• Adaptive Maintenance – Changing hardware & software demands
• Corrective Maintenance – Making repairs in everyday application functions
• Emergency Maintenance – Taking care of immediate problems quickly
• Preventive Maintenance – Reducing the occurrence of potential errors
• Perfective Maintenance – Changing the source code to offer new features

Read on below to find out more about the importance of app maintenance and how not keeping on top of some of the problems within your app could cost you massively in the long term.

Identifying Bugs

If your app consists of several unfixed bugs this is a major issue and could be the reason for several problems including app failure, bad code and overall poor user experience. Bugs may also appear due to a change in the hardware, platform, framework or many other reasons. Regular app maintenance reviews your application’s code quality to track bugs and any other functionality-related issues that may have occurred, it will fix them quickly to ensure the majority of your users are not impacted for a long time.

Frequent Updates

Consistently updating your app is an absolute must. The reason for this is so you be on top of any OS Android and IOS upgrades that are also quite frequent. If you regularly update your application, this will ensure quality and massively reduce the chance of any issues occurring. App maintenance is so important in this instance due to the advancements in technology that Android and Apple are making each day. If your app gets to a point where it is no longer supported by these major software updates, it will practically become useless and will die out.

Ensure Your App Stays on the App Stores

Following on from the previous point, both the Android and Apple app stores tend to keep changing their rules all the time. This means that when you are doing app maintenance, you need to be extremely vigilant to ensure your app is still meeting the required regulations of the app store. IOS and Android are being constantly updated with new features and API’s so you must ensure your app is compatible with these or it may be removed from the app stores.

Business Growth

Keeping general app maintenance will improve your business as a whole. Without constant updates and tweaks, it is extremely unlikely that your app will perform the desired operations to its highest capability. If you are wanting to match your business performance needs and achieve optimum business growth then regular app maintenance will be required.

Contact Appoly Australia for App Development

If you are looking to develop a web or mobile app or have an idea that you’d like to discuss then get in touch and speak to one of our expert Australian-based development team members.

We’re always happy to discuss new projects, whether big or small.

You can get in touch by using the contact form on our contact page.

The post Why is App Maintenance Important? appeared first on Appoly.

Without doing extensive research in the market, your users and competitors your mobile app will most likely fail. Read on below to find out the true importance of researching your target market before developing a mobile app.

What is the Impact of Research?

Completing research is extremely important to the entire development stage of your mobile app. You need to truly understand your end user and what they are wanting in order for you to add the necessary changes throughout development. This way when it hits the market, users will immediately flock to it as you have created a mobile app for them. It is crucial that you understand just how saturated the market of mobile apps is in order to try and spot a gap for your mobile app to shine through! Once you research the market you will gauge an understanding how you can make an impact and how your app can be a success.

What Problem Are You Solving?

Before you begin development of your app you should ask yourself one question, ‘What problem am I solving?’ if you cannot answer that question then you should stop your plans of a mobile app completely. If you do not provide an answer to your users’ problems then why would they be interested in downloading and actively using your mobile app? Once you can identify the problem you are wanting to solve for your user, whether that be convenience or even boredom, then you have a reason or problem to solve. Your mobile app should aim to improve the lives of your target audience, not to a huge extent but just enough so that your app is worth their time.

Assess Your Target Audience

Once you have disposed of any doubts of the use for your mobile app, you need to assess and locate your target audience. This step is vital to you building a strong user base in the future of your mobile app. Understanding your target audience will help you build a mobile app that will suit there exact needs and increase the chances of them supporting your business in the long term.

Research Your Competitors

Another aspect that may be overlooked before the mobile app development process is the research you should conduct on your competitors. You must know your point of difference and be able to know why your app will be chosen over a competitor in the same market. Remember, there are millions of apps available to download on the Google Play and App Store so you are going to need to do some extensive market research.

Contact Appoly Australia for Mobile App Development

If you are looking to develop a mobile app or have an idea that you’d like to discuss then get in touch and speak to one of our expert Australian based development team members.

We’re always happy to discuss new projects, whether big or small.

You can get in touch by using the contact form on our contact page.

The post Importance of Researching the Target Market Before Mobile App Development appeared first on Appoly.

