Over the last few years, the popularity of mobile apps has increased by leaps and bounds. This is primarily because they have become an essential requirement for every business to stay connected with their audience. Given the benefits of mobile apps, more and more businesses are reviewing their prototypes.
What Is an App Prototype?
A prototype is a demonstrable version or sketch of your future app. It mimics the design, features, and functionality of the app to gauge its efficacy, user-friendliness, and response. Prototyping helps businesses fine-tune their product to the maximum before actually developing and launching it.
Whether you’re running a business that deals with Optimum internet plans or one that provides culinary services, a dedicated mobile app would be very useful in enhancing your relationship with your customers.
How to Design a Mobile App Prototype?
If you wish to design a mobile app prototype before developing the product, here’s what you should know.
1#. Understand the Problem
The first step towards creating a mobile app prototype is identifying a problem. Your app should work as a solution to your customer’s problem. It could be something as simple as a game app to kill boredom or a beauty app that enhances the snaps. Once you’ve identified the problem of your target audience, it’s easier to define your goals.
2#. Perform Competitors’ Analysis
Next, you should do background research and analysis about your competition. Get an idea about the kind of features and services that are being offered to the target audience by competitor apps. This will help you understand which points need attention and how you can make your app unique.
3#. Identify Key Functional Requirements
Now that you have defined your target audience and project goals, brainstorm about the functionalities that your app should have. This includes the features and services that your app should have as well as those that your audience would seek. Prioritize these features and services by what would be most important to your audience versus what would be a bonus for them.
4#. Create Sketches of Primary Screens
After you have figured out the highest priority features, start analyzing the app from the point of view of the user. The best way to do this is to create sketches of primary screens. The primary screen denotes the screen that the user will see when they open the app. It should include details of features and functions that the app would offer to the user.
5#. Create Wireframes
Now by utilizing the information of the previous steps, create the wireframe of your app. A wireframe is essentially a framework of the app’s navigation, design, and other important features. It has more to do with its performance than its look and feels.
6#. Develop Prototype
Now you can convert the wireframe into a basic prototype with the help of online tools and assistance from professionals. InvisionApp and Xcode are among the most popular tools used for turning wireframes into prototypes.
7#. Test & Refine
Your prototype is ready to be tested. It gives the users a real feel as to what it would be like to use the mobile app once it’s developed. Besides, it would also provide useful insights about which areas need improvement. So when the prototype is developed into the final product, it’s free of errors and hence meets the goal it was designed for.
Benefits of Mobile App Prototyping
Mobile app prototyping is a safe and effective way to test, validate and fine-tune a product before it takes on its final shape. Following are some of the major benefits of mobile app prototyping.
1#. Cost-Effectiveness
Working with a mobile app prototype saves a lot of costs in the long term. This is because problems are identified and addressed at an earlier stage.
2#. Better Clarity
Prototyping can ensure that the app is designed exactly the way it was conceived. There is a sense of certainty regarding all aspects. From the look and feel of the app to its functionality and user experience, a mobile app prototype allows all stakeholders to view and interact with the app before it is developed.
3#. UX Validation
It’s quite challenging to create an app that results in a high level of user engagement. An effective way to validate usability and UX is to run a prototype through a user test. The goal of a UX design is to retain users by providing continual value and the prototype can test the product for longevity.
4#. Better Collaboration
Prototyping allows different teams to collaborate and work together efficiently. Changes in the product can be made more quickly when the work is being done in design instead of in development. Continuous discussions between developers, UX designers, and product owners ensure that the prototype meets the standards from all aspects before it reaches the development phase.
