Outsourcing an app development project to a third-party developer is a common business practice these days. It’s popular because these contractual developers bring expertise and efficiency to the table.
But are they reliable? Will you get the ROI you are expecting from outsourcing? Or will they present a half-assed product that performs the task in the most boring way possible?
If you are wary, you are not overthinking. App development projects carry a lot of risks, and these risks are multiplied when you also account for outsourcing. But you can relax; if done rightly, this outsourcing shouldn’t be an issue for your business and your money or time.
Here is how to handle app development outsourcing like a pro in 2024.
Define Your MVP
This is the first step. Once done correctly, it will allow you to build a strong contract around your app development project. Don’t guess the needs of the app’s stakeholders at this point. Instead, use questionnaires, polls, and focus groups to connect with them and understand their needs.
Misunderstanding an app’s needs is the worst nightmare of an app-based business, but it can be mitigated by communicating with the users directly.
Next, document this vision of your app so it can form the basis of your outsourcing contract.
Select the Right App Development Company
The quality and commitment of your development partner have a significant role in the success or failure of your project, so you must select them carefully. Here are a few things that will tell you if the developer is the right fit for your project or not.
Portfolio
Once you have gathered a list of relevant teams from your internet search or network, you need to start assessing their performance. Check out the past projects they have listed on their website or social media handles.
Case studies will tell you the success scope of their apps in great detail, so don’t forget to study that part of their website. From the portfolio and case studies sections, you will not only know the capabilities of the teams they have on board, but you will also learn about the process they use together with their approach to problem-solving and client consultation.
Testimonials will also give you some insights into the company’s success with its customers.
Experience of the Team and Team Members
You can learn a lot about the experience, skills, and problem-solving capabilities of a development team from its portfolio and case studies pages. Other than that, you can ask about these facts from the sales or customer support team before proceeding with the collaboration.
Some facts that will be of high importance to you include the experience of the team in app development in your industry, the programming languages they mostly prefer to use, the operating system they have mostly developed apps for, and the operational areas that they have worked on previously.
Scrutinize
The second and last step in selecting a mobile app development company in Austin is to dialogue with them. For this step, you might have shortlisted three to eight players and given them your project idea. Now, these teams will report with their quotes, expected timeline, and vision of the project.
At this point, you would want to include some pointers about the risks of the project and how they will be mitigated. More specifically, you need to discuss the following details:
Ask about Their Risk Management Expertise
During your first meeting with the team, you must get a feel for their grip over their subject matter. They should be able to map the risks related to the project and the best strategies to deal with them.
Their team size and experience level will also help you trust them more. It’s usual for most developers to experience setbacks during projects. However, their expertise and knowledge about different languages and tools to circumvent the issue help them get past these problems easily.
Discuss Terms and Conditions
Data breaches are a common concern felt by businesses trying to hire a reliable team of developers. You wouldn’t want the written code to reach unsolicited personnel. The risk of theft of your idea is even graver. Fortunately, your rights to your intellectual property are protected by the law. All you have to do is get an NDA signed by the team.
This NDA should cover all data from the app, including, but not limited to, the app idea, its code, final product, and layouts.
Make sure that you both are on the same page regarding the clauses of confidentiality. Also, ensure that you get exclusive rights to the product developed by this idea and are also protected against poor quality delivery on the part of the developer.
Communicate
Now that you have discussed and agreed upon the right terms and conditions with the appropriate team, it’s time to develop an understanding of the project and mitigate minor risks included in developing and reporting on it. Here are essential areas that must be discussed and kept in writing at the beginning of the project to foster risk-free cooperation.
Define the Scope of the Project
This discussion and documentation will protect the business against the developer team underdelivering the project. The scope of the project is discussed after the two teams have attained a mutual understanding of the app.
Be as detailed as possible. Your mobile app development company in Austin will prepare a storyboard, wireframe, user journey, and customer journey, among other documents, to define the scope. These documents will act as reference points in case a dispute arises about what was included and what wasn’t.
Define Your Rights and Obligations
Discuss the confidentiality of the project. More than that, you need to agree on the milestones and their deliverables that must be achieved to make payment. Also, you can include the term that the code will be stored on your storage account to allow you access to it even in the presence of a dispute.
Develop a Risk Management Strategy
At this point, you must have already discussed the general risks associated with the app development process. Now, you will discuss the risks specific to your app and how you can manage them without incurring huge expenses. You will want to discuss how an amendment to the project is possible without additional costs and where the scope of the project will be exceeded in the event of change requests.
Outline Communication Guidelines
Communication is an important concern for many teams and businesses collaborating on app development. You want to define reporting frequency, relevant representatives from your business for queries, and the milestones and timelines of the project here.
Manage
Now that you have discussed all possible risks that may arise during the app development process, you can safely go ahead with the development. Remain in the loop during the process and be prompt in providing feedback and recommending development as the project goes on.
Other Tips
Many entrepreneurs and businesses embark on app development without prior knowledge and experience. As such, they find it difficult to trust the team. One way to build rapport is by starting small. Give them a small app to develop and see their capabilities before setting up the larger contract.
Also, note that it’s industry standard to tie payment to milestone delivery. This way, the business only pays for the deliverables it has received.
Concluding
App development is a cumbersome and unpredictable process. The risks are high, especially because the developers are contract teams that don’t have to align with the organization’s goals. Yet, these risks can be mitigated if handled properly. Use this post as a guide to minimize the project as much as you can.
