Design and Strategy for Technology

Start with design and strategy before you start developing your app

Many organizations and entrepreneurs are so enthusiastic about their app idea and want to get started as soon as possible. They then immediately look for someone who can build the app. In practice, we see that this approach often leads to a waste of time, budget and energy. Development comes to a standstill because the developer no longer knows how to proceed. The flows of the screens and the so-called user journey are unclear. A successful app doesn't start with code, it starts with strategy, visual design, mockup and testing of your design and mockup.

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The pitfall: building an app without a plan

Without a clear concept and design, you run the risk that:

• functions are misjudged
• users drop out due to an unclear interface
• you run out of budget before you have a working product
• your app needs to be modified or rebuilt multiple times

In short: you burn euros even before you get your hands on something that is useful to your customer.

Start with a design sprint

At Ambasco, we almost always start app projects with a design sprint. This is a short and powerful process, usually 3 to 5 days, where we:

• focus your idea
• trying to understand the problem and the user
• determine the most important functions
• create a clickable prototype (mockup)
• and test this with real users

This approach prevents you from spending months building something that ultimately doesn't work. The result may even be that your users don't like the idea at all.

A design sprint not only saves costs, but also speeds up the process. Within one week, you will already have something tangible in your hands and you can decide whether or not to continue.

Design mockups as a foundation

A mockup is a visual prototype of your app. It shows how your app looks and feels without anything else being built.

As a result:

• you can immediately see if your idea works
• gather feedback from potential users before you start your development·
• you can communicate more clearly with programmers. After all, you have a clear example of what you want and what should happen when the user clicks on something.

If you need funding, you can perfectly show investors and stakeholders what your plans are with a mockup.

Conclusion: design first, build later

An app is an investment. And as with any investment, the better your preparation, the greater the chance of a return.

Start with strategy, UX and design. Let your idea grow in the right direction before you make it technically a reality.

Ready to get started with your app idea?

Plan a design sprint with Ambasco and lay a solid foundation for your app. Contact us