Understanding Your Requirements

Now before you go into the proper negotiations with an app development company it is vital that they understand your requirements and demands. If you and the app development company are not on the same page, then they may include certain elements in your app that you do not want, and this will cause tension and damage the working relationship. If you are looking to develop a mobile app through an app development team and your main motivation is that you are ‘wanting an app just so you can say that you have an app’ then you should seriously reconsider.

With this mindset the app development company won’t have a clear enough brief and so you will most likely just end up with the bare minimum as a finished product and this will not influence any new customers or impress your current ones. It is crucial to know that successful apps have to start with a desirable product, if no one is interested in what you are selling then they probably will not use your app. Ensure you have a level of attraction in your business before creating a mobile app.

Assess Their App Development Team

Once you have a clear direction and motive for your app then you should scout around app development teams and research the individuals and their past work. For example, if you have a successful meeting with an app development company and this has convinced you to go with them, you should not choose straight away. Ensure you have run background checks on the company and its developers and read any credible reviews online about the company, it is very easy for a dodgy app development team to look the part in an interview so try not to get pulled in before you know more about them.

The process of building a mobile app is no easy feat by any means, you will have to find an app development team that are skilled enough to deliver the finished product of which you desire. At Appoly AU, our team is made up of a range of talented developers that will be more than happy to develop a mobile app for your company in Australia. Whether it is an IOS or Android based mobile app. Our team will deliver your vision and create a finished product you can be proud of.

Clarify Their Pricing

After you have assessed your chosen app development team you must clarify your budget and their pricing. If any of the costs and expenses are hidden or left undiscussed prior to development, then things may start to get rather heated. A skilled mobile app company will not want to put countless hours of their time into making your mobile app, only for you to just say you cannot afford it or won’t pay the price they are wanting. A good development team should always deliver a unique quote that will discuss the structured prices for their services, if a company is not so clear on costs beforehand then this is a sign for you to drop them as a developer as this not only shows signs of unprofessionalism, yet they may be adding hidden costs along the way during the app development process.

<H3> Contact Appoly AU for App Development <H3>

If you are looking to develop a web or mobile app or have an idea that you’d like to discuss then get in touch and speak to one of our expert AU based development team members.

We’re always happy to discuss new projects, whether big or small.

You can get in touch by using the contact form on our contact page.

The post How to Choose the Right Mobile App Company in Australia appeared first on Appoly.

Read on below to find out how an app can give you an advantage over your business competitors.

Higher Sales of Products & Services

Apps allow you to increase sales of products & services as they create more notability around your business. A study conducted in September 2015 found out that over the course of 3 months, consumers who downloaded a branded app increased spending from over 19% to 48%! With that level of increase it surely should be a no-brainer for business owners who are already selling products via their website, to create another way of increasing sales through a mobile app. You can also pick up your phone and buy through an app in a matter of minutes, if your business is closed for the day in person then someone online could still be buying your products through a mobile app and you can literally make money in your sleep!

People Prefer Apps to Websites

As I have already alluded  to, the ease of picking up your mobile phone and buying products in minutes is a great advantage to have over your competitors. It is much less fuss to simply open an app than it is to go on your browser and search for a specific website to buy something. If anything can be made faster it means it will gain popularity due to more people wanting to have a shortcut to everything in life (we are a very lazy species!) 85% of mobile users prefer mobile apps to websites, if you develop an app for your consumers it will influence them to spend more on your company, as long as it is well-designed and formatted. To ensure you can have the  best performing mobile app, be sure to take a look at our mobile app development page and get in touch with us here at Appoly.

Creating Brand Loyalty

By developing an app for your business you immediately create a bubble of users that have gone out of their way to download it. This automatically creates brand loyalty as these people are engaged with your business and want an easier way to access your products or services. This gives you an advantage over your competitors as these loyal users will tend to prioritise your business over your competition. An app is much more user friendly and welcoming than a website, when people buy off a website it is just a cold and purely transactional process. In comparison, an app is a place where people go to consistently spend their time and money on and have an idea of your what your business offers.

Contact Appoly AU for App Development

If you are looking to develop a web or mobile app or have an idea that you’d like to discuss then get in touch and speak to one of our expert AU based development team members.

We’re always happy to discuss new projects, whether big or small. You can get in touch by using the contact form on our contact page.

The post How Can an App Give You the Advantage Over Competitors? appeared first on Appoly.

