Tips from App Development Experts

Creating a custom application is no small feat and it sounds pretty terrifying to most people, especially if you have no experience. If you happen to need a complex custom application with several integrations to power its features and functionalities, you should opt to hire a professional to take care of the design and development for you.

At a super high level, here is a look at some of the components that go into this effort. 

5 Things to Consider:

1. Choose a Hosting Platform 

A web host is a location where you decide to set up shop for your custom application. It is your landlord to whom you pay rent to house all of your digital content. Each page within your application is a room with its own set of amenities and décor such as the images you display on the walls.

As you can imagine, some applications will have more detail than others depending on the level of attention given to keeping it clean and orderly.

Just like any lease contract, you will want to do your homework when choosing a provider to host your custom app. Read all the terms and conditions and be sure to consider scalability. 

2. Choose a Brand and Domain Name 

A domain name or URL is your location’s home address. A website will typically serve as the front door to your web application — once you’re there, you step right into the app after successfully logging in.

In cases where you are building a custom app for mobile, whether it by for iOS, Android, or a Hybrid app, your website serves to direct people to the app store for downloads and updates.

3. Map It Out 

This step is a process of strategically mapping out the type of furniture and décor that will go in each room. As stated above, each page of your app is its own “room” and each will serve a specific purpose. Your Home Page, or Landing Page, will serve as your front door — the first visual people see upon arriving at your site.

Some people display big beautiful photos on their front door to entice people to enter while others may post their store hours and the services they provide and call it a day. 

Before you start designing or building rooms, you should have a clear strategy for the furniture and décor (i.e. content) that those pages will contain. Whatever you do, at each step, be sure to put yourself in the customer or users’ shoes when making decisions.

4. Design Your Custom Application

The design step is easily the most complicated step for most people because it is the first technical step of building a custom app. People often hire a professional UI/UX designer. UI designers are experts at designing the User Interface, which is what app users interact with at face level. The UI is what you see.

Additionally, a UX designer is someone who is an expert at User Experience design. These designers are a little more technical in nature and they aim to bridge the gap between the User Interface, the end users’ wants and needs, and how all that pertains to the overall business goal of the application. 

5. Keep Up With Maintenance 

Once you are up and running, you will want to ensure everything stays running smoothly and in working order.

You’ll most likely need a maintenance repair person. If a light bulb goes out or the air conditioner breaks, who is meant to repair it? As often as not, hosting providers will offer this as an additional service or as part of a package deal. So it’s worth having a look at the ones that do — especially if you are not very tech-savvy.

As you can see, building a basic application can be simple if you want a simple app for your business. However, the more complexities you add to your application, the more you’ll have to consider as it pertains to scalability, design, and development needs.

Choosing the right web host platform for your business app can be a daunting first step. Although no two applications are the same, all great apps have one thing in common – a plan from start to finish and an ability to consistently improve. You could go it alone, but with Agency Partner, we’ll help you get past any learning curves to ensure that your project creates the most immediate value for your stakeholders.

Not big on reading? That’s okay. Watch “99 Problems But Custom Application Development Isn’t One” instead.

Using the power of Artificial Intelligence, we turned this blog into a video for you. Check it out below!