Simply put, it was overpowering. At that point, I realized brands and startups seeking out app agencies for development likely feel similarly.
What should we select, who do we ask, and the signs to look out for when planning our dinner are questions we asked ourselves in preparation.
But similar inquiries arise when searching for someone to design an iPhone app or Android application.
Over the years, weve assisted startups and brands alike with turning their app ideas into reality, so we know exactly what criteria should be considered when selecting an Android app development company to create them.
Undoubtedly, mobile app developers have played an instrumental role in the success of businesses and mobile applications.
To select these partners effectively, companies have conducted extensive research and evaluation.
Companies across various industries, particularly financial firms, often contract out app development work to IT firms for various reasons, with nearly 60% outsourcing it in specific cases to these IT firms for app creation purposes.
All these considerations must have led them to this decision. Are You Planning on Building Your Mobile Application? Find an App Developer Who Will Bring It All Together Now. This guide is here to assist in finding a mobile app developer suited to your requirements!
Lets first understand the value of having clear criteria/checklist when hiring:
What is Mobile App Design?
Designing mobile apps is the job of a designer. Mobile apps are used for various purposes, but what makes them all the same is their need to be optimized in terms of usability, accessibility and engagement.
Addressing all of the concerns above is essential.
Mobile App vs Website Design
We need to remember that mobile app design differs from web design for smartphones.
Mobile Phone Hardware
Lets start with mobile hardware. Although modern websites can now access some device features, such as cameras, native apps can use a larger variety of hardware, including fingerprint sensors.
Operating Systems
Apps for mobile devices can take advantage of deeply embedded features in the OS. One example is the respective app store (Apple App Store or Google Play Store), both of which provide a variety of ways to monetize the apps, such as in-app subscriptions and purchases.
The Transitions
Developers can easily implement some of the available screen transitions. We can use transitions to prototype with screen design software.
SVG Support
SVG is a feature we cannot use in the design of mobile apps. When it comes to apps for mobile, performance is an important factor.
PNGs are loaded onto the apps screen, while vector formats must be calculated. Because PNG files are not resolution-independent vector formats like SVG files, we need to export image assets in various resolutions to cater to the various HDPI and retina devices on the market.
Screen design software allows designers to send assets at all resolutions.
Responsive Design
Mobile apps must still cater to different devices and sizes of screens (especially Android applications). Still, the task is not as difficult as that of designing websites.
The majority of mobile apps are designed with basic responsive resizing tools.
Android vs iOS Mobile App Design
Apple and Android have rules and guidelines describing how to approach user interface design best. Apple calls these guidelines Human Interface Design Guidelines and Android Material Design.
These documents are worth reading because they both have unique quirks.
Device Resolutions
Apple Apps require that assets be exported 1x, 2x and 3x. Android Apps require 1.5x or 2x.
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Phone Mobile App Design Phone Mobile App Design
There has been much discussion about how mobile phones are held compared to desktop computers, but there are also differences.
Tablets magnify common usability issues, such as tap targets that are reachable. With more screen space available, tap targets will be further away. Apps for tablets are more often used in the landscape.
Mobile App Design Best Practices
Leveraging Hardware and Software
Mobile apps can leverage many aspects of the operating system. This includes fingerprint scanners, app stores, storage devices, cameras, etc.
Theres no need to reinvent the wheel since iOS and Android offer native UI features and functions. Users are familiar with them and enjoy using them.
Make Screen Transitions Meaningful
What is the difference between pushing and sliding? Slides reinforce the idea that the previous page is underneath the current screen.
This makes the user want to return to the old screen (for example, reading a Tweet on a separate screen and then returning to the feed). Pushing the previous screen away suggests that users who dont wish to return to it are safe. It would help if you were careful when choosing your transitions.
Beautiful App Icons
21 % of users remove apps because their icons make the home page look bad. This is a very important factor, even though it applies only to millennials.
Create Anticipatory Loading Scenarios
The loading screens are crucial. The rest of your apps experience will be more efficient if you have everything loaded, minus the database calls.
It is important to note that long loading times are a turn-off. So, build excitement with captivating imagery.
Do Not Overuse Notifications
As we have discussed, 71% uninstall an app because it has notifications. It is common for users 55+ to complain about excessive notifications, despite initially claiming they wanted them.
Dont underestimate the fickleness of mobile users.
What Criteria Should You Use to Select Your App Development Partner?
There are several important reasons why its essential to hire dedicated developers:
- You can create a framework for evaluating IT vendors according to your business goals and project needs.
- You can compare mobile app developers based on factors such as experience, deliverables quality, reliability, engagement offers, etc. ;
- You will be unable to select a product that does not meet your deadlines and requirements.
You can find a technology partner that meets your needs by establishing criteria for mobile app developers.
How to Choose the Best Mobile App Development Partner
Choosing the best mobile app developer for your project can be difficult. To simplify the process, weve listed some things you need to consider when choosing this type of hiring:
1. Define Projects and Business Goals
You should be able to clearly identify what your needs are from an IT partner, including the type of expertise they need, their past projects, etc.
Start by defining the requirements and goals you have for your project.
Define Mobile App Development Requirements:
Answer the following questions to determine what your needs are for a product.
- What type of mobile application development do you prefer?
- What is the scope of your mobile application? Is it simple MVP development or a complex app that has a wide range of features and functions?
Answering these questions will help you create a list of the best mobile app developers with expertise in the type of project that interests you.
Focus Your app development idea with End Goals
Answer the questions below:
- What is the goal of your app?
- Which questions would you like to ask the mobile app developers you selected?
You must also define your teams size and the tools and technologies you will need to achieve your goals.