Food Delivery App

Now implementing food delivery into your mobile app is a great way to reach new customers and those that cannot make it to your restaurant or bar in person. A mobile app that allows customers to order food from your restaurant, have access to the entire menu and pay for and review your food will prove to be a lucrative investment. The revenue from food delivery rises each year with more people wanting an easier way to enjoy eating out without leaving the house! In fact the total increase from 2015 and 2020 was around 204%.

Coupon Mobile App

Now who doesn’t appreciate a discount or coupon? We all do! As more people are switching to online food delivery methods, restaurants and bars have had to adapt and learn to compete. The easiest way to do this of course is with price. A great thing that we would advise to implement in a mobile app for your restaurant is a coupon/promotional system. This immediately draws more attention to your restaurant as many customers are wanting the best value for money, something like a ‘buy one get one free’ offer on your mobile app would be hugely beneficial for your restaurant.

Table Reservation App

Within a mobile app it is a great idea that you have a system that allows your customers to pre-book and plan before they come into your restaurant. This way they will be able to pre-order their meals and drinks to save the hassle for when they get there. This will also reflect positively on your restaurant as customers will feel they are being properly catered to and cared for, this will encourage them to become regular attendees at your establishment and also share their positive experiences with friends and family. Additionally, it is a great way for your staff to be prepared for customers and it relieves stress from their jobs as they will not have any issues with orders or finding seating for new customers.

Contact Appoly AU for App Development

If you are looking to develop a web or mobile app or have an idea that you’d like to discuss then get in touch and speak to one of our expert AU based development team members.

We’re always happy to discuss new projects, whether big or small.

You can get in touch by using the contact form on our contact page.

The post Mobile App Ideas for Restaurants and Bars appeared first on Appoly.

What is the COVIDSafe App Useful for?

The COVIDSafe app is used by health officials to identify those who may have been exposed to COVID-19. This technology is helpful as without it, we would have to rely on people having to personally contact everyone they have had close contact with and they may not know all the contact details for all of the people they could have potentially come into contact with, or would be unaware of the amount of people they came into close contact within public spaces and potentially infected.

How Does the Mobile App Work?

You can find the COVIDSafe app on the App Store & Google Play store, to register for it the app requires your name, age, mobile number and postcode. Once you have entered in these details you will then be sent a confirmation text message in order to complete the installation. From your information, the COVIDSafe app will generate an encrypted code for the app on your phone. To use the app you must have it running in the background via Bluetooth connection, however, you can still use your phone as normal so this will not hinder your mobile experience at all.

Is Privacy Considered?

As we have mentioned previously, with the encrypted code generated upon registration and sent out to every individual user, privacy is a foundational part of the COVIDSafe app. The mobile app has a wide range of security and privacy safeguards built into it. The app guarantees encryption and assures that no location-based data is collected. In fact, on the 14^th May 2020, Parliament passed the Privacy Amendment (Public Health Contact Information) Act. This was passed as a way to support the take up of the COVIDSafe app and ensure that user privacy remains a fundamental priority.

Can You Delete the App?

Yes. The app, just like any other mobile app on your phone can be deleted without any hassle. There are some perceptions that the app would stay on your phone for a prolonged period of time as a security measure yet this is not the case at all. The app is 100% voluntary and is just a precautionary measure that you can take to help out health officials and limit the amount of COVID-19 cases.

Contact Appoly AU for App Development

If you are looking to develop a web or mobile app or have a business concept that you’d like to discuss with us, then get in touch and speak to one of our expert Australian based development team members.

We’re always happy to discuss new projects, whether big or small.

You can get in touch by using the contact form on our contact page.

The post What is Australia’s COVIDSafe App? appeared first on Appoly.

As experienced app developers, we are often asked by prospective clients with an app idea; ‘how much will my project cost?’ This is always a difficult question to anwser initially because without much knowledge of your requirements and objectives we are unable to provide an accurate quote straight away. In order to provide an accurate quote, most app development agenciees will request a Mobile App Requirements Brief to clarify your app’s features and functionalities, or a specification document detailing your technical requirements.  

How to estimate the cost of your app idea

The first thing to be aware of is that you are paying for the development team’s time, not the product or solution itself. Therefore, the more complex your app, the more expensive it will be to develop because it requires more hours to build. For example, the difference in time between developing a simple content-based app compared to a complex gaming app can vary dramatically, from £20,000 to well over £100,000. So, by clarifying the purpose of your app and how you want it to function, which platform you want it built on and who your target demographic will be, your app developers should be able to provide an accurate estimation of mobile app development costs.

