How to Build an App in Mac

Ideation

1. Determine if your application will solve a novel problem or serve a specific niche (see Resource 1 to research existing apps at Mac's App Store).

2. Download and play with as many apps as possible. Determine what functionality you would like to include in your product.

3. Create a team of skilled professionals who can serve as researchers, project managers, developers and advertisers from family, friends and co-workers. Hire technology developer contractors, if necessary.

4. Prepare a non-disclosure agreement, or a contract, for your team members to ensure that your ideas are not stolen.

5. Locate your target market and include this group in every phase of the design through user testing.

6. Sketch out your idea on multiple standard sheets of paper. Create at least one thumbnail page of your application per screen. Experiment with a variety of navigation schemes.

Design and Development

7. Join the Apple Developers Program to access iOS SDK 4 for developing applications (see Resource 2). Input your debit or credit card information to complete the sign up.

8. Download a Photoshop template to solidify your layout (see Resource 4). Create working prototypes of the final model using image editing software.

9. Create Objective C code using Xcode as you begin to design your application, since each sequence of your design will require coding to work.

Promotion

10. Email those interested in your application weeks before its release to promote your product.

11. Incorporate social media sites into the application, such as Facebook or Twitter platforms, to communicate with users and obtain feedback.

12. Anticipate multiple releases to roll out a new feature periodically.