I started studying graphic design when I was 13 years old. I learned how to design websites from online courses and spent days playing around with Photoshop and Affinity Designer. This experience taught me to think like a designer.

I've been designing and developing applications for almost a year now. I took part in a program at MIT where I worked on the team developing the Universeaty app. Two months ago I started working on a new application, Crypto Price Tracker, which was released recently, on January 28th.

In this article, I will share the step-by-step design process that I follow when working on applications. This should help those who want to learn or improve their digital design skills. Design is not just about how to use design software, and this article will not teach you how to use it. There are hundreds of quality training programs online. Design is also about understanding the essence of your product, its functionality, and designing with the end users in mind. That's what this article will teach you.

Design Process:

1. Create a user flow for each screen.
2. Create/draw prototypes.
3. Choose design templates and color palettes.
4. Create a design.
5. Create an animated prototype of the app and ask people to test it and provide feedback.
6. Do final retouching of the layouts so that all final screens are ready for development.

Let's start!

User flow

The first step is to figure out what features you want in your app. Once you have ideas, create a user flow. This is a flowchart of how your application works.

Typically, a user flow consists of three types of figures.

• Rectangles are used to represent screens.
• Diamonds are used for conditions (eg login button click, swipe left, zoom).
• Arrows connect screens and conditions together.

User flows are very useful because they give a good logical understanding of how the application will function.

Here's a user flow diagram I drew when I started working on my app design.

User flow for the main interface.

Prototypes

Once you have completed creating user flows for each screen, you will begin working with prototypes for all screens. Prototypes are essentially low-detail sketches of your application. Essentially, a sketch or diagram of where images, labels, buttons, etc. will be located. A rough sketch of how your application will work.

I use printable templates from UI Stencils to draw wireframes. This saves time and provides a nice work area for drawing and taking notes.

Here is an example prototype.

Mobile application interface prototype

After creating your prototypes, you can use an app called Pop and take a snapshot of all your drawings using the app and get a clickable prototype by linking all the screens using buttons.

Design sketches and color palettes

This is my favorite part. It's like window shopping. Lots of design patterns and color palettes to choose from. I'll pick the ones I like and experiment with them.

The best platforms for finding patterns are Mobile Patterns and Pttrns. And to find good color palettes, check out Color Hunt.

Design

Finally you get to using software to create a design. It's like you logged into your app in the future and took some screenshots. It should look realistic and closely resemble the real thing.

Exist software development and tools for creating designs. I'm using Affinity Designer. The most commonly used iOS design tool is Sketch.

Here is an example of some early designs of my application.

Transferring your drawing to pixels!

I experimented more with different color palettes.

I shared the initial designs with friends to get their feedback. A lot of people seemed to like the gold and black gradient scheme.

Be open to getting feedback and experimenting with new suggestions! You'll get amazing feedback from your users when you talk to them, not when you're frantically browsing Dribbble or Behance.

So I redesigned the layout and removed background graphics because generating them was a technically intensive process and they reduced readability. What ended up happening:

The gold and black gradient looks surprisingly good!

I was happy with the color scheme, tab bar icons, and overall layout. I went ahead and designed the rest of the screens following the same design principles. It was a long but incredibly exciting process!

Once all my screens were ready, I put together a prototype in Adobe XD and asked a few friends to try it out and give me their feedback.

After finishing touches this is what the final version of my design looks like.

Final version design

After all the screens were completed, I imported them into Xcode and began developing the application.

That's all! I hope this article helps you get started with your app design or helps you become best designer. And if you like my application, you can download it.

I end this article with one of my favorite design quotes.

“Design is not just about how something looks and feels. Design is how it works."
- Steve Jobs

Zhdanova Ksenia Denisovna

Faculty of Mathematical Economics, Statistics and Informatics, REU im. G.V. Plekhanov Moscow, Russia

Abstract: “Have you ever encountered this problem: Your parents use Viber, your friends use WhatsApp and Telegram, and your work colleagues use only Facebook? If your answer is “yes,” then our “&WVTF” application is especially for you!” The value of this idea is that a person who uses several software products at once, such as Viber, WhatsApp, Telegramm and Facebook, will be able to communicate with all contacts from one application, without having to switch between several programs.

