Choosing an App Development Partner – Steps to Simplify your Task

In today’s digitized world, having a mobile application plays a very crucial role in the success of a business.

As per the statistics, today there are more than 2.7 billion smartphone users around the world and this number is increasing at a steady rate.

Without a bit slowing down, the app usage is ever-growing and there are no signs of this trend slowing down in the nearest future. In the past six years, the number of tablet users has increased too and it has reached 1.35 billion now. Today people spend hours using apps and so businesses have a better chance to grab this opportunity for their benefits.

With all the big companies out there having their own mobile applications to reach users and expand business success, the local businesses have also identified the profits of investing in this area. They have now started to have their own mobile application, which is completely user-friendly, helping them to engage with their traffic and boost interaction.

Hiring an App Development Partner – The Crux Of The Matter

When we think about hiring the best mobile app development firm or partner, it may seem to be a fascinating thing. If the business is not well aware of the process involved in it, then it may seem to be a daunting task for them. In reality, app development involves the involvement of professionals and enough knowledge and skills to take care of the development. So even if you have an idea in mind, you still have to deal with the issue of finding the right people for the job. Again, with different options available in the form of freelancer, local app developer or offshore development partner – you may get confused more.

So to help you out, here we are with a detailed blog which explains you well the general practices that you need to follow when you are planning to hire mobile app development partner for your next project.

Don’t be just focused on development, look for a developer interested in your project

An excellent mobile app development partner will be capable enough to get you through the development process. However, such a company may not be able to offer you any creative input into your project. For that, you need to choose a development company which has the experience and expertise in working with similar projects and businesses. Such a company will know what works best for such businesses based on their experience from similar projects. They know what they should do to keep your app at a better position on the app store.

Checklist to Select the Best App Development Partner

Check the Portfolio:

Evaluating their website of the app development firms

Once you have selected a number of potential apps development partners, then it is time you take a look at their websites. Take your time to have an in-depth look at their websites. See what each website looks like and which one you feel to be better? Look at the quality of the website as it will let you know what kind of app you will have developed. This is an essential thing you look first.

Majority of the mobile app development companies will have a dedicated section on the websites which displays their past projects. So take your time and go through this section to see what kind of projects you like in there. You also need to make a count of the ones you don’t like in there. Further You need to check whether they have taken up similar projects like yours in the past and how successful they were with it. Check whether they have any app which is ready to download and use.

There are a few things which you should look into when comparing the sites of the potential app development companies and they are:

• What potential development company does? Whether they are just into designing or they carry out development too? If they are into development, then you need to know whether they carry out only mobile app development or even do web app development. It would be good if you can find a partner who can carry out everything well.
• You need to check whether their website has a location page or not. The company which has this feature on their website will show some reliable office locations to approach. There will be a clear option available to make communication too.
• Can you find any testimonial videos or text on the website? Have they mentioned anything about case studies? This is an essential sign for a reliable development company.
• Can you find any contact information on the website? If you cannot find such a thing, then chances are more that they are outsourcing their work to somewhere else. This way they may not be the development company that they pose to be.

Such kind of checklist will offer you an idea about to what level you can trust the potential app development companies.

Check Out the Client References

When you are choosing an app development firm, you need to go for the ones who are ready to share their client contact information. This means that they have clients who are satisfied by their work and will be readily offering real feedback in no time.

Design Matters – Should be Given Priority

How will your app look, matters the most when it is presented to the users. The usability of the app should be given a strong thought too. You need to find an app development company which is capable of looking into this area and helping you have an app build, which is easy for the users to interact and use.

App Development is Not all about Coding, Think About the Whole Project

App development does not mean writing so many codes. There is more to it. It is all about building a functional design which can meet some user needs. It will not be wise just to hire an individual app developer for the project unless you have a team to take care of the rest of the tasks like app designing, testing, etc.

Ready to Sign NDA

If you have an innovative idea in mind, you will have to protect it by all means. When you are going ahead with app development, you will have to disclose it to them and so you need to be sure that they are ready to sign the non-disclosure first with you as a part of protecting your idea. This will let you be at peace that the exclusivity of your idea will remain safe in the form of your app.

You should also be clear about the app development company in terms of securing the source code ownership. It has to be made clear in the first place that once the development is completed, the firm should handover the ownership of the code to you.

Get a Second Opinion

Before you sign up for an app development company, you need to be sure that you are taking a second opinion in this area. It can happen that someone you may know might have used an app development partner in the past. Have a small talk with them. Try to understand what their requirements were, what issues came up, how was the communication carried out, etc. Discuss with them the different app development firms you have shortlisted and get their views on the same. Ask them if they knew about people who can do even better. This will help consider even better options.

Communication Carries Weight

Communication plays a critical role in the smooth running of any business entity. When you are choosing an app development partner outside your office premises, you need to be sure you have better communication means to exchange ideas and thoughts and pass on the instructions.

Turnaround Time

When you are outsourcing the app development project to a mobile app development partner, the timeline of the project plays a crucial role. You need to ask the development company about the estimated time of the project completion. You need to know when each stage of app development will get completed and this will save you from last-minute frustration. For the same, you need to be sure that the app development company has all the resources that can help you get started at the first place and complete the project on time.

Cost of Development

When you are looking at this aspect, keep in mind that you don’t go for the cheapest option available in the market. You should always think about the quality of the app first over cost. Every kind of business, even the startups have a budget planned for app development. If you want to develop best in the quality app, be flexible with your budget. Cheapest option can lead to redoing things later with the help of another app development firm which can add up to the development costs.

Think About a Long-lasting Relationship

Mobile app development is not a one-time done task. App development goes through frequent changes and repeated cycles before an end solution is developed. This is based on constant user feedback, which is collected through the app. So you need to find someone who can stick with you for a long time through the iterations and changes rather than leaving you once the app is hosted after the initial development.

App Maintenance Policy

As seen above, you will need to have a long-lasting partnership with your app development partner. You need to know the app maintenance policy the company will have in terms of keeping your app updated after its launch. You need to know how the company is going to charge you for the service.

Final Thoughts

At first, glance finding the best mobile app development partner can seem to be a daunting task, but it doesn’t have to be like that. You need to have a clear focus on the different aspects of your business to find the best app development partner for your project. You need to clearly explain your business vision to the developers to get the right solution as you expect in the first place. This can be achieved by following the steps mentioned above and you will have a reliable and capable app development partner in no time.