Design a mobile application and get quotes from developers

Nurture and Develop your Idea

Develop your App Idea

Step 1: Start thinking of your app as a startup and refine your idea accordingly.Step 2: Research ot
Step 1: Start thinking of your app as a startup and refine your idea accordingly.
Step 2: Research other apps or services that are doing something similar. Make a list of the top 3 in this category.
Step 3. Think about how you’ll be different from competitors (this can be unique features or a better user interface)
Step 4. Share your app idea with five people who will give you honest feedback. Change your idea accordingly. Go back to step 1 if necessary.
Step 5. Think about *who* will be using your app, and why. If someone in another country downloads your app, what will they be thinking to themselves before they search the app store and find your product?

Creating the Feature List

Step 1: Create a new document that can be accessed anywhere (Use Google Docs, Evernote, Simplenote,
Step 1: Create a new document that can be accessed anywhere (Use Google Docs, Evernote, Simplenote, a notepad that fits in your back pocket, etc)
Step 2: Write down, in bullet list form, each “how” of your app. Be as specific as possible and separate *each feature* into its own bullet point!
Step 3: Go about life as usual!
Step 4: Every time you have a new idea, add it to this list. Stop whatever you’re doing and write it down.

Examples of bullet list items:

- Input book title
- Input book author
- Share actions to Facebook
- Sort list alphabetically
- Sort list numerically
- Track number of items added each day
Share your feature list for feedback.
Share your feature list for feedback.

Mockups and Wireframes

Create your Mockups

Step 1: Check out Apple's free Mobile Human Interface Guidelines. You don't have to read i
Step 1: Check out Apple’s free Mobile Human Interface Guidelines. You don’t have to read it all (it’s really long!) but browse through the entire document to get an idea of layout best practices.
Step 2: Grab a piece of paper and draw a rectangle that’s slightly later than a smartphone screen.
Step 3: Imagine clicking on your app icon and opening the initial screen. Draw this screen. Include arrows and descriptions of every button, field, and element on the page.
Step 4: Imagine clicking the first button on that page. Draw another rectangle. Draw the screen that appears when you click that button, including all arrows and descriptions.
Step 5: Repeat until EVERYTHING in your app is drawn.
Step 6: Find your digital wireframing tool of choice. Don’t spend too long on this step. Trying to find the “perfect tool” is a common form of procrastination.
Step 7: Digitize your drawings, including all your comments, and rearrange your design accordingly.

Note: Don’t worry if you’re not artistic! It’s easier (and cheaper!) to stick with Apple’s stock design elements, and they’ve done all the artistic work for you. Just put buttons and fields in locations that make sense, taking a look at your favorite apps for inspiration.

Finding a Developer

Resources:
Resources:

Rapportive
How much does an app cost?
CodeCanyon.net - Great place for code snippets and active developers (look at author pages and see if they're available for freelance work!)
5 Non-Technical Questions to Ask when Hiring a Development Firm
Docracy

Step 1: If you’re a Gmail user, install Rapportive! You’ll love it, I promise.
Step 2: Go to Code Canyon and navigate to the Mobile iOS section. Find applications that catch your eye, view the author’s profile and see if they’ve listed themselves as available for freelance work.
Step 3: Compile a list of 10 potential freelance developers.
Step 4: Contact all the freelance developers on your list, verifying that they’re available for freelance work and asking them for their rates.
Step 5: Make a list of your top 3 developers and email them more details about your project in order to get a rough price estimate.
Step 6: Find your favorite developer, send your wireframes, and get an official estimate.
Step 7: Read “5 Non-Technical Questions to Ask when Hiring a Development Firm.” Negotiate price and payment terms, discuss project milestones, ask questions.
Step 8: Hire your developer!
Share your rate quotes from five developers (Step 4) for feedback.
Share your rate quotes from five developers (Step 4) for feedback.

Final Project

Step 1: Write a brief decription of your application.
Step 1: Write a brief decription of your application.

Step 2: Add to this document: your feature list, minimum viable product feature list, at least two frames from your mockups, and the rate quotes from three developers.

Step 3: Submit this final document!
Submit the final project document.
Submit the final project document.

Questions and Answers!

Office hours to answer any final questions

Additional Resources

Dan Vineyard

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