Keywords: Business plan, Business model of A. Osterwalder, mobile application, Investing, innovation model

Developing a business plan of mobile applications &WVTF

Zhdanova Ksenia Denisovna

Faculty of Mathematical Economics, Statistics and Informatics Plekhanov Russian University of Economics Moscow, Russia

Abstract: The purpose of the project is to create a unique mobile application to aggregate messages from different messengers. "Have you ever faced such a problem: your parents use Viber, WhatsApp and friends Telegramm, and colleagues are extremely Facebook? If your answer is “yes”, then our application “& WVTF” especially for you!" The value of this idea is that a person using multiple software products, such as Viber, WhatsApp, Telegram and Facebook, will be able to chat with all your contacts from a single application, without the need to switch between multiple programs.

Keywords: The business plan, business model of A.Ostervalder, mobile application, investment, innovation model

1. PROJECT SUMMARY

The business idea is to create an application that aggregates the most popular instant messengers.

Our company will be engaged in the production, sale and maintenance of the &WVTF mobile application, which will aggregate several popular messengers, such as:

1) WHATSAPP,

2) VIBER,

3) Facebook,

4) TELEGRAM

The goal of this project is to create a unique mobile application for aggregating messages from different instant messengers.

Our customers will be people who use several messengers at once, because the interlocutors use various programs(due to the characteristics of the phone's operating system and preferences). This way people can communicate without having to switch between different programs and windows. Buyers will be both IOS and Android users. The age segment of buyers is from 7 to 99 years.

We will convey information to clients via the Internet, namely through the AppStore and GooglePlay applications. Advertising using VKontakte group and Yandex.Direct

Our competitors are the Nimbuzz and Snowball apps. The main difference is the messengers included in our application. These are the most popular messengers.

Long term prospects are:

• Increase in the number of clients
• Adding the most popular and in-demand messengers to our application, i.e. mobile application development.

Start-up funding requirements and income after project implementation:

Starting capital = 300,000 rubles

During the first MONTH of work it is planned to sell 5000 paid versions applications priced at $1/version. Thus, sales income for the first month will be 300,000 rubles.

When selling free versions in which pop-up advertising appears, the planned income for the first month is 100,000 rubles.

Let’s assume that starting from 2 months from the start of sales, it is planned to sell 2,500 applications per month, the income will be equal to 150,000 rubles + sales income of 100,000 rubles = 250,000 rubles per month. TOTAL = 400,000 + 11*250,000 = 400,000 + 2,750,000 = 3,150,000 rubles

Organizational and legal form of the enterprise - Individual entrepreneur

To implement the project, it is planned to attract 5 employees:

1. Chief programmer,

2. Programmer,

3. Technical support specialist (2 employees),

4. Manager.

2. DESCRIPTION OF THE PROJECT

The type of our investment project is the creation of a project “from scratch”, because the project is innovative and previous versions does not have.

On this moment The project is at the “Gathering a team” and “Creating a concept” stage.

At the time of launch, it is planned to implement the project throughout the Russian Federation, and after a successful launch, we plan to expand the coverage area and allow our application to be used throughout the world.

The goal of this project is to create a unique mobile application for aggregating messages from different instant messengers.

How our business idea was born: “Have you ever encountered such a problem: Your parents use Viber, your friends WhatsApp and Telegram, and your work colleagues use Facebook exclusively? If your answer is “yes”, then our application “& WVTF" especially for you!"

The value of this idea is that a person who uses several software products at once, such as Viber, WhatsApp, Telegramm and Facebook, will be able to communicate with all contacts from one application, without having to switch between several programs.

To achieve the goal of our project, it is necessary to sign contracts for the provision of servers from Viber, WhatsApp, Telegramm and Facebook. This will be done via API (application programming interface). The API defines the functionality that a program (module, library) provides, while the API allows you to abstract from how exactly this functionality is implemented.

The period for achieving the project goal - from the start of creating an application to publishing applications in the AppStore and GooglePlay - will not exceed 2 months.

3. INFORMATION ABOUT THE MAIN PARTICIPANTS OF THE PROJECT

Story:

There is no story about the borrower, because... This is the first startup.

Main project participants:

• Chief programmer
• Programmer

The order of interaction in the project– the founder of the business (who is also the manager) enters into a contract with the above-mentioned specialists, stipulating their job responsibilities.

The manager is obliged to write a technical specification in accordance with GOST No. 34 and transfer it to the chief programmer, as well as conclude contracts for access to WhatsApp, Viber, Telegram, FaceBook servers. In turn, the chief programmer briefs the programmer to begin creating the application. After the allotted period, programmers are required to show a preliminary version to the manager for approval and further work.

Organizational plan:

A starting capital of 300,000 rubles is required, which will be financed by the founder of the business.

In the first 2 months, the start-up capital will be spent, then the startup begins to make a profit.

