How to create mobile app prototype

The application prototype is a visual model of the future product's interface. Depending on the goals, it can be of varying degrees of detail: from a simple wireframe to a clickable version with transitions, animations and the ability to simulate user actions. Prototyping allows you to quickly and visually test hypotheses, test scenarios, and get feedback before you even start programming.

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The advantages of prototyping:

• Save time and budget. It is cheaper to fix bugs at the prototype level than after writing the code.

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• Improved user experience. The prototype helps you see in advance which interface elements are confusing, where there is confusion, and what can be simplified.

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• Combining the team. The prototype serves as a visual guide for designers, programmers and customers, minimizing discrepancies.
  

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Prototyping makes the product more meaningful, logical and focused on the needs of the end user. And the sooner you start this process, the better.

Prototyping a mobile app — it's not just “sketching screens”. This is a way to build the logic of the product, test its idea and make sure that the user exactly gets to the desired goal. At this stage, it is important not just to draw, but to think. More, think not only as a designer, but also as a user.

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1. Understanding the audience

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Start with questions:

• Who will be using the app?
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• In what context?
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• What tasks do they want to solve?
  

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The answers to these questions will help you set the right vector for interface design and functionality. This is the first step in prototyping an app that will actually be useful.

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2. Defining features and scenarios

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At this stage, it is important to specify in detail what specific actions the user can perform in the application. This is not just a set of features — it is a live sequence of steps that lead the user to achieve their goal. For example, basic activities might include registering, finding the right product or service, adding to the cart, placing an order, paying, and viewing your purchase history or order status.

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This set of steps forms User Flow — a sequence of user actions that reflects the logic and scenarios of interaction with the application. User Flow helps you understand how many and what screens will be needed, how they will be connected to each other, and what features should be available on each screen. The more accurate and detailed the scenarios are, the easier it is to design a convenient and intuitive interface.

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User Flow also helps identify bottlenecks and potential challenges even at the prototype stage. For example, you might understand that a user needs to take too many steps to complete an order, or that an important button is not intuitive. This helps optimize the application logic before development begins, saving time and budget.

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As a result, a well-structured User Flow is a roadmap for a team of designers, developers and testers that makes the prototyping process more meaningful and structured.

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3. Clarifying interface requirements

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At this stage, the key interface elements that ensure comfortable and logical interaction between the user and the application are developed in detail. Navigation should be clear and predictable — the user should not have to think about how to go to the right screen or find the right function. It is important to arrange buttons, menus, forms and other elements so that they are in place and easily accessible.

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The logic of interaction is not just a technical issue, but the basis of user experience. How does the interface react to user actions? What transitions and animations accompany the process? All these parts require thorough inspection and testing.

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Don't understand the power of a prototype — prototyping mobile apps makes it possible to repeatedly test and improve the interface before even a line of code is written. It is better to test and improve the prototype ten times than to rework the finished product at an expensive and time-consuming time later. The prototype makes it possible to identify errors, identify incomprehensible issues and fix them at an early stage, when changes do not require large resources.

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Thus, thorough clarification and verification of interface requirements is the key to a convenient and intuitive mobile application that users will like and will be easily supported by developers.

The prototyping process involves several stages. Each of them is important and influences the final implementation of the project. Let us consider them in detail.

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Step 1: Research and analysis

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Before drawing even one screen, you need to dive into analytics:

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• Study your target audience.
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• Look at the competitors: what their strengths and weaknesses are.
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• Conduct interviews with potential users.
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• Gather data that you can rely on when designing.
  

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This way you will not only avoid common mistakes, but also save time on testing hypotheses.

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Step 2: User Flow — User Scenarios

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User Flow is the route that a user takes to a goal. For example: open the app → log in → find a product → add to cart → checkout. The clearer the path, the higher the user satisfaction.

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Tip: Use templates from Figma or Miro to quickly visualize user scenarios. This will make it easier to collaborate and discuss with the team.

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Step 3: Wireframe — screen frame

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At this stage, a layout is created — a simplified display of application screens without visual design. The frame is needed to:

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• Determine the logic for placing elements.
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• Understand what blocks are required on each screen.
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• Plan the interface structure.
  

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If you don't know how to make an app layout, start by drawing basic screens on paper or in Notion. Then transfer it to Figma.

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Step 4: Interactive prototype

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Now it's time to “revive” the screens. This is done using tools like:

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• Figma — ideal for interactive prototyping.
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• Adobe XD — convenient for visual prototyping with animation.
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• InVision — specializes in clickable prototypes and collaboration.
  

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Creating an interactive prototype helps to evaluate the dynamic performance of the interface, go through interaction scenarios and show the project to the customer or team.

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Step 5: Testing and Feedback

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Show the mobile app prototype to real users. Let them go through the scenarios by completing key tasks. Ask questions:

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• Was it clear where to click?
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• Were there any problems?
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• Which screen raised doubts?
  

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The collected feedback is the main resource for refinement.

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Step 6: Iterations and edits

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Based on feedback, go back to the wireframe, edit User Flow, and optimize navigation. Prototyping is an iterative process. The more rounds of testing and editing, the better the product will be at the end.

You don't have to be a design pro to create an app layout. The main thing is to choose the right tool. Here's a quick overview:

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• Figma — cloud service with support for teamwork. It is suitable for creating both design and prototyping. It has a free version and a huge number of templates.
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• Adobe XD — intuitive interface, fast work, lots of plugins.
  

• Sketch — ideal for macOS users. It integrates well with other tools.
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• InVision — convenient for presenting and discussing prototypes, collecting comments.
  

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You can use any of them — it all depends on the project, team and personal preferences. Figma is often chosen as a universal solution: it has design, interactive design, and templates to speed up work.

In order not to get lost in the process, follow these principles:

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1. Get started easily. Start with paper, let the idea come out as sketches.
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1. Don't be afraid to delete. If something does not work, throw it away.
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2. Think like a user. You are not the main character, but the person who will open the app in transport or on the run.
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3. Test your hypotheses. Do little tests. It's better to spend an hour testing than a week fixing bugs.
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4. Use templates. This speeds up the start and reduces the likelihood of missing important items.
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5. Work as a team. A prototype gets better when a few people think about it.