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How to develop an amazing mobile app prototype?

An app is able to change the lives of countless people and a mobile app prototype is highly useful in doing the same. It is useful in creating a great design as well as a professional interactive mobile app prototype of the application.

Today everyone is looking for that one big break and in the world of apps it is common to come across genius ideas that have the power to change the lives of thousand people. Nowadays apps are a great way to give a boost to startups as well as it’s wonderful in taking your business to an all new level.

However, as it comes to an app, all it takes is a great design and today there are countless development companies out there offering professional design services to the customers. Still no one understands how an app must appear, apart from the customer. Here we have made an attempt to make you understand how to create a great design and come up with a professional interactive mobile app prototype of the application without any earlier knowledge and experience in the arena.

Step 1. Visualise your idea

In order to design your own application it’s imperative that you have been an ardent smartphone user. After all, the one who has owned many number of smartphones, it’s clear that s/he has tried more application and thus have great understanding of the needs of an average app user. You can use that experience to comprehend the requirements of an average app user while it will also help in understanding the way your app must look like so that it’s easy and pleasant to use as well as meets the users’ expectations.

Begin with the creation of a user story and then pen down the entire user journey via the application starting with first screen to last one, consider problems your app must solve along with the goals you are keen on achieving. Through multiple tools, it’s easier to come up with an apparent architecture of the mobile application and present coherent connections between different screens. It’s advised to try Mindmup.

You can give a try to various boards from Adrien Susini, Formula Design, Yuki/Bissy Nagahama, as well as have a Dribble account, apart from visiting Google Play Market and iTunes Stores.

Step 2. Sketch with your hand

When you’re done with inspiration and great ideas, it’s best to execute the concept of coming application. Though there are myriad tools to create sketches on your phone, tablet or computer, still nothing is better than the old school paper and it receives all the accolades among top web and mobile designers. So it’s time that you build something with your hands letting loose your imagination and come up with fresh ideas.

Consider these set of UI wireframe sketches with a definite outline of each app or web design idea. It’s best to have a pen and a notepad, and create your first application sketch. After all, it’s best to commit errors on paper instead of creating an app design with digital tools. You can easily through away a paper sketch than delete a digital mobile app prototype.

Besides, sketching is useful in creating a rough draft version of the app instead of the interactive UI prototype. As you sketch, you must stress on structure and shun lot many details. However, keep in mind that while sketching, you must not overlook any idea coming in the course of app designing.

Step 3. Digital wireframe

Yes, this is the next in line. Build a UX wireframe, i.e. future app’s structure on the basis of your own sketch design. A UX wireframe is an application’s skeleton and here is when you must keep your notepad and pencil in a corner using some digital tools. Though Wireframing allows you convert your paper sketch into digital format in a manual manner while other tools make the process a lot easier and less time consuming.

Wire framing is a stage when you will have to manually convert your paper sketch into digital format. But there are some tools that will make this step much easier and less time demanding. You can give a try to POP i.e. Prototyping on Paper. This tool turns your sketch into an interactive wireframe and by taking pictures of your drawings and POP it’s easy to automatically upload them just as screens of your future application in order to develop a real click-through prototype. POP links hotspot on images to other images while user easily set the link destination as well as the gesture triggering the link.

There are numerous tools available for the creation of a professional mobile app prototype and this allows the designer to develop an amazing application design that allures the users.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Octal Info Solution Limited .