Table 1. Calculation of required investments

Personnel costs
	Job title	Sum wages per month, rub
	Chief programmer
	Programmer
	Technical support specialist (2 people)
	Sales/Contract Manager
Total personnel costs
Equipment costs (not provided)
Rental expenses (not included)
Costs for concluding contracts (access to servers)
	whatsapp
	Telegram
	FaceBook
Expenses TOTAL

4. PRODUCT DESCRIPTION

Product program:

We offer you new messenger&WVTF:

1) Convenient, intuitive interface

2) Opportunity to purchase free version

3) Save battery power and memory on your smartphone by using one messenger instead of 4!

4) Our application is available for smartphones on Android based and iOS

5) Ability to use one application instead of 4 without losing the functionality of all programs

We will provide 2 type of our application:

a. Website iphones.ru for free(at testing stage)

b. Website appleinsider.ru/obzory-prilozhenij – paid

c. Website appstudio.org/ios-apps - paid (7000 rubles)

2) For Android users:

a. Website androidinsider.ru – paid

b. Website ferra.ru/ru/apps/ - paid

c. Website android4all.ru/soft - for free

1. Team gathering

2. Payment for programmer services

3. Writing applications for operating systems IOS and Android

4. Obtaining a patent for the application

6. Implementation of applications in Google Play and AppStore

7. Development of a marketing strategy to attract new customers

8. Technical support users

9. FINANCIAL PLAN (FORESTUDY REPORTING, INDICATORS)

Project performance indicators:

1) DPBP (DISCOUNTED PAYBACK PERIOD). This is the time during which the project’s present-day (discounted) net cash flow exceeds the initial investment. This indicator reflects the period at the end of which all money invested in the project is returned, provided that the discount rate is chosen correctly. The indicator should not exceed the duration of the project, otherwise the project will be considered unprofitable.

2) NPV (NET PRESENT VALUE). One of the key indicators of the project, which is the current (discounted) amount of net cash flows from the project (the difference between all cash inflows and outflows), calculated taking into account the expected change in the value of money. Shows the absolute amount of funds (income) that a bank or investor will receive from investing money in your project. Allows you to compare projects of equal duration and takes into account their scale. For a project to be considered profitable, this indicator must be at least greater than zero.

3) IRR (INTERNAL RATE OF RETURN). Along with NPV, it is one of the key indicators of the project and characterizes the degree of return on invested money, taking into account the time factor and subject to full coverage all project expenses from income. It is calculated as a barrier rate - a discount rate at which the NPV of the project is equal to 0. IRR allows you to compare the effectiveness of investments in the project with alternative options financial investments (for example, in other, more profitable projects) and shows the relative profitability of the project per unit of invested funds. This figure must exceed the discount rate.

4) PI (PROJECT PROFITABILITY INDEX). It is also one of the key indicators of the project and is calculated as the ratio of NPV to the initial investment. Shows the relative profitability of a project compared to other projects involving a comparable amount of initial investment. When the index value is equal to one or lower values, it loses to other projects and investments and actually makes the project of little interest to a bank or investor.

Investment size:

In this article we will try to reveal the main stages of developing a program written in any programming language.

Specification (definition of program requirements):

On at this stage is happening detailed description source data, requirements for the resulting result are formulated, all possible program behaviors are considered when special cases arise (for example, if incorrect data is entered), development takes place dialog boxes, which will ensure interaction between the user and the program itself.

Algorithm development:

At this stage, the programmer determines the sequence of necessary actions that must subsequently be performed to obtain the desired result.

If a situation arises when a given problem can be solved in several ways, then, of course, many different options for the solution algorithm are possible. Then the program developer, based on some important criterion (for example, the speed of solving the algorithm), makes the choice of a more suitable solution.

The result of this stage of program development is a detailed verbal description of the program algorithm, or a block diagram of the algorithm. You can learn in detail about how to develop an algorithm for any program by studying this article.

Coding:

After carrying out the specification and drawing up the solution algorithm, the algorithm used will ultimately be written in the required programming language (Pascal, Delphi, C++, etc.). The result of the coding stage is a finished program.

Stages of program development. Debugging:

At this stage, the programmer is debugging the program, that is, finding and eliminating errors. The latter are divided into two groups: algorithmic and syntactic (errors in the text of the source program). Of these two groups of errors, syntax errors are the easiest to eliminate, while algorithmic errors are quite difficult to identify.

The debugging stage is considered complete only when original program works correctly and correctly with one or two sets of primary data. You can find out what compilation of any program is and what main tasks it performs by reading this article.