 

How to estimate the cost of your app idea

1. Complexity of Features

When starting your project, you need to define your app’s functionality and clarify the complexity of these features/requirements. Will your app require simple functionality, or will the features be more complex? The more complex your requirements are, the more hours your developers will have to work on your product and consequently, the more money it will cost you. Here’s a list of more complex apps that your idea may fall into:

• Data consumption apps
• Social networking apps
• E-commerce apps
• On-demand apps
• Marketplace apps
• Gaming apps
• Enterprise-level solutions

2. Which Platform? Android vs iOS

The platform you choose to launch on first can have a big impact on the mobile app development costs. Since iOS and Android use different languages, developing both natively doubles the cost. If you are looking to keep the cost down, you may want to consider launching your app on one platform only; iOS or Android.  Apple products still dominate the market in the UK and the US so we often recommend launching on iOS first and then developing an Android app afterwards if you’d prfer to prioritise one platform for initial launch.

3. Features and Functionality 

Once you have decided what platform to build on, it is important to think about the smaller details. In terms of the app’s functionality, think closely about the user journey. Does the app need a login feature or a screen that enables users to create a personal profile? Does it need a messaging service or a GPS location tracker? There are no exact figures for how much different features will cost as they will differ between projects and development agencies. Again, you must remember that you’re not paying for the features themselves, you’re paying for the development time it takes to build the features. Here are a few features that typically fall on the higher end of the development-cost scale: 

• Social media integration – allowing users to share content on socials within the app
• E-commerce – ensuring that payments are processed securely
• Databases – an app that stores third-party data
• Enterprise-level solutions – designed to integrate multiple facets of a business or team by syncing various business processes and databases on one accessbile platform for employees
• Servers – are you paying for your developer’s servers?
• 24/7 support- do you require continuous support and maintenance?

Features such as third-party integrations and a back-end admin panel or infrastructure are also additions that can be costly to develop. The back-end is often the most over looked part of the app, but is key to the overall success of the product. From the back-end admin control panel, you can manage the app, content and users. Rather than using an open-source CMS, Appoly develop all backend systems bespoke to your requirements. We use a Symfony framework to ensure it is secure, scalable and robust. Depending on access levels, the amount of information the database needs to store, and its complexity, the backend system can cost from £5,000 to £30,000 to build.  

It is also important to bear in mind that taking payments within your app can be expensive, especially if you are considering using external payment platforms such as Paypal or Stripe.

We recommend that the first version of any app should be stripped back to just the core or essential features, to ensure it is approved by the store during the submission process and to keep the mobile app development costs down. This is called the MVP (Minimum Viable Product), it is an app with the minimum functionality possible whilst still providing a viable solution for users. Once you have decided on your app’s basic functionality it will be easier to provide a good idea of how much your project will cost. 

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4. Don’t forget about marketing and maintenance

‍Marketing your app is also essential, due to the competitive nature of the App Store and Google Play Store. Therefore, you should set aside 30% of your total investment for marketing your app. Don’t forget, that updates and maintenance will also be required beyond development, so remember these additional mobile application development costs. (Take a look at Appoly’s App+ service here.)‍

Discovery and Design

Appoly offers a Discovery and Design package which acts as a useful pre-investment, laying the foundation for the end-product. This involves carrying out detailed user research and using this to create a mock-up of your app, including sketches, wireframes, and a UI and branding kit. We then put these together to create an interactive prototype that demonstrates your app’s basic functionality. This provides a valuable insight into what the app will look like and how it will work. More importantly, it is also a way to gauge an estimate of how much it will cost to build. 

To summarise, mobile app development costs will differ depending on a number of factors. Beyond this article, the Appoly team have a wealth of experience and are more than happy to discuss the estimation process further with you. Get in touch with Appoly today so we can work with you to finalise your requirements and provide you with an estimated cost.

Email for enquiries: georgia@appoly.co.uk

The post How Much Does it Cost to Develop a Mobile App? appeared first on Appoly.

Whilst mobile apps are a great digital investment for a lot of businesses looking to leverage the power of technology or transform digital processes, apps are not always the ideal solution for every business. 

