This presentation is meant to be a 40k-Foot view of the mobile application development process. Overall this guide does not meant delve into the iOS or Android programming language instead it is a guide on how to take an idea and develop it into a mobile app.

1. HOW TO BUILD A MOBILE APP:
From Ideation to Launch
Hosted by
http://j.mp/OLfbook
@OysterLabs | #OLMeetup
http://j.mp/OLlinkd
Presented by
Carlos S. Aquino
@carlossaquino
caquino@oysterlabs.com

2. Agenda
• INTRODUCTION
• PLANNING
• PRODUCTION
• Q / A
• LAUNCH (YAY!)

3. INTRODUCTION
What does it take to
build a mobile app?
• Ideation
• Fundamentals
Let’s lay the ground work

4. PRODUCTION PERSPECTIVES
High-level maxims: food for thought
• Always look for the path of least resistance, or
OCCAM’S RAZOR: the simplest explanation is usually the
correct one
• PROGRAMMING / DEVELOPMENT:
Although sequential and iterative it is NOT linear
• You are learning a new language, culture & world;
be patient with yourself and those around you
• Technical Production is a craft, akin to making art -
don’t rush it

5. Ideation
What does that mean?
How do I start?
Do I have to buy it?
Nothing is stronger than an idea whose time has come.
VICTOR HUGO

6. What are the most important costs inherent in our business model?
Which Key Resources are most expensive?
Which Key Activities are most expensive?
Through which Channels do our Customer Segments
want to be reached?
How are we reaching them now?
How are our Channels integrated?
Which ones work best?
Which ones are most cost-efficient?
How are we integrating them with customer routines?
For what value are our customers really willing to pay?
For what do they currently pay?
How are they currently paying?
How would they prefer to pay?
How much does each Revenue Stream contribute to overall revenues?
For whom are we creating value?
Who are our most important customers?
What type of relationship does each of our Customer
Segments expect us to establish and maintain with them?
Which ones have we established?
How are they integrated with the rest of our business model?
How costly are they?
What value do we deliver to the customer?
Which one of our customer’s problems are we helping to solve?
What bundles of products and services are we offering to each Customer Segment?
Which customer needs are we satisfying?
What Key Activities do our Value Propositions require?
Our Distribution Channels?
Customer Relationships?
Revenue streams?
Who are our Key Partners?
Who are our key suppliers?
Which Key Resources are we acquiring from partners?
Which Key Activities do partners perform?
What Key Resources do our Value Propositions require?
Our Distribution Channels? Customer Relationships?
Revenue Streams?
Day Month Year
No.
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www.businessmodelcanvas.com
Validate Your Idea
• What is your idea?
• How does it work?
• Is there a market?
• Does it make money?
1

7. Validate Your Idea
www.elevatr.com

8. Fundamentals
What are you building?
PoC
MVP
V1
=

9. PoC
Proof of Concept
MVP
Minimal Viable Product
V1
Version 1
Scale Small Medium Large
Utility None Minimal Most
Complexity Low Modest High
Timeframe Shortest Optimal Longest
How much money you got?
Determining what you should build...

10. PoC
Proof of Concept
MVP
Minimal Viable Product
V1
Version 1
Scale Small Medium Large
Utility None Minimal Most
Complexity Low Modest High
Timeframe Shortest Optimal Longest
Determining what you should build...
What I almost always try to recommend
ROLES: You & Your Idea

11. PLANNING
Really getting Your Idea out of your head

12. Building Your Idea’s blueprint
There are 3 components to a planning stage
Spec Doc
Use-Cases
Wireframes

13. Spec Doc
• ‘Specifications Document’
• Documentation of how app features work
• Identify & memorialize business requirements and
intelligence
Use-Cases
Wireframes
Building Your Idea’s blueprint
There are 3 components to a planning stage

14. Spec Doc
• ‘Specifications Document’
• Documentation of how app features work
• Identify & memorialize business requirements and
intelligence
Use-Cases
• Usage goals clearly defined
• Plainspoken, written descriptions; sentence or paragraph
• Universal Markup Language (UML) Diagrams
Wireframes
Building Your Idea’s blueprint
There are 3 components to a planning stage

15. Building Your Idea’s blueprint
UML Diagrams Example 1

16. Building Your Idea’s blueprint
UML Diagrams Example 2*
*Thanks S. Chang for the observation

17. Spec Doc
• ‘Specifications Document’
• Documentation of how app features work
• Identify & memorialize business requirements and
intelligence
Use-Cases
• Usage goals clearly defined
• Plainspoken, written descriptions; sentence or paragraph
• Universal Markup Language (UML) Diagrams
Wireframes
• Detail features identified in the Spec Doc
• Visualization of Use-Case workflows
• Foundation for UI/UX and for designs
• Lo-Fidelity or High-Fidelity
Building Your Idea’s blueprint
There are 3 components to a planning stage

18. Building Your Idea’s blueprint
Lo-Fidelity Wireframes

19. Hi-Fidelity Wireframes
Building Your Idea’s blueprint

20. Spec Doc
• Specifications Document’
• Documentation of how app features work
• Identify & memorialize business requirements and
intelligence
Use-Cases
• Usage goals clearly defined
• Plainspoken, written descriptions; sentence or paragraph
• Universal Markup Language (UML) Diagrams
Wireframes
• Detail features identified in the Spec Doc
• Visualization of Use-Case workflows
• Foundation for UI/UX and for designs
• Lo-Fidelity or High-Fidelity
ROLES: Information Architect, UI/UX Person, Developer, Designer, Digital Strategist
Building Your Idea’s blueprint
There are 3 components to a planning stage

