Are you a budding app developer? If yes, check out the following skills that you need to develop for being the best app maker.
The global app economy is projected to generate 21 trillion USDs; a clear indication of how booming the app industry is. As smartphones are clear winners of communication devices, apps are the mitochondria which (em)power any and every form of communication. The demand for app developers is on a constant high, and with the ‘app’ completing a decade of existence last year, the application world has seen a gold rush of innovation which proudly pivots its technological dominance. As per reports, the total number of app downloads in 2018 was barely 6 million shy of 200 billion, which is an emphatic jump from 2017’s record figure of 178 billion.
Now you may strip it down to the question- with so much happening around can you too experience a career growth as an app developer?
Of course, you can, and the figures stated above are a testimony to the fact. Likewise, what mobile app developer skills should you carry to be the best in the game?
The following explanation shares some valuable insights on how to be an app developer and reach the pinnacle of innovation.
A developers’ creative best comes with his prowess over UI and UX designs. Let’s separately mention the two.
The easier an app is to handle, the better it is for the user. The UX design focuses on making the app simpler, cohesive and easy for the user to navigate through. When we talk about total customer satisfaction, the UX design matters the most for any ios or Android app development company today. If the UX is not good or has too many jargons, the user won’t hesitate to uninstall the app in a jiffy. The key components of User experience design include-
One of the major components of UX design requires a brilliant app information structure. This can also be called Information Architecture. The structural narrative which the IA intends to is to simplify the navigation process so that the app user can easily browse the entire app without any confusion.
Understanding (the classic case of) consumer taste and preferences will help you to get your grind. The buyer persona is the foremost choice to remember while developing an app that nurtures you to become an app developer. The UX design helps in comprehending the consumer behavioural pattern and needs so that the user feels an instant connection while navigating through the app. This goes without saying that the app should be user-friendly in its truest sense.
The wireframing is the introspection before the actual launch of the app. The wireframing stage allows you to test run and evaluate the app and work on the weaker points that need to be improved.
The use of colour, the graphical representation of images, the eccentric confluence of audio and videos, the appeal of language, everything matters in UI design. It can also be classified as an art form with vehemence. The User Interface should be highly interactive so that the user gets hooked to the app in the very first attempt. What all is required to make a clean, innovative UI?
There is no figurative representation of being visually accurate. You just need the right amount of everything to strike a balance. Like photography or painting, every page of your app should have a decorum that asserts the user to engage with it for longer durations.
Speaking of mobile application development skills required, clarity is a trait, you, as a developer, must conform to. The app contents including the text, sounds, images, animations, etc. should be attractive as well as informative. The app should generate the notion of transparency. It also includes-
A user usually looks for easy navigation features, call to action buttons, support and helpdesk options, etc. Familiar signs such as the red button for closing should be added.
Clarity also includes prompt action time with acute responsiveness. If the app lags or has a slow response time, the user will eventually shun it.
Communicating every activity is also essential. Suppose if it’s an online shopping app, minute details, loading pages, redirection to transaction pages, payment received/cancelled message, slow internet connection and so on should be conveyed.
If you’re into the B2B sector, this is a valuable feature-to-learn while developing apps for your clientele. It helps you to play with your ideas and toggle through them as an when desired. Prototyping helps you gain considerable feedback from the clients (and users as well). Dynamic prototyping helps you to make corrections whenever required.Some great tools will help you in achieving this like Marvel, Proto and InVision. These are effective for developing mobile app development skills.
There is no rocket science in saying that a developer needs to learn multiple programming languages. There is an array of programming languages that you can learn from and gain proficiency in formulating applications. Modern-day programming languages for Android include
For iOS, there’s
Learning more languages will increase your versatility and prowess over both the platforms which help you to be better in the game.
In continuation to the last point, the more you, as a developer, are blessed with knowledge, the better are your chances of being a successful app maker. Whether it’s the question of how to become a good iOS app developer or for Android, the scope of edification is endless, and you can get a nice learning curve in both the fields at the same time. Having expertise over both the platforms can help you to earn more, saves labour, makes you way ahead than those who are restricted to just one platform. This opens a plethora of opportunities for a variety of apps to be developed across both platforms.
It’s a comprehensive method of continuous iteration for the entire duration of the app development. The Agile Model ensures interactions at every stage of development. It also helps the clients to stay updated on every major change that’s taking place. You can simultaneously switch from the development to the testing activity which was not possible in the Waterfall model. It’s extremely easy to manage and works perfectly well for smaller projects where the requirements are not so complicated. There is a review process for every phase where each phase has specific deliverables. Knowing the Agile Methodology is one of the key mobile application developer requirements.
App creation is one aspect, selling is another. You should have a compelling business model that should work on promoting your app and increasing its invisibility to a wider audience. Proper branding and the use of social media should be effectively used to make announcements. You also should be absolutely aware of your contemporaries and the changing scenarios so that you can implement new changes and features in your app(s) accordingly.
Creativity comes with its set of setbacks. There are plenty of people who are successfully eavesdropping on your product to weed out confidential data and intellectual property. An infamous incident was the Facebook-Cambridge Analytica scandal that had rocked the whole cyber world not so long ago. You may inquire what does an app developer do in such cases. Well, as they reiterate that prevention is better than cure, as a developer, you should take every possible safety measure to avoid a data breach. Be wary of malware attacks and other malicious software that stealthily carry on their witch hunts. According to a study, in 2017, 27 percent of the malicious apps targeted the Lifestyle category. Following suit were Music and audio apps with 20 per cent.
Thus, it’s always good to know about the measures to safeguard your app for cyber thefts.
Apart from the aforementioned technical skills, you must also work on the following ones-
App development is a process that you master with practice and time. To summarize the skills, you need to hone
The best mobile app developers need analytical skills, communication skills, should be go-getters, take inspiration from various aspects of everyday things and most importantly learn to learn from failure.
Bruh tip: Be inquisitive, always.
Aparna is a growth specialist with handsful knowledge in business development. She values marketing as key a driver for sales, keeping up with the latest in the Mobile App industry. Her getting things done attitude makes her a magnet for the trickiest of tasks. In free times, which are few and far between, you can catch up with her at a game of Fussball.
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