Testing:

Testing a program is very important because in most cases programmers create programs not for personal use, but so that others can use their program. At the testing stage, the developer checks the behavior of the program under a large number of sets of input data, both correct and specially selected incorrect ones.

Creating a help system:

If a programmer develops a program so that others can subsequently use it, then the programmer needs to develop a help system and install an easy fast access refer to this help system when working with the program. Modern programs have help information in the form of CHM or HLP files.

Except reference information reference system contains necessary instructions upon installation of the program. They are usually presented in the form of a Readme file in different formats: *.doc, *.txt, *.htm. The considered stage of program development will be described in more detail later.

Creating an installation disk (CD-ROM):

Developers create an installation disk (CD-ROM) so that users can independently, without the help of a programmer, install this program to your PC.

Typically, in addition to the program itself, the installation CD-ROM contains help files and instructions for installing the program. It should be noted that most modern programs, including programs developed in the Delphi environment, in many cases, even by simply copying files cannot be installed on the user’s computer, because for proper operation These programs require the presence of special libraries, as well as components that may not be present on a particular user’s PC.

In fact, bringing this idea to life is not as difficult and not as expensive as it might seem at first glance. You just need to have a good idea of ​​what exactly you expect from a mobile application and determine how to achieve your goals.

Do you like development mobile applications for a business, blog, product or service, or are you just looking for a new source of income? Are you wondering how to do this and calculate future expenses? In fact, bringing this idea to life is not as difficult and not as expensive as it might seem at first glance. You just need to have a good idea of ​​what exactly you expect from the application. mobile phone or tablet and determine how to achieve your goals.

PREPARATORY STAGE

Before creating a mobile application, you should decide on the following points:

• Do I have a specific vision of what the finished product will be and what its functionality will be?
• What problems is the program designed to solve and what will be the benefit for a specific user?
• On what platforms will the finished product work? software(iOS, Android, Windows Phone)?
• Will daily monitoring of its functioning be required?
• How much am I willing to spend?
• Will I create an application myself or will I turn to professional developers?

Also keep in mind that to create mobile programs for a business, such as a cafe, pizzeria or fitness club, should be taken especially seriously. After all, the presence of such a modern tool in a company is a serious image factor that will contribute to greater customer loyalty to the brand and a significant increase in the number of repeat visits.

METHODS AND COSTS OF CREATING AN APPLICATION

In creating applications for mobile devices there are two ways. The first involves the independent creation of programs for electronic devices based on Android or IOS according to a template type using special design sites. The second way, which is more expensive, but ultimately allows you to get serious and functional products, is to seek help from individuals or companies involved in writing software. The second option is suitable if we are talking about creating serious software products with specific characteristics that go beyond the ready-made kits available on design sites. It should also be taken into account that professional development for iOS or Android requires significant expenses. What is the cost of creating an application for Android platforms and iOS on Russian market? The price range is quite wide - from several hundred to tens of thousands of dollars - it all depends on the type of software and its functionality. However, such serious investments more than pay off in the long term. When planning the final cost, it is also worth taking into account the costs of placing a new product in the AppStore and Android Market. If you are limited by a small budget and have no time at all, then you can try to design an application for electronic devices yourself. You don't need to be a programmer to do this. Read on to find out how easy it is to do this.

HOW TO CREATE AN APP FOR FREE

Today, there are enough domestic and foreign platforms available on the Internet that allow you to independently construct an application according to a ready-made type for free. Designer sites contain hundreds of ready-made application options, sorted into various categories: small business, education, entertainment, sports, blogs, and the like. On such resources, programs with a standard and limited set of functions are created free of charge. Limitations relate to the number of installations and views of your application, the number of items in the catalog, the possibility of publication in stores, the presence of a payment acceptance system, the presence of third-party advertising and the possibility of modifying the functionality to suit your needs. To remove restrictions on sites, you can choose a specific package with a fixed monthly fee, the size of which is determined depending on the number of included options. Examples of website constructors for shareware mobile applications for Android, iPhone, iPad.

1. Appsgeyser.com (appsgeyser.ru - Russian version).

Now let’s look at how a mobile application can be developed in a few minutes using the example of the ibuildapp website. We chose this particular platform because it is very simple and easy to use. By the way, the iBuidApp resource also has a Russian-language version, which makes using the constructor even easier. Before starting work, register on the site. Next, on the main page, click the “Create” tab and select the template that suits us.

SELECTING A TEMPLATE AND CATEGORY

This site offers enough big choice standard options, which can be found in the category catalog in the left menu of the site page. For example, we chose the “Photography” category and the “Photo Studio” template. After choosing a design and the appropriate category, we begin editing menu items.

