When starting on the mobile app development journey, a lot of questions are swimming around in your mind. How do I get started? What do I hope to achieve with this app? Who will develop this app for me? These are all important questions, but for our purposes, let’s focus on that last question.
Determine the type of help needed
You have a big app idea and are ready to get started! Fantastic! Now you are ready to decide how much help you need to develop an app. Here are the choices you have:
- End-to-End: From the app idea to the launch and maintenance of the app, this type of development company will be with you every step of the way. This type is especially useful when you are just starting out with a brand-new app idea.
- Design and Development: If you already have documentation on marketing strategies you wish to implement, how you would like your app to function, and features you are wanting to include in your app, then this is the type of development company you need. The design and development companies take your research/app outline and bring it to life in an app built to your specifications.
- Design Only/Development Only: If you need just the design step or just the development step completed, this is the option for you. This type of developer will complete only the step you request, whether it be design or development.
Selecting
Be picky when it comes time to select the right mobile app development company to build your dream app. Think about it like this: If you are spending thousands of dollars for a custom car to be built to your specifications, would you hire a small garage to do the job? Absolutely not! You would hire a professional that specialises in such a task. Be ultra-selective when choosing an app development company! Read reviews, do research on the company, and take a look at past projects. Compile a list of companies that meet your expectations and projected budget. If they look like good fits for your app, go to the next phase of selection!
Sharing plans
After you have a list of prospective partners in your app development, share as much detail as possible with them about your app and what you hope to achieve from its development. If you don’t want an idea stolen, or if it is a security issue, then ask your prospective development companies to sign a Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) prior to your meeting with them. This will prevent any leakage of app ideas by companies you decide not to hire for the app’s development. After the companies have an idea of what your app will involve, then carefully consider their “bids” for your project. These bids are budgets that outline what will be done on their part and for what price. These bids should also include a timeline so that you will be able to make an informed decision.
Moving forward
Now that you have your bids, make your final selection. Contact the company you have selected to inform them that you would like to enter into a business partnership for the purpose of developing of your app. As a professional courtesy, also send letters of thanks to the other companies that placed bids on your project, but who you did not select. This is a gesture of professionalism and also leaves the bridge intact for possible future partnerships with these companies.
You are now ready to begin bringing your app to life! So, what’s next? Consult with your development team every step of the way when they are completing the job you hired them to complete. Make sure you are kept informed of any positive or negative developments and that you are involved in any decisions that need to be made. Congratulations on finding and selecting the right mobile app development company to build your dream app!