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In the midst of the pandemic, more businesses recognized the power of the internet in general and mobile applications in particular. If you are looking to develop an app, a question of how to choose the right team has probably come to you at some point. Below are some fundamentals that Diversido advises you to consider.
#1 Determine your needs and choose the matching team
This is probably easier said than done, but yet, crucial. What are your primary and secondary business goals? Do you want to develop an app for Android, iOS, or both? What is your budget? What features should your app have?
These are just a few of the questions that you must ask yourself. Most people want to maximize their ROI (Return on Investment) and reach a wider audience. Let’s expand on this.
Establishing your goals and choosing the right platform
Is your app supposed to simplify the process of selling goods and services? Or will it be the main product in itself?
In the first case, it would be reasonable to offer services on both platforms as a way to reach a wider audience.
In the second case, you should consider your target audience and how you will monetize your app. iOS users tend to be more willing to spend money on the download than Android users. They also have a greater purchasing power and are largely based in the USA. On the other hand, less-developed countries, such as India, have a significantly higher percentage of Android users.
Other types of monetization might include in-app purchases and ad revenue. All of these methods can be used solo or in combination with others on both platforms.
Choosing features
Many business owners start by building the MVP (minimum viable product) version of an app. It should have enough features to be usable by early adopters, who can provide feedback and suggest improvements. This strategy has many advantages. It can help you test the viability of your idea and decrease the initial investment.
On the other hand, if you are certain of the feasibility of your enterprise and have an opportunity to create an advanced product right off, do so. Consider adding gamification features to your application. No matter, what type of services you offer, you can enhance customer experience by turning their interaction with your app into a game.
Choosing the programming language
The choice of a platform and features will determine the choice of the programming language. You can build your app using a native language for either platform — i.e. Java for Android, and Swift for iOS. Or, you can opt for cross-platform development and choose frameworks like React Native, Flutter, Xamarin. The latter option is popular among entrepreneurs, who are willing to cover both platforms fast.
#2 Check portfolios, ratings, and references
There are several steps of the screening process that are worthy of your attention:
- Assessing the portfolio. Your ideal partner should be experienced in creating apps, similar to yours.
- Reviewing ratings. Check whether the development company offers their services on any of the freelance platforms, such as Upwork or Fiverr. Many do and the ratings of a company can be indicative of the quality of their work.
- Checking references. Does the company provide references? Or, do you know anyone who has used their services? If a team is a pain to work with and/or doesn’t respect the deadlines, do you really want to get involved with them? Recommendations are a powerful way to screen potential partners.
- Assessing the quality of the code. Ask a company for a sample of the code they have produced. If you are not qualified to check it yourself, hire an independent specialist to do it. Is the code neat or messy? This can make a world of difference when you are ready to scale up.
#3 Consider the size and location of potential partners
There are many aspects to consider when choosing a development team, including the size and location of the team.
Bigger isn’t always better
More established companies often come into the spotlight because they spend more resources on marketing than medium-sized teams and small agencies.
There are both advantages and disadvantages to working with a big company. The major advantage is how diverse their skill set might be. If you need an expert in a relatively rare programming language like Haskell, F#, COBOL, or Clojure you might have a better chance of finding them in a large company.
Medium-sized and small companies, on the other hand, tend to offer a more customized approach to clients’ needs as well as greater flexibility.
Does the location matter?
Some entrepreneurs have reservations about outsourcing software development overseas. In most cases, however, this allows receiving a high-quality product for a lower price. This is because the living expenses in certain countries are lower than in others. Ukraine and Romania are some of the popular destinations for software development outsourcing.
But the most important thing to consider in this scenario is how well the development team is able to communicate with you. What is their level of English? Do they understand well what is required?
Final Thoughts
Choosing an app development company is a tedious and often time-consuming process. When done right, however, you can find an amazing partner that will not only build the app for your business but will cover your development needs further on.
