Businesses rely on digital tools today more than ever. And one that is growing in popularity for both companies and users is a web app.
Web apps – software run through a web browser – are more prominent than you may realize and offer a variety of benefits to your business. From more scalability and integration to an enhanced user experience, they make companies more engaging and help solve business problems.
But to truly have success with a web app, you need to understand how it comes to life, and what makes them run once they’re live. This way you have realistic expectations of the process, rather than setting yourself up for failure and disappointment from the jump.
The lifecycle of building a web app happens in 7 key stages:
Let’s break down what happens at each stage and why it’s important.
Idea Gathering
Much like any project, a web app starts as an idea and builds from there. The start of your web app lifecycle is figuring out what problem you want to solve or goal you want to achieve with the software, then setting clear, measurable objectives. Part of that includes figuring what already exists, how it fits into your company and industry, and the role it will play for your target audience.
In this stage you’ll want to start considering how you want the web app to function – both the features included and the overall purpose.
This phase is key in setting the foundation for the whole project. Without clear ideas and goals, it will be hard for the subsequent phases to be successful.
Planning & Strategy
Once you have an idea, the next step is to create the roadmap for the web app – both for creation and how it will run. This also might be when you bring in an outside development team.
A big part of this phase is the project budget and timeline. Figuring out how much creating your web app will cost and how long it will take is based on several factors:
The project timeline and budget will guide the remaining steps – project sprints, development milestones, estimated completion dates, and more.
Something else to consider in your planning is any security and compliance measures you’ll need to follow. These can be based on your location, industry, individual company, or anything of the sort. Planning for these early in the process will ensure they get included in the initial scope, rather than having to try and fit them in later and creating a problem.
Design
When it comes to your web app’s design, there are two pieces that you need to consider – the user experience (UX) and user interface (UI). The UX design focuses on how the web app works and the way your audience will interact with it. Think of this as how useful the web app is. UI design is the overall look and feel of the web app – think visual elements and branding.
Both design pieces are equally important and need to be included in the planning and strategy. In this phase you’ll mockup both the UX and UI design to get an idea of how the web app will flow.
Feedback is key in this stage because making changes to the design tends to be easier – both from a time and cost perspective – than once you’re in development. The web app development team you’re working with should include you in the design process, welcoming your edits and making changes to ensure it’s what you’re looking for and what your audience needs.
Development
This is arguably the main part a web app’s lifecycle before it’s live. This is when all the planning and designs come together into functioning software – both on the frontend and backend.
The frontend is focused on what the users see and interact with. It’s the features they use and how well they run. The backend is the database that helps it all operate, including the APIs, plug-ins, and integrations. Together they make the completed web app.
Even though the development is based off all the phases that came before it, there is still room for changes to be made. This process should still be collaborative, with tweaks being made as necessary so it runs efficiently and your target audience and employees get the most possible out of it.
Testing
Once the development is complete, you have to make sure it actually operates the way it’s supposed to. That’s where testing and quality assurance comes in. You want to make sure everything functions properly, and that the database and backend can withstand people using it. You also want to test the security, ensuring the compliance measures are properly in place, that all user data is protected, and finding any vulnerabilities before it’s live.
Once all the bugs are worked out, the last piece of testing is with the people that will actually be using it. Having both your audience members and employees run through the program will work out those last few kinks and make sure the web app actually solves the problems you listed out in the first phase of the life cycle.
Launch
Once all the bugs are found and fixed, the next step is the one people look forward to most – going live. But there’s more to this than just releasing it to the public. You want to do those last-minute performance checks and backups, as well as make sure your marketing efforts (such as SEO) are good to go.
When your web app is finally deployed, you’ll start looking for feedback, tracking performance, and monitoring the overall success. That way you’re ensuring all your hard work – and all the previous lifecycle phases – led to real results.
On-going Maintenance
The lifecycle of a web app doesn’t end when it’s live. Just like any other software, you need to continuously monitor and maintain the web app so it continues to run properly over time.
Key things to focus on in your maintenance efforts include:
Whether you handle these things internally, or work with a web app development team, you want people on call that fully understand the workings of your web app so if issues ever arise, they are ready to jump in and get it fixed ASAP. And the more you keep track of your web app and its success, the better you can plan for the future – and potentially get new ideas to start the process over again.
Understanding the lifecycle of building a web app is essential if you want your investment to deliver long-term value. Each phase plays a critical role in shaping a web app that not only functions properly, but also aligns with your business goals and user needs. Skipping steps or rushing the process can lead to unnecessary costs, delays, and missed opportunities.
How We Can Help
As a web app development company in Texas, we help businesses discover how web apps can solve their problems, boost their digital presence, and help them better connect with their audience.
If you’re looking for a web app development partner to bounce ideas off of or bring your ideas to life, send us a message! We’ll set up a free consult meeting then get to work making your dreams a reality!