Many startups, looking at the success of Uber, Airbnb and Instagram for example, assume that a mobile app is the best place to start, however, this is not always the case. With a limited budget it may be best to test your concept with a web-based MVP. A website can prove to be more cost-effective and provide a greater level of flexibility as it’s easier to make changes to your website after you’ve received user feedback and are ready to jump into the next phase of development. 

Before making your decision, consider the tips and advice we have put together below aimed at helping businesses understand the value of mobile apps and websites respectively. 

Consider Your Target Market

It’s important to carry out extensive research on your user base in order to decide whether a website or a mobile app will suit user needs and generate more conversions. If you’re targeting an older user base eg. 65s and over then a website may be a better starting point as opposed to a mobile app. 

Whilst older internet users are increasingly active online, some older people lack online confidence as research reveals that a large proportion of individuals over 65 are less likely to trust companies to keep their data secure online, especially via mobile apps. A fifth (20%) of people over 65 describe themselves as ‘not confident’ online, much higher than the average (7%). Subsequently, it’s evident that older users feel more comfortable browsing through a website on a desktop as opposed to using a mobile app on a smartphone, considering a significant percentage of older users may not have access to a smartphone. 

On the other hand, if your target user base ranges from the 16-30-year-old market then a mobile app will be well received and will generate a significant number of conversions. Millennials and ‘Gen Z’ users are accustomed to seamless user experiences online when engaging with brands and will expect attractive UI and a user-friendly experience whilst using smartphone applications. Studies reveal that social networking applications and marketplace apps are most popular amongst 18-29-year-olds, with over 44% of individuals aged 18-24 using social media apps more than five times a day. These statistics should be taken into consideration by businesses looking to disrupt younger markets. 

Start off with a mobile app if you’re considering the following:

Personalising your user experience

Websites and web apps offer personalised experiences to users, however, if your users desire a greater level of personalisation or there is a networking/social element to your product then a mobile app is the better approach. Mobile apps facilitate greater personalisation enabling you to offer tailored communication to users based on their interests, location, usage and behaviour. Apps not only offer a far more personalised customer experience and the ability to offer custom recommendations, but it’s easier to track and observe user engagement via a mobile app, allowing you to improve conversion rates. For example, the ‘explore’ page on the Instagram application is tailored towards user preferences, automatically recommending images and content based on posts similar to those ‘liked’ by a user or ‘liked’ by accounts that the user is following. 

Have you thought about native smartphone functionality? 

Although websites and web apps have advanced dramatically in recent years with the advent of HTML5, it remains difficult to access the native capabilities of your smartphone or computer via a website or web app. Developing a mobile app instead of a website will enable you to access and capitalise on the native functionality of a mobile device such as a smartphone camera, contact list or GPS. Additional native functionality will enhance the user experience of your product and subsequently, provide a superior level of customer experience. For example, the ‘live location’ feature on the Uber application, enabling users to share their location with others would not be possible on a web application or a website. 

Will your users require offline functionality? 

Additionally, if you want to enable users to access content without an internet connection then a native mobile app is the ideal solution as users will still be able to use the app offline as opposed to a website or web application that is limited to an internet connection. At Appoly, we built an automatic ‘sync’ functionality for our client Thames Water’s application, so data syncs automatically when the user is connected to the internet.

Have you thought about notifications?

Notifying users via a website involves sending out email notifications or SMS notifications which can be quite costly for the product owner coupled with the fact that users do not always feel comfortable sharing their mobile numbers. Using email as a way to engage prospects and customers has seen a massive decline in recent years. Email messaging has lost the effectiveness it once had and click rates and open rates seem to remain on the decline. It seems that push notifications and in-app notifications are the new and enhanced ways of engaging and updating users as opposed to email notifications via web browsers. Research reveals that there have been instances where the push medium of notifications has delivered click-through rates of 40% with many users feeling that push notifications notify and engage users in a less intrusive manner.

Security Concerns?

‍If you’re looking towards developing a digital solution that will require users to provide sensitive data and information such as online banking and fintech solutions, or healthcare apps involving medical data and personal medical history, a mobile app could be an optimal solution. Apps offer Touch ID, Face ID and Two-Factor Authentication such as using GPS to verify a user’s location before allowing users access to sensitive information. At Appoly, we sandbox and encrypt data to isolate apps from each other to ensure that they are a secure option for storing personal user data. 

