Slides for the talk I did for DPIP on App Development.

1. From LazyCoffee to
Appstore
The Key stages of app
development
© Systematic Apps, 2015 - www.systematicapps.com | @systematicapps | @scottmkroberts 1

2. First of all Who am I
• Scott Roberts (@scottmkroberts)
• Founder of a Local Mobile app development company
Systematic Apps
• Been developing mobile apps (mostly for iPhone and iPad)
for around 5 years
© Systematic Apps, 2015 - www.systematicapps.com | @systematicapps | @scottmkroberts 2

3. What is this talk about (Agenda)
A journey on how you take an idea all the way to the App
Store.
- Idea
- Funding
- Team
- Design
- Development
- Marketing & Shipping
© Systematic Apps, 2015 - www.systematicapps.com | @systematicapps | @scottmkroberts 3

4. Idea !
© Systematic Apps, 2015 - www.systematicapps.com | @systematicapps | @scottmkroberts 4

5. To me, ideas are worth
nothing unless executed.
They are just a multiplier.
Execution is worth
millions.
— Derek Sivers
© Systematic Apps, 2015 - www.systematicapps.com | @systematicapps | @scottmkroberts 5

6. Idea
Everything starts with an idea.
- Coming up with an app idea
- Validate your idea
- Define your main feature set
- Always be thinking of your USP (Unique Selling Point)
- Remember: An app's main aim should do one thing and one
thing well especially when starting out.
- How will your app make money?
© Systematic Apps, 2015 - www.systematicapps.com | @systematicapps | @scottmkroberts 6

7. Funding !
© Systematic Apps, 2015 - www.systematicapps.com | @systematicapps | @scottmkroberts 7

8. "Cash flow is more
important than your
mother"
— BillionDollarApp Book
© Systematic Apps, 2015 - www.systematicapps.com | @systematicapps | @scottmkroberts 8

9. How much does an
app cost?
We surveyed some of the leading
mobile app development companies on
the cost to develop a mobile app, and
found that the median cost range is
between $37,913 and $171,450, but
could climb up to $500,000 or higher.
• Source: https://clutch.co/app-
development/cost-build-mobile-
app-survey
© Systematic Apps, 2015 - www.systematicapps.com | @systematicapps | @scottmkroberts 9

10. Example:
Monument Valley
• Apple Design Award Winner 2014
• 55 Weeks in Development
• 8 Core Team Members
• Development cost: $852,000.00
• Revenue: $5,858,625.00
(source: http://
blog.monumentvalleygame.com/blog/
2015/1/15/monument-valley-in-
© Systematic Apps, 2015 - www.systematicapps.com | @systematicapps | @scottmkroberts 10

11. How will you fund your idea?
• Bootstrapping
• Angel Investing/Venture Capital
• Crowd Funding (e.g. Kickstarter)
© Systematic Apps, 2015 - www.systematicapps.com | @systematicapps | @scottmkroberts 11

12. Team ! " #
© Systematic Apps, 2015 - www.systematicapps.com | @systematicapps | @scottmkroberts 12

13. "Coming together is a
beginning. Keeping
together is progress.
Working together is
success."
— Henry Ford
© Systematic Apps, 2015 - www.systematicapps.com | @systematicapps | @scottmkroberts 13

14. Roles in the team
• Design
• User Experience Designer
• User Interface Designer
• Mobile Development (Depending on platforms)
• iOS (iPhone and iPad)
• Android
© Systematic Apps, 2015 - www.systematicapps.com | @systematicapps | @scottmkroberts 14

15. Roles in the team
• Web Developer (backend / frontend)
• Someone with API experience
• Quality Assurance
• Marketing
• Sales
• Business / Financial
© Systematic Apps, 2015 - www.systematicapps.com | @systematicapps | @scottmkroberts 15

