- Why Create an App?
- What to Consider First
- Finding an App Developer
What to Consider First
Before investing in developing a custom app, a company should pinpoint exactly how the app will be used, either in-house or by its clients/customers. Next, the challenge is finding an independent app developer that’s capable of creating an app which perfectly caters to the intended audience, and which will offer the end-user value, simplicity, security, and functionality that’s intuitive and highly relevant to their needs.
Joe Sriver, founder of Minneapolis-based DoApp, formally worked as an interface designer for Google. Today, he works with mid- to large-sized companies developing custom mobile apps for many smartphone platforms.
“First and foremost, a company that develops a custom app needs to understand that the market is fragmented,” stated Sriver. “The iPhone certainly has a large installed base. However, you need to determine if your customers or clients are actually iPhone users, as opposed to Blackberry users—for example, if the intended audience for your app will be your existing customers or clients. You also need to insure your app will be compatible with all of the Apple iOS devices, such as the iPhone 3G, 3Gs, 4, iPad, and iTouch.”
It’s easy for a company to say it wants a custom app. The harder step is to determine exactly what they want the app to do in terms of functionality.
“I suggest doing research to discover what similar apps are already out there, and figure out how the app you envision will be different,” added Sriver. “You need to understand the true purpose of the app, and have a clear goal for it. Many companies come to us with a vague idea, but they don’t understand fully how the app will fit into their business’ work flow, especially if it’s an app that will be used internally.”