iOS Create a quick and dirty app - then hand off to a professional?

[dmaxdmax]

Once upon a time, 30 years ago, I was a computer systems major which means almost nothing beyond my ability to understand algorithms.

I have an idea for an app and would like to create it myself but have neither the time nor the discipline to learn objective C, especially since this might be my one and only application. Is there an effective way to create a draft version of an app to work out the interface and functions before handing off to a qualified programmer?

Thank you.

 

[SilentPanda]

You would probably be better off writing up a requirements document and maybe loosely sketching out the UI. Apple has some UI guidelines that the developer you hire would likely know better than you and be able to suggest some modifications to your design in order to better comply with the guidelines and make your app better. You could likely mock something up in XCode but without knowing how things need to be set up to connect your XIB to the code, you might just be doing extra work yourself that the developer would have to redo anyway.

 

[dmaxdmax]

I just hate the idea of spending $$$$$ to build something that, even if great, might earn $. I was hoping to do some initial work myself to get things moving and save a few bucks.

 

[SilentPanda]

The UI if just using standard iOS widgets is the easy part and likely wouldn't save you much money if any. If it's non standard widgets you'd likely need to learn Objective-C to produce them.

 

[JohnsonK]

I just hate the idea of spending $$$$$ to build something that, even if great, might earn $. I was hoping to do some initial work myself to get things moving and save a few bucks.

You would actually spend more for having the developer fix your mistakes AND develop the rest of the app.

 

[ArtOfWarfare]

If you know other languages, you could create your app in the other language exactly as you want it, then pay someone to make the same thing in iOS. That way they know exactly what you want - there's no ambiguity about your desires, so they'll make exactly the right thing, and you'll pay them exactly what you negotiate at the start of it all (as opposed to when it's ambiguous and they decide to charge extra for the rework).

 

[PhoneyDeveloper]

When I work with some UI designer customers they provide me with a pdf file that has all the screens drawn out nicely and the interactions and transitions from one screen to another clear. Having a UI design like that makes it very easy for me to implement. Also, I can ask questions and suggest changes up front before doing any coding. The UI designers also provide me with all the artwork when I start to implement the app.

If you want to mock something up to help you design the UI that would be captured in this pdf that would be fine. But don't expect to provide a mockup done by a non-coder to an experienced coder and expect it to have much value.

I have gotten stuff like that. It mostly just made me mad.