Measure Twice, Cut Once
A common question for companies looking to get into the mobile app market is what makes a good mobile app development team and how to find an app developer capable of delivering a certain vision. The scope of this article more directly focuses on the attributes of what makes the best app developer rather than where to find an app developer or how to contact an app developer once it’s been decided who will be best suited for the project. There’s a greater chance of the app just never taking off in the first place if no care is taken towards who gets to take helm of the project.
Think Long-Term
Don’t let the single application dictate whether or not the work stops with the developers. There’s always the possibility that perhaps the developers might be interested in future projects or continued development of the completed app. Additionally, the app produced might undergo different iterations or see new features and functionalities eventually added to the final project. If there are changes that need to be implemented with the current project and all the original developers have moved on to other companies and applications, it’s going to be much more difficult to bring onboard someone new who isn’t familiar with the project.
Make it a Learning Experience
Older developer teams should be able to provide pointers as to what aspects of the application’s designs should be included or excluded from the final design. If they have worked with applications before, they should have a decent understanding of what works on an application store page and what does not. Having anyone that can prevent your projects from running into the same shortcomings will save time and money that would have been wasted on trying to amend such a catastrophe.
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Running Background Checks
Like any sort of recruitment process, references are important. The developers’ track record, what other apps they have worked on, and how their clients felt about the job once it was done can say leagues about how they will perform on their next job. Check not only what applications the developers have produced, but get in touch with the previous clients for direct input on how the developers performed. Before committing to approaching a development team with an idea for a mobile application, take the time to become familiar with what projects a developer has worked on, the general quality of said applications, and the history of the development team.
Strike a Balance with the Budget
How much in the way of funds that can be pumped into a given project is definitely an issue to worry about. Between how long development will take, application complexity, the expertise the company already has onboard, and where they are located can all determine how much budget is required for any given project. All that said, it is generally advised to not take the cheapest bid when considering a project for development. The objective is to develop a quality product, not a faulty one where continued maintenance of the flaws over the application’s life cycle can lead to extraneous costs in the long run.
Prioritize the User-Experience
It’s not enough that the back end of the application is functional and accomplishes what the project has set out to do. In general, the UX/UI should be generally intuitive for the intended user base. If the application workflow is confusing or directionless, it could potentially drive away customers who will then dismiss the project as subpar and poorly designed. The same can be said for the application’s visual appearance. If the application looks cheap or outdated, customers might assume the same of the company and developers.
Maintaining Continued Relations
Tying back to the point earlier about making this a learning experience, keep the development team that’s ultimately chosen in your back pocket. When the application has launched, there are still problems that can arise post-launch. Even if there aren’t any issues day one, having someone who has worked on constructing the app close at hand is essential for maintaining the app during its lifespan. This ties into the point from earlier regarding how to maintain a continued relationship with a specific set of developers.
In Conclusion
Here at AllCode, we’ve had a wide set of various app projects we’ve worked on over the years, and presently with more than enough developers who would put a good word for us. Alongside experience with AWS applications, we are regarded highly among our business partners.
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I am a recent graduate from the University of Wisconsin - Stout and am now working with AllCode as a web technician. Currently working within the marketing department.
