My Mobile Apps Developer Journey began in 2013

It has been a long time that creating a mobile application is a job of the professional mobile app developers. Whether it is a simple app for your business profile or a complicated online store, it is by no means an easy task. It is true that the structure of a mobile application is highly technical and it is built from thousands of lines of coding.

Photo Taken by @DigitalMind

Besides, most mobile apps for business will be asked for a platform that can function in Apple and Andriod devices. For Apple device, you have to consider the iPad and iPhone which operate on an iOS version which changes regularly. For Andriod devices, there are the tablet as well as many sizes of Andriod smartphones. Both of the platforms operate in a very different structure and therefore there are not interchangeable. As such, two separate mobile apps are normally built.

The need to build a mobile app

Due to my work requirement as a consultant and a corporate trainer, I need to transfer my training modules to a mobile format so that my participants can refer to it with their smartphone. Currently, I use website or pdf which is readable from a computer or laptop which is not so convenient and user-friendly. Although I am able to design a simple website to cater for reading my training module online but to build a mobile app is alien to me. I have no coding knowledge at all.

I did ask around from mobile app developers and most of them quoted me for RM5k to 8k per application. I have quite a number of training modules to be converted and it cost much. So, I put on hold the idea to hire a mobile app developer to build the app and started to hunt around DIY mobile app program.

I have been searching for a training to build own mobile app but for one long year, I could not find a trainer. Most app developers do not hold training to teach you how to build a mobile app.

An opportunity to attend a mobile app preview

Details of Screenshot for KIS Consulting App in PlayStore

No luck over one year and In July 2013, I received a message from a Facebook friend about a mobile app preview in Subang Jaya, near my home. I attended the 3-hour preview conducted by @karttina. which covered the following topics:-

1. a brief introduction to mobile app market & trend
2. Mobile app technology and its advancement
3. Types of mobile app and its platform
4. Rules and Regulations in Apple AppStore and Google Play store
5. 30 minutes practical to build a simple mobile app without coding experience
6. Details of a full training course

During the 3-hours preview, I learn about an overview of mobile application technology and its potential in the market, a brief structure of how an online app builder can help you to build your own mobile app without coding experience. In order to be convinced, you will be required to build a simple mobile app in the preview. In less than 30 minutes, you will be able to complete a simple mobile app that will operate like:-

• an online newspaper
• a location navigator
• a simple puzzle game
• a camera photo frame.

Migrate into a full functional mobile app

KIS Consulting App in Apple AppStore

Besides building the mobile app for the above four functions, you can enhance the similar functions to focus on one key objective. In another word, you can develop a full version of the following apps that:-
1 A comprehensive newspaper app to cover more types of news or country
2 A navigation app that stores all your address of your branches or places of your frequently travel
3 A photo frame consists of a camera function match with a pre-design photo frame of your interest. Example: your photo may be about mother's day.
4 A puzzle game of your interest for fun.

Although you may want only a business profile for your business, by all means, focus on that only. And instead of hiring a mobile app developer to build for you, now you can learn and build your own. The advantages are many, some of the main advantages of building your own app are time-saving and fully customize. After I learn to build a business profile, I learn that most owners do not know what they wanted for their app. Hence, a lot of time is wasted to go thru the owner's requirements and many changes are made along the way.

If you learn the skill to build your own app, then you save a lot of time in term of communication.

You can build your own apps without coding experience

KIS Consulting App in Google PlayStore

During the preview, I have signed up for a full course which started in Auguest 2013. I learn to build my first mobile app for my company profile as well as for one of my ebook. I completed two apps without any coding experience or prior knowledge though I have some basic HTML knowledge. But mobile app uses different codings system.

Thanks to the mobile technology advancement! I started to build my own mobile app and I do not need to learn any codings.

My journey in mobile app industry continues. And my business profile mobile app still available in Google Playsore and Apple AppStore today

Disclaimers:

• All images are taken by @digitalMind
• The Apps named KIS Consulting belongs to @DigitalMind
• I am a registered mobile app developer for Google Playstore and Apple AppStore (itunesconnect.apple.com)