16. Early stage teams
• Single Founders (Indie Developers)
• Co founders (e.g. Design and Developer Duo)
• Full on teams
© Systematic Apps, 2015 - www.systematicapps.com | @systematicapps | @scottmkroberts 16

17. Design !
© Systematic Apps, 2015 - www.systematicapps.com | @systematicapps | @scottmkroberts 17

18. "One does not accumulate but eliminate.
It is not daily increase but daily decrease.
The height of cultivation always runs to
simplicity."
-- Bruce Lee
© Systematic Apps, 2015 - www.systematicapps.com | @systematicapps | @scottmkroberts 18

19. Design Tools
• Sketch
• Pixelmator (Photo Editing)
• Invision App
• Marvel App
• Pen and Paper
• Whiteboard
© Systematic Apps, 2015 - www.systematicapps.com | @systematicapps | @scottmkroberts 19

20. Process
• Tight feedback loop, you don't know how good you design
is until it is infront of your users.
• Wireframes to outlay the basic features and flow of the
application.
• Test with real users via interactive prototypes.
• Start making it look good
© Systematic Apps, 2015 - www.systematicapps.com | @systematicapps | @scottmkroberts 20

21. Quick things to think about
• Limited screen space
• Use colour wisely
• Pick clean easy to read fonts
• Does your design fit with multiple languages.
• Icons should not confuse the user
© Systematic Apps, 2015 - www.systematicapps.com | @systematicapps | @scottmkroberts 21

22. Development ☕
© Systematic Apps, 2015 - www.systematicapps.com | @systematicapps | @scottmkroberts 22

23. “Always code as if the guy
who ends up maintaining
your code will be a violent
psychopath who knows
where you live.”
— Martin Golding
© Systematic Apps, 2015 - www.systematicapps.com | @systematicapps | @scottmkroberts 23

24. Time to make your idea (Method)
• Native
• Cross platform
• PhoneGap/Cordova
• Xamarin
• appcelerator
© Systematic Apps, 2015 - www.systematicapps.com | @systematicapps | @scottmkroberts 24

25. Platforms
• Android
• iOS
• Windows Phone
• Blackberry?
• Firefox OS
© Systematic Apps, 2015 - www.systematicapps.com | @systematicapps | @scottmkroberts 25

26. How we create the iPhone App
• Apple Developer License
• You need a Mac
• Download Xcode and get developing
• Code the app in Swift or Objective-C
• Taking a Test first approach will reduce bugs
© Systematic Apps, 2015 - www.systematicapps.com | @systematicapps | @scottmkroberts 26

27. Marketing !
© Systematic Apps, 2015 - www.systematicapps.com | @systematicapps | @scottmkroberts 27

28. "Word-of-mouth marketing has always
been important. Today, it’s more
important than ever because of the power
of the Internet."
-- Joe Pulizzi & Newt Barrett
© Systematic Apps, 2015 - www.systematicapps.com | @systematicapps | @scottmkroberts 28

29. App Marketing Tips
• Do not rely on the App Stores they have terrible SEO.
• Press Releases and giving early access to Blogs, magazines
etc.
• Always think of marketing through the whole process of
creating an app.
• Create a landing Page / website for your app early to
generate "Hype" and interest.
© Systematic Apps, 2015 - www.systematicapps.com | @systematicapps | @scottmkroberts 29

30. Shipping !
© Systematic Apps, 2015 - www.systematicapps.com | @systematicapps | @scottmkroberts 30

31. "Move fast and break
things."
— Mark Zuckerberg
© Systematic Apps, 2015 - www.systematicapps.com | @systematicapps | @scottmkroberts 31

32. Required Reading & Resources
• The Lean Startup
• How to build a billion dollar app
• Deckset App Best way to create presentations.
© Systematic Apps, 2015 - www.systematicapps.com | @systematicapps | @scottmkroberts 32

33. Thank You
Any Questions?
@scottmkroberts
© Systematic Apps, 2015 - www.systematicapps.com | @systematicapps | @scottmkroberts 33