Navigating the iPad app development process

As opposed to the simpler apps destined for the various smartphone platforms, mobile app developers specifically targeting the iPad are usually aiming for a higher quality app that requires good graphics and a higher level of processing power.  Last week we discussed the steps involved in hiring content writers and graphic designers for iPad apps.  Today we’ll tell you how to make the development process as seamless as possible.  Here are a few things you need to consider:

• Know what you want:  This may seem like a no-brainer, but you absolutely need to make sure that you know precisely what it is you want your mobile app to do.  Your first conversations with an iPad app developer shouldn’t be a brainstorming session; you should clearly define what you want out of your app, and be able to discuss any tertiary needs – content writing, graphic design, database management – that the app will require in order to be successful.
• Organize your team:  Again, the fact that you’re targeting the iPad platform implies that your mobile app will be more sophisticated than most.  Once you’ve isolated your needs, you’ll want to begin the hiring process as early as possible.  Don’t hire anyone untried or new to the industry; it might cost a little more, but experienced developers, writers, and designers cost more for a reason.
• Budget your time:  In your first discussions with your development team, hammer out a schedule all the way to the app’s roll-out, and stick to it.  Plan for regular meetings and conference calls so that you can keep tabs on the app’s progress.
• Budget your resources:  The lesson of all the natural disasters with which we’ve been afflicted lately is that no one can prepare for every eventuality.  However, if you organize your budget meticulously and make it both clear and available to all the members of your development team, you’ll be able to keep the consequences of any unwelcome surprises to a minimum.

Of course, nearly all of this advice could be distilled down to something very much like the Boy Scouts of America’s motto:  Be prepared.  And naturally, if you need assistance bringing your iPad app to the store, don’t hesitate to contact us.