Congratulations on your interest in creating a mobile application!
People across the country have created their own successful mobile apps in recent years, many of them right here in Colorado (a current example is an app that lets users actively help solve hit-and-runs.)
However, the first step to developing any highly successful mobile application is application prototyping.
How Application Prototyping Works
Put simply, application prototyping is the creation of a “practice design” of your planned app in order to test out the user experience. Using graphic design strategies, the look and feel of the app is planned out before it is actually written. The resulting mockup can be viewed like a real mobile application so you can see how it will function in the hands of the average user. For example, in 2012 the Denver Post unveiled the prototype of their new iPad edition, allowing people to see it beforehand and therefore garner feedback. This also helped build anticipation and publicity for the app, which never hurts.
Why You Need It
Here at Tag Team Design, we strongly recommend that mobile application prototyping be done before an app project gets sent to the development team (we offer among the most comprehensive services for mobile app prototyping in Denver). See, mobile apps require a different kind of design than your average website/web program, since you’re developing an application for a phone with a small screen and touch ability rather than a computer.
Application prototyping helps you do the following:
- Make sure you and the development team are on the same page
- Find the right design so re-configuration is less likely once app writing begins
- Test out scrolling and touch technology
- Helps you identify potential problems early
- Stay cost-effective and meet your launch date
The Bottom Line
Basically, mobile application prototyping is essential for you to design your vision. Sometimes people skip over this step in an attempt to save time and money, but doing so can actually cost you more in the long run. It’s also vital to staying competitive in an area where mobile application development and the tech industry overall is blowing up. As one business researcher told Twentyseven Global in December 2013, “Colorado has strategic advantages in the professional and business services sector given the highly educated workforce, innovative spirit and small-business base.”
To learn more about mobile app prototyping please visit our app prototyping services page .