Start off with a website or a web app if you’re considering the following:

Concerned about screen size

If you’re aiming to develop a complex management system for internal staff in order to streamline processes, then a web-based product would be far more suitable in comparison to a mobile app as it is easier for users to analyse and enter complex data on a larger screen. Similarly, if you’d like users to be able to download and view PDFs and data collection forms then the benefits of a bigger screen on a web-based portal or system outweigh those of a mobile app product. For example, Appoly is building the ‘Talent Engage’ platform for leading IT recruitment agency Talent International, aimed at redefining the contractor experience. We came to the conclusion along with our client that a web app would be a more appropriate solution due to the fact that contractors will use the platform to enter large amounts of data and would require a larger screen size. 

Budget Constraints?

Based on over a decade of industry experience, we have found that budget constraints often dictate whether a client will choose to develop a web-based MVP over a mobile app. If you’re a startup with a new concept/idea and a limited budget then a web-based MVP or web app is a great first investment, enabling you to promote brand visibility and awareness before securing funding to invest in native app development. 

Similarly, SME’s who are focused on implementing digital transformation strategies but are limited by budget should start by ensuring their website is mobile optimised and user-friendly with attractive UI that promotes a consistent brand narrative before they look to invest in mobile app development. A phased approach towards implementing digital transformation will maximise return on investment. 

User Acquisition 

It is arguable that a website is far easier to advertise and link to elsewhere online, especially with tools such as ‘Google Ads’. More than this, leveraging the power of SEO, for example, makes it far easier to promote your brand online as opposed to promoting a mobile app product, as the first point of call for searches is still mainly Google via a web page (web presence is vital). However, mobile apps and websites are not mutually exclusive and can certainly work together to build an overall brand identity, a multi-channel approach is desirable if your budget allows for this, therefore consider promoting your mobile app product using a web-based landing page to acquire users.

Whether you start by building a mobile app or a website will depend on the target market you’re aiming to attract, the problem you are aiming to provide a solution to, and the features and functionality requested by your user base. A multi-channel approach will have the most desirable effect as websites or web-based platforms work effectively with mobile apps to promote strong brand identity, increase brand awareness and brand engagement, and ultimately offer a superior user experience. 

Email for enquiries: georgia@appoly.co.uk

The post Should I Develop a Website or a Mobile App? appeared first on Appoly.

It’s important to consider the ways you can transform your digital strategy and business processes. Developing a mobile app to enhance your business procedures or streamline processes and efficiencies is an ideal way to elevate your business and increase revenue. A mobile app can transform your customer experience offering by providing customers with a new and simpler way of reaching you. Here at Appoly, all of our client development projects start with a clear and concise brief that provides the team with a firm understanding of what type of app the client requires. If you’re debating whether to write or map out your features and requirements, we have created a step-by-step guide on how to create an informative mobile app development brief of requirements.

With all of our client projects, we aim to develop a collaborative working relationship reliant on consistent communication and an app brief of requirements is an important first part of the development process.

Whether you’re a startup business, an SME or a large corporation looking to simplify daily tasks for employees, it is essential that each and every project starts with an App Requirements Brief or a specification document. For app developers such as ourselves, there is nothing more frustrating than a brilliant idea that hasn’t been thought through logically. We understand that users seek fast digital solutions that fit into their daily lives, therefore it is important to consider all the features of your app and their functionalities before the development process begins. A clear App Brief makes the development process much smoother as it gives us a greater understanding of your requirements to ensure your app reaches its full potential once it is live in the app stores. This article outlines all the areas that must be thought through carefully when putting together your App Brief.

Focus on solving a single problem                  

The main purpose of building any digital solution is to overcome a problem to simplify and streamline processes for your users, whether these are business problems or consumer ones. The power of apps lies in their capability to connect people and share intelligent data, therefore it is important that you pinpoint what area of your business needs improving or whether collating and synthesising data is the best way to solve the problem your users are facing. For example, Ductclean approached Appoly to find a solution to their increasingly inefficient paper-based systems which were slow and outdated. We designed and developed a suite of mobile apps which digitised Ductlean’s paper-based systems with a user-friendly backend enabling admins to manage and schedule jobs for remote site workers. This has been a massive success by dramatically increasing the efficiency of the business and helping Ductclean secure new clients who were impressed with the transparency of the work. If you’re a corporate, SME or established business in need of digital transformation then perhaps this example will resonate with you as your business may benefit from streamlining internal processes with a digital solution.

