How to build an app? A step-by-step guide from kickoff to submission
Did you ever wonder what it takes to build an application? In this article, we have listed the main steps that will lead you to your own hybrid and/or web App! Please note that the following process is relevant for start-to-finish projects and may vary for consulting projects.
Proposal
Every project starts with a proposal, our written response to a private or public inquiry. Proposals can be of two types based on the client organisation or the project complexity. In the proposal phase, we assess if a project is detailed enough to go straight to the development phase without further conceptualisation from our side. In this case, we formulate a fixed price proposal. If the project requires design work and/or support in the concept, we present a Design & Concept proposal. Once a proposal is accepted we can get started!
Project kick-off
It's time for all the actors to meet. In the project kick-off meeting, that usually takes place in our office in Berlin (Kreuzberg), we go through the app prototype together with our client and adjust the project plan. Our team likes to hear the stories behind your app-idea!
Design Sprint (for Design&Concept Projects)
Before we start development, we need a solid app architecture and a precise overview of all app layouts and functionalities. When this wasn't provided by the client, the design sprint helps us drawing up the requirements for the upcoming development phase. We provide our clients with insights on the latest technology available and make recommendations based on our experience and the current industry standards.
Development
The development phase starts as soon as all requirements are gathered.
- Project Setup: our lead developer creates the project and infrastructure for other developers to collaborate.
- Development & QA: the agile method allows us to iterate in short feedback loops and improve the app as we develop it.
- Release Candidate: once the app matches its requirements, we provide our client with a release candidate, a version of the app that we consider ready to go public.
The development phase ends when a release candidate is approved by the client.
Submission to the App Stores
In the majority of the cases, we submit applications to the app stores as soon as a release candidate is approved by the client. While the Play Store (Android) submission is an almost instant process, count less than half a day, the App Store (iOS) requires a manual review by Apple collaborators and can take up to 3 days. Apps that are live on the app stores are then available to the public!
