An Intro to Making Apps – From Idea to Launch

Have an idea for an app but don’t know where to start? Feeling stuck, overwhelmed or unsure of the steps you need to take? I've got you.

After spending the last decade designing, building and launching a variety of apps from scratch, I’ve learned a lot about what it takes to make a great app. For those who’ve never worked in tech, it can be an overwhelming process, but it doesn't have to be. I’ve packed everything I’ve learned into this workshop so you can finally start and make progress on that amazing idea you’ve been thinking about.

In this immersive, one-day workshop, you will learn the process for making apps, from idea to launch. By the end, you’ll be armed with the process, terminology, and tools necessary to take the idea from your head to start building the first version of a web or mobile app.

This workshop will:

• Help you scope and plan the core features of your app.
• Help you visualize your idea from pen and paper to digital mockups.
• Explain key terms and technologies as it relates to making apps.
• Explain the available tools, coding languages, or people that you can use to build your idea with or without code.
• Show you the steps for launching on the web or the app store.

By the end of this workshop you will have:

• Deconstructed a finished mobile app.
• Created user flow diagrams that illustrate how a user would progress through the app.
• Started visualizing the app through sketches and digital mockups.
• Gained an understanding of what options you have to build an app with or without code.
• Become familiar with the process for launching on the web or in the app store.

Hi! I’m Kim. I’m an award-winning product designer, full stack developer, and chronic creator originally from Kingston, Jamaica.

Over the last decade I've designed, built, and launched multiple web and mobile apps from scratch. I taught myself how to code and grew as a designer because I enjoyed the end-to-end process of taking an idea from napkin to launch by myself.

I’m a maker first; everything else is second.

Before making the leap to start my own studio, I worked with top creative agencies and product consultancies, such as RGA, Ogilvy, and thoughtbot, helping startups and established businesses build their digital presence. Now under my venture studio, Bourn, I create stuff I want to exist, and help others do the same.

At the beginning of my journey, having a full time job and being new to code never stopped me from creating the things I wanted to create. What mattered was knowing my why and having a process. This helped me stick with it till the end.

Because of my work, I've spoken on the TEDx stage and at other events by Girlboss, AIGA and Girls who Code. My work has been featured in publications and podcasts such as CodeNewbie, Revision Path, and Giant Robots. I've served as a judge for The One Show, been a curator for NET Magazine and a front-end development teacher at General Assembly.

As your instructor, my goal is to not only teach you how to bring your idea to life, but to provide you with a framework for following through.

View my studio at: madebybourn.com

Who is this workshop suited for?

• Beginners who are non-technical or new to creating apps.
• People with an idea who don’t know where to start. If you’ve already done considerable work designing or building your app, you might not find this workshop useful.
• People who want a digestible overview of the process of making apps.
• People with a personal motivation for creating their app because this stuff ain’t easy.
• People who are ready to dedicate their nights and weekends to making their idea come to life. You’ve got to be ready to follow through.

Is this workshop applicable for any type of app?

Yes! This workshop is meant to set the foundation for any type of app. That said, apps that include AR/VR, Mobile games, Algorithmic feeds, AI, Complex computations, data analysis or tracking are more complex. The information related to building or launching your app may not be applicable.

Do I need to know how to code to attend?

Nope! This workshop is geared towards those who aren’t technical, don’t know how to code, or don’t understand the end-to-end process of making an app. The goal is that by the end, you’ll have more technical knowledge than you came in with. You’ll be able to decide if you want to use no-code tools, learn to code or hire someone to do it for you.

Do I need to prepare anything?

Yes. In order to make the best use of our short time together, I’ll ask you to complete a few items beforehand that will help set the foundation for what you’ll do during the workshop.

You’ll receive the details of this pre-work a few days before the workshop. It should take 1-3 hours to complete.

What do I need to have on hand?

You'll need a laptop, notebook or notepad and a pen or pencil. There will be a few exercises to complete during the workshop.

How many spots are available?

Only 6 spots are available!

Will there be future workshops?

Yes! If you’re unable to attend one of our scheduled dates, sign up here to get notified of the next date.

Have a question?

Shoot me an email at kim@madebybourn.com.

"Kim walked us through the phases of planning, creating, and launching an app. I came in with no idea on how to start the process and left with the many options that I could implement immediately. I highly recommend."
~ Doreen

"Kim was fantastic. She was very thorough and was able to explain everything so that everyone with no coding or app experience could comprehend. I left the workshop excited about the process of app-building!"
~ Dez

"Great intro course to walk you through launching an app. Made the process much more tangible and "real" for me!"
~ Stephen