What the Layman Should Know About the App Development and Testing Process
Everyone uses apps. But unless you are a technological whizz, you probably do not know much about the app development and testing process. In which case, check out the following basics that every layman, or laywoman, should know.
The Testing Process Is Crucial
Before an app can be launched, it needs to be fully functioning, bug-free, and easy to use. If an app fails in any aspect, customers will not be happy. In turn, that could result in disaster for the company’s sales and reputation.
The testing process involves heavily testing apps for bugs. Thankfully, that process can be automated, and you can use mobile testing tools to facilitate the process. Check out this insightful article to learn about automation testing further.
In addition to testing for bugs and errors, the testing process checks whether real outcomes match the expected results and identifies gaps, missing requirements, and defects.
Testing must be completed at the end of the development process prior to the app’s launch. But in modern mobile app development, testing also tends to happen almost simultaneously to the development process because each small part of new code needs to be tested immediately. Testing comprises both manual and automated processes.
The Key Stages of App Development
The app development process can be broken down into four key stages. They are the pre-design stage, the design stage, the development stage, and the support stage.
The Pre-Design Stage
Before an app can be designed, it needs to go through a pre-design stage. That involves the app developers, in conjunction with everyone involved with the app, such as the marketing team and stakeholders, taking an initial brief and turning it into a workable strategy.
The process includes working out who the app is aimed at, what technologies it will use, and so on. That is followed by a research and analysis phase to understand the aims and obstacles of the real people who would use the app.
Comparable apps that are already on the market also need to be looked at during the pre-design phase. Basically, this first stage of app development lays out a creative vision for the project and determines the project’s objectives.
The Design Stage
UX and UI design teams design the app during this second stage. There are five key steps to the design stage: wireframe, concepts, design, prototyping, and user testing.
By the end of this stage, designers end up with a full UX wireframe, the designs for all of the app’s screens, separate versions for Android and iOS if required, and an interactive prototype of the app that can be installed on numerous devices.
So, at the end of the design stage, a final blueprint has been created that developers can use to build the app.
The Development Stage
In layman’s terms, the development stage is as simple as the app is built. With specialized knowledge, a team of experts takes the prototype and goes through various complex processes until a finished article has been created. A key component of the development stage is performing testing. It typically takes between three and six months to finish building an app.
The Support Stage
Even when an app has been completed and gone live, there is still work to do. The final stage of the app development and testing process is the support stage. The development team must monitor the app for any bugs and teething problems.
Even though rigorous testing will have taken place during the development stage, unexpected issues can arise, and those issues need to be addressed as soon as they occur. Support also needs to be ongoing when new devices are launched or new updates are implemented on an operating server to ensure the app continues to function well.
