Ask HN: Do you typically wire frame and design a mobile app before coding?
I know it's a simple question but, I honestly have no idea what the SDLC looks like for mobile applications. Thanks.
The reason behind this is the interface is what the users see and use. Your app's design (from a UI / UX perspective) will almost certainly come out better if you spend some time upfront on design.
As a bonus, you'll likely write less code since you'll know exactly what you're building. Without at least a (revised) sketch in place, you may end up unnecessarily generalizing methods / classes, or adding stuff that you end up not needing later.
Anyway, that's just my opinion. I at least do some sketches, with revisions, before starting an app.
BTW, there are lots of free wireframing templates for mobile apps that you can use. Even pencil and paper is a good start. Then you can run those wireframes or sketches by a few potential users to get their impressions before committing to code.
As in web app development, it's easier and cheaper to change a wireframe than to change code.