21. PRODUCTION
Your Idea == Rubber meets the road
Lifecycle
DESIGN
DEVELOPMENT
Contracting Creative

22. Contracting
Contractor Vetting Criteria
DESIGN
Visuals
Logic
Communication
DEVELOPMENT
Tech
Value
Methods
UNIVERSAL
Portfolio
Ownership
Payment

23. How does their work compare to other apps?
Are you impressed? If not, move on.
Does the designer understand your goals?
Do designs clearly express their purpose?
Ask for reasons behind designs and styles choices.
Is the information well organized or hierarchal.
DESIGN
Visuals
Logic
Communication
Contracting
Contractor Vetting Criteria
2

24. How “well prepared” does the dev appear?
What type of phone do they have?
What apps do they use?
How will the project workflow be managed?
Are they an AGILE shop? If not what do they
practice?
Is there previous experience in your market
segment? Does the dev have a special skill set
that’s relevant to Your Idea?
DEVELOPMENT
Tech
Value
Methods
Contracting
Contractor Vetting Criteria

25. Review all existing work examples
Ask for previous client references
What are their professional fees? What about 3rd
Party fees? And what are the terms?
Determine contractually how the Intellectual
Property will be transferred once complete
UNIVERSAL
Portfolio
Ownership
Payment
ROLES: Mobile Designer, Mobile Software Engineer & Project Manager
Contracting
Contractor Vetting Criteria

26. Creative
After hiring your Production Team, be SMART
Specific
Measurable
Attainable
Relevant
Time-bound
Define, decide and be accountable
Deconstruct and track results
Make a Quality product not a Perfect one
Stay focused, create small successes
Be deadline driven and fair
3

27. Creative
Some thoughts on AGILE - the basics.
DEVELOPMENT
AGILE
We are uncovering better ways of developing software by doing it
and helping others do it. Through this work we have come to
value:
• Individuals and interactions over processes and tools
• Working software over comprehensive documentation
• Customer collaboration over contract negotiation
• Responding to change over following a plan
That is, while there is value in the items on the right, we value
the items on the left more.
Manifesto4

28. PRODUCTION
THE FRUITS OF PRODUCTION: BETA
Lifecycle
DESIGN
DEVELOPMENT
Contracting Creative BETA

29. QUALITY ASSURANCE (Q/A)
BETA! BETA! BETA!
These are examples
of other types of
development
methodologies - your
development style
will determine your
Q/A process
5

30. Q / A
Don’t let the app bug’s bite
Software testing is the process of
validating and verifying that your
app/product:
• Meets the specified requirements,
• Works as expected,
• Can be installed with integrity, and
• Satisfies the needs of stakeholders.
Example of a standard
Software Development cycle
6

31. Why BETA Test?
Mobile Device Fragmentation: Android 2013 7

32. Android Screen Fragmentation 2012
Why BETA Test?
8

33. Android Screen Fragmentation 2012
CONSOLIDATED
Why BETA Test?
88

34. ROLES: Quality Assurance Lead or Team
iOS Screen Fragmentation 2013
Why BETA Test?
9

35. LAUNCH
Your Idea: Ignition, Launch!

36. LAUNCH
App Store Requirements
ROLES: Digital Strategist, Launch Specialist, Growth Hacker
VETTED FEES
PAYMENT
SYSTEM
COUNTRIES
AVAILABLE
# OF APPS
APPLE Yes
$99 Setup
30% Revenue
iTunes 155 1m+
GOOGLE
PLAY No
$25 Setup
30% Revenue
Google
Checkout /
Phone Bill
94 900k+
AMAZON
KINDLE Yes
$99 Setup
30% Revenue
Amazon
Payments 200 4,500+
10

37. Summary
• INTRODUCTION
• PLANNING
• PRODUCTION
• Q / A
• LAUNCHED!

38. Summary
This process needs to be followed for every iteration of production, therefore
every time an update or improvement needs to be implemented these
resources should be part of your production team.
• INTRODUCTION
• PLANNING
• PRODUCTION
• Q / A
• LAUNCHED!
Information Architect, UI/UX Person
Digital Strategist
Mobile Designer
Mobile Software Engineer / Developer
Project Manager
Quality Assurance Lead or Team
Launch Specialist, Growth Hacker
You & Your Idea

39. CONFIDENTIAL
The Future: insight

40. The Future: insight

41. CONFIDENTIAL
The Future: relationships

42. THANK YOU
Resource: www.reddit.com/r/MobileAppEcosystem/
http://j.mp/OLfbook
@OysterLabs | #OLMeetup
http://j.mp/OLlinkd
Presented by
Carlos S. Aquino
@carlossaquino
caquino@oysterlabs.com

43. Resource: www.reddit.com/r/MobileAppEcosystem/
References:
1. http://j.mp/OLbizcnvs
2. http://j.mp/OLpckdsn
3. http://j.mp/OLmgtdsntm
http://j.mp/OLagile4.
http://j.mp/OLsftmtd5.
http://j.mp/OLsftcyc6.
http://j.mp/OLopnsig137.
http://j.mp/OLopnsig128.
http://j.mp/OLopnsig139.
http://j.mp/OLappstore10.