So, you want to build an App. To solve a problem, to make your life easier or to perhaps make some money. How hard can it be? But what are the first steps to take, what do I need, what software do I need and how do I go about it??
To start with, as always, a disclaimer. There is always more than one way to get something done. The same is true with web and app design. I don’t intend to give you the definitive way, or the only way, simply a way. The CEMBooks way that we used when we decided that we needed to build on CEMBooks V1 to produce CEMBooks V2.
At the time I was new to the company and as such hadn’t been involved with the development of V1, my colleagues who’d built V1 had some idea but the make up of the company had changed and the scale of what we now wanted to build was different. The key processes remained the same however.
Before you begin, you need to be pragmatic. Do you have all the skills yourself to complete the project or are you going to need help. You maybe able to develop the use cases but can’t go any further at which point you need a team to build your product and turn it into reality. In which case you need funding and it’s important you think about that at an early stage. Do you plan on self funding it? if yes, that’s fine, you only have to answer to yourself in terms of project costs. If not, how do you propose to fund it? Research grants and funding, bank loans, innovation awards? Can you design and code your way to a functioning prototype or are you going to be applying for funding based on an idea??
As much as your idea might be the best idea ever and you may hear that having the idea gets you 90% of the way there, in reality you won’t get anywhere without the practical skills or funding to make your idea a reality.
Therefore the key starting point is to explain your idea. Tell stories. Develop the dream. Explain how your idea will make a difference and who it makes a difference to.
Explain the why behind your idea – usually it will be to solve a problem so….
1/ describe the problem
2/ describe the scale of the problem (your market)
3/ what is the current process
4/ why does that create a problem
5/ What is the impact of that problem
6/ who does it affect – (your user group)
7/ do they see it as a problem in the same way you do
8/ do they suggest any other ideas to use alongside yours
What is out there already as a solution? Describe the pros and cons of the current situation and solution. If this is a new market you may need to convince others that the problem you can see is one that affects them too. Are there solutions available that partially solve the solution. Can you work with that supplier to make it better rather than starting from scratch?
Start writing – however you want to progress your idea one of the key steps is to begin to commit it to paper. It starts to become real, it becomes something that can be discussed, reviewed and improved and it will become the backbone of your project proposal.
At that point your need to ask yourself some more questions:
Can you code
Can you draw and design
Do you know about User interface design (UX)
Do you know about the differences between App’s and reactive mobile web design
If you do, then that’s brilliant you can start building as your time allows. If not then you should consider how your proposal will allow you to pitch your idea to obtain funding to find a team who can build your idea. Remember though that it’s your idea and you want to retain any Intellectual Property that may be available. At this point you may not know how much your project will cost – we’ll come to this when we build the product spec in a later lesson – but it’s the right time to think about where your funding will come from and what is available so this may limit your spec in just how adventurous you can be.
So hopefully there is plenty to be getting started with there. I would emphasise the importance of getting started and committing something to paper. In the same way as this blog it’s’ the first steps on a new adventure.
See you again in 2 weeks.