Building an App has now become as popular as Barney and Ted’s (of HIMYM fame) bright idea of buying a bar once was. But jokes aside, mobile app development is fast becoming the perfect option for startups looking to expand their reach and approachability. The mobile market is at an all-time high, and smartphones today offer enterprises never-before proximity to their customer.
A report by Statista states that by 2023, mobile apps are set to generate $935 billion in revenue. Making it an exceptionally lucrative opportunity for enterprises across scales and sectors. Regardless of whether you are planning on a digital-native startup or if you wish to take your brick-and-mortar business online, a mobile application can prove to be a tremendous asset.
This article has detailed all you need to know to outsource mobile app development in 2022. Without further ado, let’s get to it.
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Why Outsource Mobile Application Development?
Developing an app can prove to be of massive value to an enterprise. However, building an app in-house comes with its own set of limitations and issues. You may be forced to spend a bomb on acquiring in-house talent to work on your app development.
Not to mention employee benefits and infrastructural requirements. Moreover, if this is your first app development initiative, lack of experience could prove to be a neigh-insurmountable obstacle.
Here is where the option of outsourcing app development comes into play.
The market has many capable app development service providers available, and all you need to do is research and make an informed choice. By outsourcing your initiative to a suitable mobile app development company, not only do you get a feature-rich, appealing app, you also gain cost-efficiencies and the benefits of a rapid time to market.
Now that you know the ‘why,’ let’s get to the ‘why,’ the key question we address in this article.
How to outsource mobile application development?
Choosing the right app development partner is crucial for project success. There needs to be synergy between factors like costs, capabilities, experience, and timeframe. To ensure that you do not get stuck in app development purgatory, read on for a list of steps to keep your mobile app development outsourcing initiative on track.
Make an Outline for Your App
Before you outsource your app development project, you need to have a clear vision of what you wish for your app to achieve. While understanding operational aspects of the process may become too technical, drawing out functional requirements is a relatively simple yet essential part.
Understanding the required functionality of your application plays a vital role in application and customer success. You do not want an app with inadequate functionality. Nor do you want one loaded with features no one will ever use. To strike a perfect balance between features to include vs. unnecessary features, make sure to ask yourself the following questions:
- What do you wish to achieve with your app?
- What customer issues is your app going to solve?
- Also, What platform are you targeting?
- What are the primary features you wish to include In your app?
- What sets your app apart from the competition?
Devise an Estimated Budget
With proper research, you will draw up an estimation of how much you can spend on app development. An estimated budget will help you choose a suitable development partner without overpaying for the project or cutting costs and receiving a sub-optimal product.
Research App Development partners
Now that you have an outline and a budget for your app development initiative. It is time to start looking for the ideal development partner. The best place to find outsourcing partners with the required skills, infrastructure. And experience is sites like Clutch, which has ranked lists of companies with detailed reviews, ratings, recommendations, and testimonials from previous clients.
Checking out the portfolios of app development companies you find can also give you a fair idea of whether or not they will deliver the goods regarding your mobile app development initiative’s scope.
If you find a partner who has worked on a project similar to yours in the past, do give the partner priority while making you choose. Given that, vetted experience boosts the possibility of project success.
Interview the Developers
After researching your option thoroughly and settling on a couple of top contenders, conduct interviews with the developers one by one. Consider factors like prior experience, infrastructural stance, company culture, and possible language barriers. Also, volume and modes of collaborations and communication, time-zone differences, receptivity towards feedback, costs, and turnaround time. Also, be sure to thresh out aspects of IPRs, NDAs, and data security before handing over your project.
Approach the Final Developers
Once you have covered all the prospective partners on your list and have settled on one, you need to acquire a clear idea of team composition, the point of contact, engagement model. And their stance on post-launch maintenance and support. The success of your project depends greatly on choosing a team that is capable of meeting your expectations.
How to Choose the Perfect Mobile App Development Partner?
There is no definite formula to finding the right partner, as picking one would rely upon the precise necessities of your enterprise’s circumstances. Here are specific points on choosing a mobile app development company or hiring a mobile app developer.
Project Approach
Seeing how your potential mobile app development partner approaches a task will give essential insights into how and prepare to kick-off your app development project with the service provider.
Recruitment Process
Get your service provider to clarify their recruiting process and how they select the ideal human resources for each project while choosing expert resources for Android and iOS development.
Detailed Onboarding
Your potential service provider’s onboarding processes should envelop a detailed review of your expectations as a client, reporting procedures, quality standards, and orientation to the client company’s culture.
Team dynamic
Every organization has different degrees of abilities and maturity in their teams. Your potential outsourcing partner needs to comprehend your enterprise’s arrangements, strengths. And even weaknesses to fill gaps required and meet requirements, ensuring that the collaboration progresses smoothly and effectively.
Scalability
Your service provider’s teams should be flexible and scalable (both up and down) to facilitate rapid project completion. The service provider should clearly understand how to manage their “bench.” And should provide you with info on the rate at which they can deploy talent to your project.
Crystal Clear Communication
Effective and lucid communication channels that enable two-way conversation are critical to project success. You have a’ hands down’ winner if your potential outsourcing partner has a transparent communication process augmented with the right tools.
Cost viability
Your outsourcing initiative should decrease costs by half on average and reduce your employee burn rate for a similar output. Note that payrolls are not a fixed cost in the outsourcing sphere but are variable, relying upon your immediate requirements.
Robust Support
Programming bugs, glitches, and breakdowns, no matter how small, can cause business loss. Do not forget to ask your potential outsourcing partners how they intend to deal with updates and redesigns after the product is delivered. An efficient after-sales support team is mandatory to maintain product health.
Conclusion:
In summation, it is not difficult to find an outsourcing partner; if you have put in the required efforts while doing your research. We suggest not rushing to the cheapest or the fastest option. The finer details dictate the success and mass acceptance of an app.
So make an informed decision while you hire a mobile app developer. The mobile app that your service provider will craft for you is a long-term investment. And your service provider is a partner with equal stakes in the game.
As a parting note, be sure to pick an outsourcing partner that endeavors to understand both parties’ requirements. And expectations and incorporates processes for continuous improvement of the product developed.
Thus adding value to your mobile app development outsourcing initiative. Take the required time to evaluate prospective partners based on the points listed above to acquire optimal value from mobile app development services.