Phase 1: Define
When you build an app with Butterware, your project goes through three phases:
- 1. Define: Defining the purpose, functionality and structure of your app.
- 2. Design: Determining the app’s look and feel.
- 3. Deploy: Publishing your app and distributing it to customers.
The first phase of the process, the “define” phase, is where you decide what kind of app you are building and which features will be included in it.
Defining the scope and purpose of your app is one of the most important phases of the app building process, because it sets the agenda for the other two phases. The type of app you build will determine the type of features that will go on your app, which will in turn determine how the app will be deployed.
At Butterware, we have gone out of our way to make it easy, and fun, to define the scope of your app. With our easy-to-use tabs system, you can easily drag and drop all the features into place, the same way you’d put together any simple template-based project.
The definition phase starts when you select your industry from the tabs menu on the features tool. Based on this information, the tool selects one template from a list of 30, consisting of a set of features (which you can modify) relevant to your specific business niche.
If none of the templates quite meet your needs, you can build your own template by mixing and matching from among the different features in the inventory. These features cover a wide array of different functions, including:
- Social media, including Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Youtube integration.
- Business information.
- Communication options, including telephone, e-mail, and blogs.
- QR codes, which allow customers’ phones to interact with your business in a variety of ways (a QR code can be used as a coupon, for example).
- And more.
The definition phase also consists in naming your app and deciding how it will be used. If you aren’t sure how you want your customers to interact with your app, you can always go with the template that comes up when you select your industry from the pulldown menu, as each template is designed to include features that are relevant to the industry. You can also have us assist you in the design process, using our expertise to determine which features will appeal most to your specific customer base.
