How To Choose A Mobile App Developer: A Guide For Success

Nowadays, apps are very popular, so many businesses try to create their own. It is a long and costly process. So you want your app to be in the best hands! But how to choose a mobile app developer? Especially nowadays, when the choice appears to be limitless. There are agencies and freelancers who can be located in any country of the world. The Internet truly makes the opportunities numerous. We want to discuss this complex topic and give you advice on selecting the best developer for your app.

How to Choose a Mobile App Developer

First Step

Before choosing your mobile app developer, you need to figure out the details about your project. Consider the following things.

• Understand what you want from the app: its purpose, vision, mission and goals. It is also important to consider the business issues the app will be solving. 
• Research the market, audience and competition. 
• Determine the constraints of the project, especially the deadline and budget. 
• Use all that information to create a brief. You will need it to communicate with the potential developers.

This step is crucial to get right. However, you need to be flexible and prepare for changes that can occur at various stages of app development.

The Key Criteria to Consider

There are a few key criteria that are usually used to select a mobile app developer. Here are the main ones.

• Portfolio and experience. It does not mean that developers without experience are not an option. Sometimes, it is worth taking a risk with an inexperienced developer. However, in most cases, you want to pay a little extra for a developer who already knows what they are doing. Studying the developer’s portfolio and knowing what technology they have experience with is crucial for discovering your ideal candidate.
• Niches and specialties. Most developers have things they specialize in. It is not a problem for a large agency that employs dozens of developers. They offer a variety of skills. But if you are contacting one developer, you need to know what they are good at. Ideally, they should have the exact abilities you want to use for your app.
• Reviews and testimonials. Nothing helps to find a developer better than testimonials. It is proof of their experience, and positive reviews are very encouraging. However, negative reviews can also help! For example, a customer might have been disappointed by the developer constantly asking for feedback. On the other hand, you want to be very hands-on with your app’s development. In other words, this behavior is an advantage to you! Study what others say about the developer for best results.
• Alignment with your goals and brief. A developer must understand your vision. You will not figure out if they do until you talk with them in person. Still, it is a very important criterion in finding the right developer.
• Communication. This is a crucial element. You need to make sure that the developer is good at communication and will definitely contact you when needed.

Your List of Candidates

The process of selecting your future mobile app developer can be subdivided into a few stages. The first one is creating a list of candidates. It is a very lengthy process, which can be done using a couple of strategies.

• One approach consists of researching developers online. You can do that by simply googling the development features you are interested in. You will most likely get an overwhelming number of candidates. That is why it may be reasonable to limit your search. You can look for developers in your area, for example. 
• The second possible strategy consists of sharing your brief on a platform that has a lot of developers. An example is Insolvo — it connects buyers and freelancers. You can post a task on Insolvo and watch interested developers approach you so that you can choose from them.
• The third approach is word of mouth. You might know someone who has had an app developed. Or you can ask around on appropriate forums, such as Reddit. People might recommend a developer or a team. This method is limited by the experience of other people, but it is still an option.

The Process

The rest of the process of finding your mobile app developer has the following stages.

• Now that you have a list of potential candidates, study them. Most developers have at least a portfolio for you to look through. Many have websites with examples of their work and testimonials. Choose just a few candidates who seem to be best suited for your particular task. Use your vision, goals, desired technology and intended outcomes to figure out who fits your needs.
• Contact the developers you have shortlisted and offer them your brief. This step will help the candidates understand if they are suited for your task.
• Once the candidates are familiar with the terms of your brief, you can start carrying out interviews. 
• Use the results of the interviews to decide who you are going to choose. 

What to Ask a Mobile App Developer During an Interview?

You have researched the developer you are interviewing. Therefore, you know of their skills and experience, and you have read their testimonials. You can still ask about these topics, but in addition to that, you need to learn a few other things.

• How will the deeloper approach your task? Do they understand your needs, goals and vision? Can they possibly contribute something to the latter? If you are open to it, developers can be a very helpful source of evolving your view of your app. This is the most important question to ask during the interview.
• What are their thoughts on the brief? Again, the developer might have some advice for you. But in reality this question is about figuring out if you are on the same page.
• What are the plans for post-launch maintenance? Every app needs to be maintained and continually improved to stay relevant and bug-free. Unless you have an in-house team, you need the support of your developer. This could pave the way for long-term collaboration!
• Who are you going to work with? It is an easy question to answer if you selected a freelancer. But with an agency, you might have to ask about the developer or developers who will be working with you. It is a good idea to get to know them, their work, and what they think about your project.

Include all the additional questions you have. Be ready to answer some questions, too! The interview is there to help both you and the developer figure out if you can work together.

Hiring people is an art, not a science.

Howard Schultz, former CEO of Starbucks.

Mobile App Developer Red Flags

Some developer characteristics should be avoided. Here is a non-exhaustive list of such features. 

• A developer cannot explain their choices. This is something you can find in their portfolio. If the portfolio does not offer a lot of explanations about the choices made during app development, that is a red flag. You can use the interview to ask the developer about a particular app they created and the development process. This will show you how they think and make choices.
• A developer is not interested in revising their work. It is a good idea to ask a developer if they offer revisions and how many. A developer who is not ready to carry out changes to the app is not the best option. However, it is fair to limit revisions and request additional payment if they are not in line with initial instructions.
• A developer is not very open to communication. Communication is truly critical, so a developer who cannot master that soft skill is not the best choice.
• A developer agrees to everything. A developer should be capable of explaining his choices and ideas to you. Even when you disagree, they should be able to stand up to you if it is important for the app.
• A developer is unpleasant to talk to. Some people are abrasive, even without meaning to be. There is no need to tolerate a person you are not enjoying working with.

In Conclusion

Your mobile app developer should have the skills and experience that you need. They should understand your vision and accept your brief with its limitations, such as the budget. You can research developers online, find someone through word of mouth, or go to a freelancing platform. The interview will help you understand more about the developers you choose. As long as they do not display red flags, they can become a valuable asset in your app development.