Four factors to consider before hiring an app developer

Rising mobile phone usage means that commissioning their own smartphone apps are becoming an important consideration for companies of all sizes. According to Comscore,  mobile now represents almost 2 out of 3 digital media minutes, and mobile apps are approaching 60% of total digital time spent. App users are also more loyal than website visitors, enabling  businesses to drive repeat sales to a loyal audience.  Besides boosting repeat visits and engagement, mobile apps permit a wide variety of online transactions, including the deployment of loyalty cards, push promotions, and ecommerce transactions.

However, developing a mobile app is more complex than, for instance, commissioning a website. We developed a guide to help you through the process of defining your requirements and hiring an app developer that is a right fit for your project. If you don’t know what to look out for, you risk running into problems such as billing disagreements, difficult or lack of communication, poor designed, sudden cost increases  or a failed project, among many other issues.

Identify your  customer and or user’s needs.

There is a lot of stake when you decide to invest in a mobile application, it can either transform your business or end up being a costly mistake. The success of your app will largely depend on whether you did your homework on the customer or user needs for which the app is a solution. Although this consideration needs to be sorted out before you engage an app developer, it provides you with a solid foundation for all other elements of the app development project.  If a business fails to properly investigate and diagnose if a problem exists, they can  end up with a solution based on assumptions about users’ behavior and by the time they realize the mistake, it is too costly to fix. Identifying the problem that you want your app to solve is forms the core of a request for an app development request for proposal.

Creating a request for proposal

A request for proposal is a document that setting out who your business is, what you need, why you need it, how you want it done and how you will choose a developer. You would also address any specifics related to working relationships, development processes, and other factors the vendor must respond to within the solution.The details portion of your RFP breaks down specific tasks that must be completed and a timeline for deliverables required of the app developer. It’s very important to ask the right questions so that you can get useful information to base your decision on who to hire on. If you don’t have an expert in house, a lot of research will be necessary in order to avoid asking for advice from the exact same people you are trying to solicit quotes from.

Important elements to include in your RFP

The best way to decrease risk when you are commissioning a mobile app is to set clear parameters for accountability.  Request an outline of the  the approach they  intend to use and  a business case that validates it.  The approach will be fleshed out into components so that every part of the main concept is well thought out and accounted for. The app developer should prove that they can achieve the identified goals within the required time and budget. If parts of the project will be outsourced to a third party, you have the right to know about it.

Criteria to evaluate app developers.

• They will be able to understand a variety of coding languages and know how to make it work together in order to create an efficient application. Find out if they are proficient with developing applications  that are compatible with software that you are currently using in your business.
• They will know  where and how to use graphics and have experience of making apps that are attractive and easy to use. Building an app is about more than just coding –  functional design and user experience are integral to app development. An established company  employs specialists in all the disciplines that is necessary to build a workable app.
• They are able to work alongside data experts or have experience in using data and analytics tools so that you have access to information on how, when and where customers use your application.
• They have the experience and reputation. If an app development firm are proud of the work it delivers, it will be eager to provide you with a list of apps they are responsible for or played a role in developing as well as  clients you can contact for  references. Checking client references also gives you an opportunity to ask how reliable and responsive they are and if they have a track record of delivering within  budget. Developers who have apps in their portfolio for work done in your industry will have a better feel for the commercial realities of your field and how that impacts factors such as design and functionality.

When you’re hiring an app developer, you want to guarantee that the developer you hire has all of the qualifications and experience necessary to back up any claims of expertise and skill. Developing a mobile app is about more than just writing code. Transparent project management, compelling user experience and applying the most appropriate technology for each individual feature are all elements of successful app development. The best indicator of whether an app developer is a good fit for your project remains experience, whether they delivered consistently good work for a number of clients, fulfilling similar requirements to yours.

iSolveMobility is an IOS and Android mobile App development company based in Johannesburg South Africa that has been at the forefront of mobile app development in South Africa since 2012, developing mobile and web apps that are intuitive, visually appealing and technically sound for a variety of business purposes.