App Development Canvas Template
Communicate the big picture view of what’s important while developing an app.
About the App Development Canvas template
What is an app development canvas?
When building a mobile application, you have to juggle a lot of moving parts: UX design, UI design, content, marketing, engineering, product management, and much more—all while maintaining your team’s overall vision and serving your customers.
An app development canvas allows you to take an overview of what’s important while developing an app. It helps optimize the custom mobile application development process by implementing customer feedback and maximizing customer value. Read on to find out more about how it can help your development team.
Advantages of using an app development canvas
An app development canvas provides an overview of every aspect of your team’s process while giving you a big-picture look at how the project is proceeding. This allows you to fine-tune processes and address potential problems early, improving your product along the way.
When to use an app development canvas
The app development canvas is a useful tool at every stage of the development process. Whether your team has already started working on your app or you’re about to start work in the future, the app development canvas combines big-picture perspective with fine-grained detail.
Use it in any of the following scenarios:
When you want to create a prototype to engage in mobile testing
When mobile app development requires collaboration with customers or stakeholders
To minimize continuous testing you will have to do during product launch
To develop your app in a cost-effective way
To engage customers throughout the app development lifecycle
To minimize the time and financial risk involved in developing an app
To measure how customers respond to an app
Create your own app development canvas
The app development canvas contains 18 boxes, which you should fill out to get the big picture of what you are doing with your app. The boxes cover the most important aspects of the app development process.
Generally, it helps to think about the canvas in two parts:
Problem: First, fill out the boxes describing the problem your app seeks to solve. What do customers need? Why aren’t they getting it? What are competitors doing wrong or not doing at all?
Solution: Second, articulate your unique value proposition. How will your app solve your customers’ and prospective customers’ problems? How is your app different from that of your competitors?
Creating your own app development canvas is easy, using Miro’s simple template tool. Select this App Development Canvas template to start, then customize according to your team’s needs. Miro’s template is the perfect canvas for creating and sharing across your team.
Get started with this template right now.
Product Positioning Canvas
Works best for:
Product Management, Planning
The Product Positioning Canvas template aids product managers in defining and communicating product positioning strategies. By analyzing target markets, competitive landscapes, and unique value propositions, this template helps differentiate products in the market. With sections for defining brand attributes, messaging, and market segments, it enables teams to craft compelling positioning statements that resonate with target audiences. This template serves as a guide for aligning product positioning with business objectives and driving market success.
RICE Prioritization Template
Works best for:
Project Management, Strategic Planning, Prioritization
Teams use the RICE framework to prioritize the best course of action for their business. Using the model, you assign a RICE score to different ideas and tasks. This score tells you whether that item is something to prioritize. As a result, you make better-informed decisions about growing your business.
Product Roadmap by Mark V. Smetanin
Works best for:
Product Management, Roadmap
Learn to craft effective product plans with the How to Create Product Roadmap by Mark V. Smetanin. This template guides you through outlining key milestones, setting priorities, and visualizing your product journey. Use it to align your team, maintain focus, and achieve strategic goals. Ideal for product managers and teams looking for a structured approach to product development and clear communication with stakeholders.
Three-Hour Brand Sprint Template
Works best for:
Marketing, Workshops, Sprint Planning
Before customers will believe in your brand, your team has to believe. That’s where brand sprints work wonders. Popularized by the team at Google Ventures, a brand sprint will help your team sort through all different ideas about your brand and align on your brand’s fundamental building blocks—your values, audience, personality, mission statement, roadmap, and more. Whether you’re building a new brand or revamping an existing one, brand sprints are ideal for trigger events such as naming your company, designing a logo, hiring an agency, or writing a manifesto.
The 4-Step Retrospective
Works best for:
Retrospectives, Agile Methodology, Meetings
The 4-Step Retrospective template offers a simple yet effective framework for conducting retrospectives. It provides steps for reflecting on what went well, what didn't go well, what could be improved, and action planning. This template enables teams to systematically review past iterations, identify areas for growth, and implement actionable improvements. By promoting a structured approach to reflection and improvement, the 4-Step Retrospective empowers teams to drive continuous learning and enhancement effectively.
Mitch Lacey's Estimation Game Template
Works best for:
Leadership, Agile Methodology, Prioritization
A wordy name but a simple tool, Mitch Lacey’s Estimation Game is an effective way to rank your work tasks by size and priority — so you can decide what to tackle first. In the game, notecards represent your work items and feature ROI, business value, or other important metrics. You’ll place each in a quadrant (ranking them by size and priority) to help you order them in your upcoming schedule. The game also empowers developers and product management teams to work together and collaborate effectively.