How to Start an App? 8 Critical Steps to Take Before Mobile App Development

Entrepreneurs often face significant hurdles when translating their app ideas into reality. One of the major pain points is navigating the early planning stages. 

In this guide, we’ll walk you through eight essential steps to avoid common pitfalls. These steps will also give you a deeper understanding of more app development cost factors.

Make These 8 Steps Before Starting a Mobile App

Refine Your App Idea

Here’s an example of the process of refining an app idea. The table shows the steps and key methods to refine the process.

Step	Description	Methods
Idea generation	Brainstorm broad app ideas based on identified problems or needs.	Mind Mapping, Brainstorming Sessions
Identify core features	Narrow down the most essential features your app must have.	Prioritization Matrix, MoSCoW
Validate with users	Test your app idea with real users to gather feedback.	Surveys, User Interviews, Focus Groups
Analyze competitors	Study competitor apps to identify opportunities and gaps.	Competitive Analysis, SWOT
Refine the unique value proposition	Define what makes your app unique and valuable to users.	Value Proposition Canvas, User Persona Development
Create functional ideas	Convert your refined ideas into functional app concepts.	Feature Mapping, User Story Mapping

Perform Marketing Analysis

Validate your idea prior to launching a mobile app. It involves marketing research, which shows whether the users really need your solution.

Method	Description	Calculation Process	Result
Top-Down	Starts with a broad market figure (e.g., entire population or market) and narrows down based on assumptions and relevant segments.	Step 1: Total population in the target region: 10 million Step 2: Assume 60% are smartphone users = 6 million Step 3: Estimate 30% of these users order food online = 1.8 million Step 4: Assume the app can capture 5% of this market in the first year = 90,000 users	Total Addressable Market (TAM): 1.8 million potential users Estimated app users in Year 1: 90,000 users
Bottom-Up	Builds the market size from smaller, specific data points such as individual units or revenue, then scales upward.	Step 1: Start with actual numbers from a small sample. In one city, 5,000 people use food delivery apps monthly Step 2: Average number of orders per user per month: 4 orders Step 3: Average order value: $20 Step 4: Total monthly revenue for this city = 5,000 users * 4 orders * $20 = $400,000 Step 5: Expand this to 10 similar cities: $400,000 * 10 = $4 million per month	Serviceable Obtainable Market (SOM): Monthly revenue potential of $4 million Estimated annual revenue: $48 million

Analyze the Audience

Building a detailed and true-to-life audience portrait helps design an app that meets users’ needs and doesn’t exceed the cost to build an app. Here’s how you can approach this process.

Source: generated with DALL-E 3

Assess Feasibility and Resources

Before starting an app development you need to assess their resources. You’ll need that data when making an app development cost breakdown. Here’s how you can evaluate your resources effectively.

• Estimate development costs. Research and calculate the approximate cost to develop your app based on its complexity, features, and the development method. 
• Assess the available budget. Compare the estimated cost to develop an app with your current budget. Make sure you have enough funds for both development and marketing post-launch.
• Determine funding sources. Identify where your funding will come from. Will it be from personal savings, investors, or loans?
• Evaluate team resources. Do you have an in-house team or will you need to outsource? If outsourcing, research how much it costs to create an app from external teams.
• Consider post-launch maintenance. Calculate the ongoing costs of maintaining the app. Factor these into your budget to avoid unexpected expenses.

List the Core App Functions

Different app types require specific functions. You need to explore them prior to development so you can create a realistic estimate of the cost to build an app. 

App Type	Core Functions
E-commerce App	– Product catalog with search and filtering features – Secure payment gateway integration (credit cards, digital wallets) – User profile management – Order tracking and notifications – Customer reviews and ratings – Cart and wishlist functionality
Social Media App	– User registration and authentication – Social feed with post creation (text, images, videos) – Friend connections or follower system – Messaging and real-time notifications – User-generated content sharing and interaction (likes, comments) – Privacy settings and controls
Fitness App	– User profile with fitness goals and progress tracking – Workout and activity logging – Video tutorials and workout plans – Integration with wearable devices for tracking – Push notifications for motivation and reminders – Social sharing of fitness achievements
Food Delivery App	– Restaurant or food listing with search and filtering – Real-time order tracking – User profile with saved payment methods and addresses – Secure in-app payment processing – Reviews and ratings for restaurants – Delivery status notifications
Healthcare App	– Appointment scheduling and reminders – Patient profiles with medical history – Secure telemedicine functionality (video consultations) – Prescription ordering and tracking – Symptom checkers and health tracking tools – Secure data handling and privacy settings

Plan the App UI Flow

A well-structured user flow ensures that customers will enjoy using an app. Here’s how to plan your app’s UI flow effectively.

Source: generated with DALL-E 3

Think of the Development Method

Here’s a table that explores different app development methods, their descriptions, advantages, and disadvantages:

Development Method	Advantages	Disadvantages
Hybrid Development	– Faster development time – Lower cost compared to native – Single codebase for multiple platforms	– Lower performance compared to native – Limited access to some native features
Native Development	– High performance – Full access to device features – Better user experience	– More expensive and time-consuming – Separate codebases for iOS and Android, increasing development time
Cross-platform Development	– Single codebase for iOS and Android – Faster development – Cost-effective	– Some performance limitations – May not fully utilize platform-specific features
Low-Code/No-Code Development	– Rapid prototyping and deployment – Lower development costs – Great for MVPs and simple apps	– Limited customization and scalability – Not suitable for complex apps – Performance may be compromised

Consider Developing MVP

Building a minimum viable product before developing the full version of your mobile app has several significant advantages.

The Bottom Line

With these eight essential steps, you’ll set your app up for success and avoid common pitfalls along the way.