However, if you’re a startup or your a business targeting consumers then you need to ensure that your product is solving a substantial issue and that this issue is best solved with a digital solution. For example, YoungPlanet approached Appoly to build a mobile app to address the inherent waste and product obsolescence in the UK by helping parents with the movement of unwanted children’s clutter via a mobile app.

Research your target market         

With competition tougher than ever before, it is key that you define your target market from the outset. The more you know about your potential users, the more effectively our developers can tailor your app to their needs. This requires serious research on demographics. Make sure to know some of the defining criteria within your market such as the location of your users, age range, gender, interests, occupation etc as the tone of your copy, branding, UX and UI will depend on these factors. Also, think about what your users do on a day to day basis. Are they professionals / students / singles? And what is it that this group of people are looking to gain from using your app? As experienced developers, we know that the look and feel of your app is just as important to users as the service it offers. Therefore this is a major part of your app brief that will play into the design and determine the language that is used for your app. 

Define the core features for your MVP

‍Describing the core features is the most important part of your brief, as this will outline the basic functionalities of your app. Think through the whole user journey from start to finish. What screens will your app have and what are their specific functionalities? Where will your buttons be on the screen and where will they lead to? And how many screens are there altogether? Consider what will be the most efficient experience for your user, and make your choices based on this. If you can provide your developers with wireframes or visuals, this would be a huge help. If not, your UX/UI designer can help you with this in the design stage, but it is always useful to include it in your App Brief if possible. It may be useful to start prioritising your features based on the value that each feature will add to the overall product. We can help you define your essential features and clarify the less important features that can be rolled out at a later phase of development during the concept refinement stage of the discovery and design process.

Consider UX and UI    

Having a design in mind is always beneficial so that your UX/UI designer has something to work with. You want to create the right look and feel for your app, so make sure to consider what will be most appealing to your target audience. If you’re a company, you may want to use your existing brand colours and font for consistency. However, if you’re a startup, this is a new and exciting stage that calls for a creative flare. Yet again, research is key; If your app is aimed at professionals, maybe dark colours and formal language is best? / If your app is aimed at students, maybe light colours with casual language is best? (One way of gaining inspiration and showing you developers what you want is looking at other similar apps you like the design of.

Do you have a fixed budget and timeline? 

‍Having a realistic budget for your app is essential. Depending on how complex your app is, the price can vary drastically. Most app projects require a backend system to manage the data within the app, as well as a Native iOS and Android app build. In addition, when you consider the design work, testing, and project management, a typical app might have a team of 7-10 people working on its development at any given time. Bearing this in mind, it is understandable that app projects often cost an excess of £20,000. Furthermore, although it is possible to develop an app quickly, it is more important to get the user experience and the design right before any coding starts. This phase might take 4-6 weeks in itself. When you add the development and testing phases, we find that most app projects take 3-6 months to complete.

Social connections               

Another part of your brief should include Social Connections. This means deciding whether or not you would like your users to have the opportunity to log in to your app using Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn or other social media platforms. A major part of your app’s success depends on how easy it is to register, share and connect with others, so this is a popular option that is often forgotten in the App Brief!

Third-party integrations and API’s  

If you are a company with an existing database, you may want to consider connecting this to your app. Here at Appoly, we are happy to work with your existing system to improve its functionality with an app. An API is typically defined as a set of Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) request messages, which is usually in an Extensible Markup Language (XML) or JavaScript Object Notation (JSON) format. Appoly has worked with 100’s of APIs from third-party providers to in-house IT departments. Our skilled developers can customise your API or create a new one from scratch, should you require this service. All our custom APIs are developed to industry standards, ensuring they are secure and stable. All APIs are hosted on a secure server, with an SSL certificate to ensure all data is encrypted as it travels from the app to the backend. All APIs have token-based authentication to ensure the highest level of security. Appoly has extensive experience in developing and working with REST (JSON) and SOAP API (XML).

If you have any questions regarding your brief or would like a sample template of Appoly’s App Requirements Brief please feel free to email me at georgia@appoly.co.uk.

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