EDITING CONTENT

The administrative panel of the designer opens up ample opportunities for editing menu elements. You can change the background, add a logo, customize the navigation of the main and lower menus on the screen electronic device, edit the contents of internal pages. By the way, on the right side of the screen you can see how the changes made will look on the screen of the electronic device. The builder also allows you to test your application on a tablet or smartphone. The finished program can also be published on the Appstore or Google Play, but this function is only available for paid versions. The site offers 3 paid package costing 490 rubles, 2400 rubles, 3700 rubles. per month.

PAID PACKAGES

If you are not satisfied appearance templates available on the site, you can create own design by clicking in account“My Templates” tab. The capabilities of an individual designer are quite limited; they allow you to provide the software product with only the most necessary elements.
Now it’s your turn to start creating applications and install it on your smartphone. Try it, it's quite simple!

With the availability of the Internet and smartphones, interest in mobile applications is growing every year. The themes and functionality of the developments never cease to amaze. Large enterprises and organizations are resorting to mobile applications to expand their business.

From idea to implementation, a mobile application is separated by several important stages of preparation:

• identifying the target market
• design
• drawing up detailed technical specifications (TOR)
• prototyping
• design
• development
• testing
• after testing and modifications we post the working one mobile version applications in App Store, Google Play, etc. and follow reviews and statistics

At , there is a turning point when you need to decide what functionality will make up the MVP (minimum viable product), how to think through the architecture for future expansion, what technologies to choose, and, in addition, decide on the labor costs and timing of the project. To optimize this process, it is recommended to make a design. Below we will explain why this stage is important, and when creating which applications you can skip it, and when creating which it will be a mistake that will cost the customer additional investments.

Mobile application design

Not every application needs design. A simple application does not require any design work. Design requires applications with unique, obviously new functionality, integrating many functions and systems, implying ambiguity possible solutions. In some, particularly complex cases, the design service is included in a separate contract.

The task of this stage is to understand and record:

1. How will the interaction of teams on the project take place on both sides?

2. What resources will be involved in the development (primarily the labor of specialists from the customer and developer)

3. What is the realistic time frame for launching the MVP and its functionality?

4. How the project will develop after the release of MVP (long-term project development plan)

Stages of mobile application design

1. Marketing

1) Goals of creating the application

Before creating an application, you should pay utmost attention to the goals of its development. The most general issues may sound like this: “Who is this application for?”, “Why will people use it?”. During the design process, these moments are worked out deeply and in as much detail as possible - without this information, development loses its meaning.

2) Custom scripts

The application will be used by specific people with specific tasks, so for each of them we must work out the most convenient way to solve these problems. To pass this stage, it is important that the customer has complete information about his target audience and knows thoroughly about the behavioral characteristics of representatives of one or another of its segments.

3) Promotion

The application will only live if it is downloaded and used. Developing a product promotion strategy after release will allow you to navigate the volume of future investments.

2. Architecture, structure and interfaces

1) Architecture

Server Database Design

2) Structure

Based on the results of the previous stage, we create the structure of the application, leaving what is necessary and discarding what is unnecessary.

3) Interface prototypes

Again relying on user scenarios, we create prototypes of all application interfaces (screens)

3. Technology

The choice of technologies determines the entire future of the application. Will it be native, hybrid or cross-platform. What loads should the server withstand? What integration capabilities should be included. These and many other non-obvious issues are resolved at this stage.

4. Selecting an MVP

Launching the minimum functionality allows you to start testing the application in a short time - within 2-3 months. This will allow you to stay in touch with your audience, gain downloads, confirm/refute hypotheses made in the process of writing user scripts, and receive first feedback on interfaces and usability.

MVP is a product that is clear in functionality and design, with clearly defined deadlines and a fixed cost of creation. Based on how the team worked during the MVP development period, you can make a decision on further cooperation on Time&Material terms (based on the standard hours actually spent)

5. Create a long-term development plan

Expansion of functionality and promotion of the application is described in terms of milestones, preliminary deadlines and labor costs. A long-term strategy will help plan the total investment required.

Once again about the benefits of designing before creating a mobile application

Creating a complex project “on a whim”, as a rule, turns it into an endless long-term construction with unpredictable departures into unnecessary iterations, unnecessary actions, and misunderstandings between the customer and developer teams.

On the contrary, a competently carried out design stage will allow you to see a transparent picture of the upcoming work in its entirety and not go in blind, but with a mutual clear understanding of what, why and for whom it is being done, as well as how long it will take and what the volume of investment required.