- Business
The first step towards building a mobile app or website for your business
Just as houses can’t be built without a blueprint, a website or app development project can’t be started without one either.
Knowing what you’re building is undoubtedly the most important part of the development process. The endpoint should be clearly understood by all developers, even if they’re only working on a small piece of functionality.
- What’s the main objective/call to action for the website/app?
- What does it need to do/show?
- Who are the intended users?
- What is the budget?
All of these questions should be answered BEFORE a single line of code is written. When working with a large team with a vast array of skills and experience, it's even more important to 'sharpen the axe' before chopping down the tree.
Q: So what is the optimal way to manage development projects?
A: Develop an interactive Rapid Prototype.
A rapid prototype is a very clear explanation of the project’s functionality and key flows. It needs to show what the website or app can do and how it can be used.
This rapid prototype needs to be able to display information, so everybody from the Development Lead to the receptionist can understand every detail.
The best way to build a rapid prototype is by creating a rich wireframe. This is a basic display of all the parts of a website or app that are interactive, so users can click through it and experience what it feels like before development. It might include variables, hover states, transitions and dynamic paths for example.
Most importantly, a rapid prototype must be rapid and demonstrate an on-brief website or app, early in the project
Within most organisations exists a management layer (or several) who need to approve the project and “buy into” the website or app being developed. This is where rapid prototyping sells itself: the ability to see how the website or app behaves before it is developed is often the best way to involve stakeholders in this initial Discovery Phase.
With our rapid prototype, management and other stakeholders can understand how plausible and realistic their ideas can be.
Once the developers and Board members understand the rapid prototype they will all be on the same page. The developers can then program everything without needing constant feedback from the creative team or client.
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If you're unsure about how to turn your idea into an app or website, get in touch.
Our highly technical & experienced team have refined a process to not only deliver you with an MVP, but analyse every aspect of your project to maximise user adoption and gain feedback.