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Developing a mobile app isn’t an easy process, which is the main reason most people leave it to the professionals. If you have a “million-dollar idea” and don’t want to let it slip away, consulting with a mobile app development team is your first step in bringing your idea to life.
Unfortunately, most people won’t even know what to ask when they find themselves in front of a mobile app developer. While many developers will help guide you along, not knowing to ask upfront can lead to a variety of issues down the road.
Before you hire a mobile app developer, you’ll want to evaluate several different options. In regards to the questions you should be asking, focus on three main areas — their experience, their skills, and their ability to communicate from start to finish.
Although the questions below will likely inspire plenty more questions, we’ve compiled a list of the five most important questions to ask your mobile app developer.
1. What prior experience do they have?
Think of a mobile app developer like a surgeon — you’re going to want someone who has done it before. Since many companies and agencies will have other clients — either current or previous — you can ask for examples of their previous work. This will give you a clear idea of what they produce.
This is also an excellent time to ask them how big their company is, how big the companies are that they usually work with, any references or testimonials, and whether they’ve worked with anyone in your industry before.
Since mobile app development will include a variety of different features and software platforms that your development team will have to be educated on. UI/UX is also becoming a hot trend among users.
2. What is their typical process when developing a mobile app?
Before you start working with anyone, you want to make sure their process will meet your standards, expectations, and requirements. Ask for a step-by-step process of how they typically build an app and have them include timetables for each step.
Communication is going to be crucial when working with a mobile app development team. Make sure there will be a clear line of communication and frequent updates from the developers. You’ll want to know where your project stands at any given moment.
Lastly, make sure their process involves following up-to-date coding standards and frameworks.
3. Can I trust them to make swift changes and maintain my mobile app?
During the mobile app development stage, you will come across many different changes in design, function, and user experience. Since our minds are always running wild, you never know when you might come up with a small change. Making sure your team can handle these changes efficiently will ensure a smooth delivery.
You’ll also want to ask whether they can be trusted to maintain the app after it’s been built. You may wish to make changes after you release it and will also have to release updates to fix bugs. It would make things difficult if you had to hire a second development team just to maintain it.
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4. Do they perform quality assurance and testing before completing their work?
Did you know the main reason people delete apps from their phone are due to crashes and errors? One of the quickest and easiest ways to lose the trust of your users is by not testing and following through with quality assurance before releasing your mobile app.
Having your development team offer this will save you a headache of trying to coordinate a second team. They’ll also be able to spot security issues before they become a problem.
5. What will they need from me?
Some mobile app development companies will make things extremely difficult for you, while others will try to make this process as easy as possible. Knowing what they’ll need from you will help you better prepare for the partnership. It’ll also give you an idea of how much time and effort you’ll need to exert throughout the process.
This is also an excellent time to close with any random questions you might have. You might want to know who will own the code once it’s built, whether the development team can submit it to app stores, if they can help you monetize it, and whether you know of any future plans with your project.
If you know you’re going to be making significant changes in several years, you’ll want to try and keep your team available when that day comes.
Getting your mobile app developed and in app stores is a long process, but asking the right questions beforehand will help set you and your app up for success.
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