do it right the first time than to try to recover from a bad reputation.
Built with Security in Mind
Security on mobile apps is a world unto itself. There are many considerations for app access, data storage, and interaction with third-party services. Let’s take data security as an example. You need to determine which data is saved at rest (locally on the device) and which data is in transit (between the device and a server, for example, stored in the database). Ensuring that data is encrypted during transmission might be important for your app to prevent breaches such as man-in-the-middle attacks.
Your mobile app development partner should be adept at researching and documenting best practices, user expectations, and any regulations specific to your sector. Each of these aspects is distinct and requires upfront consideration when designing your app. Best practices ensure your app is built on a solid foundation, user expectations guide the development of secure and user-friendly features, and regulatory compliance protects your app from legal issues.
For instance, in sectors like healthcare or finance, there are stringent regulations around data security, such as HIPAA or PCI-DSS. Failing to adhere to these can result in severe penalties and loss of trust. Therefore, your development partner must have experience navigating these regulatory landscapes.
Moreover, mobile security extends beyond just data encryption. It includes securing app access through robust authentication methods, protecting sensitive information with appropriate permissions, and ensuring secure interactions with third-party services. A comprehensive security approach involves regular security assessments, updates, and user education on maintaining security on their end.
Choosing a mobile app partner who prioritizes security from the beginning ensures that your app not only meets user and regulatory expectations but also stands resilient against potential threats.
Customization
If you already have a SaaS solution, finding a mobile developer who can create a seamless and uniform experience between your desktop and mobile platforms is crucial. While the overall user experience (UX) is important, what often gets overlooked is the choice of features and functionality for the mobile app.
Your mobile app should complement and enhance the desktop experience, not simply replicate it. This means understanding which features are most valuable to your users when they are on the go. For instance, desktop users might appreciate comprehensive dashboards and detailed reporting, while mobile users may prioritize quick access to essential functions and notifications.
Articulating your vision for what you believe your customers will want to do on mobile is a crucial step. This includes identifying the key tasks and interactions that will deliver the most value to mobile users. Your development partner should be adept at translating this vision into a design that is intuitive and efficient.
Consider a scenario where your SaaS solution involves project management. The desktop version might offer extensive features for project setup, resource allocation, and in-depth analytics. However, the mobile app should focus on quick updates, task checklists, and real-time notifications to keep users connected and productive on the move.
Effective customization also involves ensuring that the mobile app’s design language and navigation are consistent with the desktop version. This creates a cohesive brand experience and reduces the learning curve for users transitioning between platforms.
Moreover, your mobile developer should be flexible and innovative, capable of integrating new technologies and features that enhance the mobile experience. Whether it’s utilizing device-specific functionalities like geolocation, push notifications, or biometric authentication, the goal is to make the mobile app as engaging and functional as possible.
Choosing a mobile app development partner who understands the nuances of customization ensures that your mobile app not only aligns with your SaaS solution but also meets the unique needs of your mobile users, driving greater engagement and satisfaction.
Mobile Design vs. Mobile Development
When choosing how to develop your mobile app, you have two options: working with a separate mobile design agency and a separate mobile software developer, or partnering with a full-service firm that handles both design and development in-house.
Opting for separate mobile design and development agencies can be a good approach, especially if you are drawn to the design capabilities of a particular firm. Once the designer is done, they will need to help you communicate all of the behaviors from the design board to the development team. This method, however, comes with risks because you are working with two different shops in two completely different disciplines. It’s akin to managing a kitchen renovation with an interior designer, electricians, plumbers, cabinet makers, and appliance retailers. The complexity of coordinating so many trades is why many choose to work with a general contractor (GC) who is responsible for bringing your vision to life.
Similarly, a software development shop that specializes in mobile and has in-house designers and developers can play the role of a GC. This means they oversee the entire process from design to development, ensuring a cohesive and efficient workflow. When you work with one firm, there is no finger-pointing when things get missed or don’t work out as the designer envisioned. Instead, the team works together to solve any issues that arise, providing a smoother and more integrated development process.
When evaluating firms, it’s crucial to understand their strengths. Are they primarily designers who hand off their Figma files to a developer? Are they mainly developers who will “design whatever you want” but lack expertise in mobile-specific UX and UI? Or do they specialize in mobile design, front-end, and back-end development, and are capable of taking your vision from the first conversation to a fully functional mobile app?
Choosing a firm that excels in both design and development ensures that your app is not only visually appealing but also functionally robust. This integrated approach reduces the risk of miscommunication and project delays, ultimately leading to a higher quality product that meets your users’ needs.
Mobile Research
Having been involved in customer research for over 25 years, I’ve never seen it play as crucial a role as it does with mobile apps. The best mobile apps are designed with the user sitting right next door. When that’s not possible, thorough research is the next best approach. Having a partner with expertise in conducting various types of research will significantly increase the chances of your app being used—and loved—by your customers.
Our research methods include survey instruments, focus groups, and online usability testing. These tools help us gather valuable insights directly from your target audience. Our team has years of experience as researchers, and they know how to discern the critical elements of user feedback that designers need. Research without proper interpretation for mobile UX isn’t going to help you much. You need a team that can get to the heart of what end-users are looking for.
Surveys allow us to collect quantitative data on user preferences and behaviors, giving us a broad understanding of what features and functionalities are most desired. Focus groups provide qualitative insights, where users can discuss their experiences and expectations in detail. Online usability testing lets us observe how real users interact with the app, identifying any pain points or areas of confusion.
Moreover, our expertise in mobile research extends beyond just gathering data. We excel in interpreting this data to extract actionable insights. This means understanding not just what users say, but what they actually need and how they behave. This nuanced understanding is crucial for designing a mobile app that truly resonates with your audience.
Incorporating these research insights into the design and development process ensures that your app is user-centric from the ground up. This approach not only enhances user satisfaction but also increases user retention and engagement, setting the stage for your app’s long-term success.
Choosing a partner with a deep understanding of mobile research methods and a proven track record in interpreting and applying user feedback can make all the difference in creating a successful mobile app. Our team’s expertise ensures that your app is not only functional but also intuitive and delightful to use.
Move Forward with Confidence
If this all makes sense to you, great! That means you can take this information and put it into action. I’ve purposely avoided a lot of tech jargon because it’s not helpful when founders are trying to get help with building a mobile app. Founders need to have a clear vision for what they want to build and an understanding of the obstacles that can arise.
With the seven aspects of mobile app development covered here, I’m confident that anyone looking to build a mobile app will find success. Remember, the key to a successful app lies in understanding your users, prioritizing security, ensuring seamless design and development, and choosing the right development partner.
If you’d like to learn more about our mobile design and development focus, we’d love to hear from you. Our team is ready to help you turn your vision into a reality, ensuring a smooth and successful app development journey from start to finish. Let’s create something amazing together!
About the Author
Ren, CEO of Chipsy.io, began his career pioneering mobile testing and performance monitoring during the nascent stages of smartphone technology. His expertise has evolved, leading several tech, marketing, and financial service companies as CEO and CMO.