Budget Your Budget
Budget allocation for app development can be a key factor in the selection of the team and the quality of the final product.
This can be challenging as you must carefully assess your cash flows, both in and outwards, and then make the necessary adjustments.
You may have to make calculated financial sacrifices and take calculated risks to increase your budget to achieve project success.
It is important to identify your priorities at this stage. It would help if you decided what your priorities are.
Define an Attainable and Realistic Project Deadline
Understandably, you expect your order to arrive quickly. Despite such high expectations, it is important to be realistic.
It is important to understand the difficulties of your idea. It would help if you also considered tools, technologies, features, and functionalities.
These thresholds can be met to accelerate development, even when highly skilled talent works on it. You should plan the project timeline and ensure you choose a team with the right skills to complete your app on time without compromising quality.
Choose a Software Development Model
Many software development models, such as waterfall, incremental and agile, have been developed in response to the rapid evolution of IT, especially the space for product development.
IT professionals use Scrum and Waterfall (both Agile methods). If you want to develop software products faster, using Scrum and Agile methods is the best way.
Select the Right Engagement Model
You would choose the best model for your needs, just as many engagement models are on the market.
Fixed Price: If your app development needs are clearly defined, then this engagement model with a fixed cost is a good option for you.
You will get the product that you want within a set timeline.
Dedicated Team: With this model, you can choose your app developers and create an entire team that will work exclusively on your project for a specified period, such as a month or a year.
It offers some benefits regarding productivity and finances, as it cuts through the hierarchies and allows direct access to your dedicated team.
Material & Time: In this case, the team you hired works on the project and charges you according to the hours (hours and materials) spent.
IT providers will often suggest this when the scope of your project is likely to be subject to changes. Fixed Cost Project vs Experts often recommends hourly hire, time and material.
2. Do Market Research
The process is part of the phase that defines a business objective and identifies a project. You will learn about the latest market trends, including UI/UX trends, app development technologies and tools, app development processes, app functionalities and features, quality assurance and deployment.
To do this effectively, you should consult with mobile app developers who can help give you a professional opinion on your idea for an app and simplify your market research.
Its fine to get a second or third opinion for clarity.
The process helps you understand each Companys expertise, their apps effectiveness, and other factors that will allow you to choose the best team.
3. Search and Shortlist Top Mobile App Development Companies
Its now time to find the right mobile app developer.
There are many ways you can find your ideal IT partner:
- By using keywords such as top/best/leading, mobile app development agency
- Clutch, Goodfirms and other global IT companies listing websites are great for searching and finding information.
- You can find IT companies actively researching and investing to give better insight to users who want to work on similar topics.
Search results can be filtered by location, technology, price, team size, and other factors to find the best mobile app developers that meet your needs.
When you have your results in hand, now is the time to evaluate their skills based on what your project requires:
Location
When looking for software development services, your target location is important because every country has a unique economy.
This can sometimes be advantageous to you in terms of cost and talent. You should also check if the talent in the country/location you are targeting can understand your language.
Businesses worldwide choose IT service providers based on these considerations, including India, Ukraine and Thailand.
India is the most popular choice among these countries for software development because it has highly skilled IT specialists and business representatives.
Your goal is to find the most convenient mobile app developer to accommodate your technology preferences.
Expertise and Industry Experience
When looking for an IT provider, it is important to ensure they understand your business well and the technology involved.
Your partners technological expertise is important as they can do industry research and understand its trends. Prioritizing industry and technical skills and industry research will save you time in the long run by ensuring you get the most suitable mobile app for your needs.
How do you choose the best partner with technical and industrial expertise?
Your market research into the leading technologies in app development can help you to:
- Finalize technology stack;
- Specific skill requirements with experience in the industry;
- Find IT firms with a narrowed-down technology focus;
- Consider the background of companies and their clients who have bought similar services.
Business Size
You can find the right team by knowing the size of their Company. This is because many smaller companies hire developers or freelancers from other companies to complete your project.
When developing your mobile app that is mission critical, you should hire a firm with an internal team. A company that has a large in-house mobile app development team is a great choice for your project.
Portfolio
Portfolios are a key asset that IT firms can use to convince their potential clients of their competence. For clients, the portfolio of an IT company is a chance to determine whether or not that candidate will be able to meet their project needs.
You should always check out their portfolio when selecting a mobile app developer. This will allow you to:
- Look for similar projects that theyve worked on;
- They have experience with complex (functionality and features) projects.
- Mobile apps that are crash-free and have a great user experience.
- They have made valuable suggestions to improve their products.
- They can solve problems on time and with their endurance.
The portfolios of mobile app developers speak louder than any pitch. When hiring a partner, its important not to ignore the portfolio.
The reputation of the Company in the Market
Check out the client reviews on their websites or other platforms to see how they rate their service. You can track your IT partners progress by using the following information: You can find out about the projects that theyve worked on, their project completion rates, client retention ratios, employee retention rates, feedback from customers, etc.
These data will help you make an informed decision about which mobile app developers to shortlist further.
4. Write Your Job Description and Send RFP
Its time to narrow your list of potential mobile app developers and get closer to selecting the best one. This process will be pretty straightforward after finding several companies or teams for your project.
The RFP is a "Request for Proposal", in which you must explain your project. Youll use all of the research you did in the previous point, "Define project objectives and a business plan."
You can include the following information in your RFP to be even more specific:
- Description of the project, including app requirements and scope, as well as features and functions to be included in the app.
- Specify your team members experience, expertise, and industry background, including designers, developers, QA Engineers, etc.
- Milestones for a project;
- Budget, from the lowest expected to the highest possible, if the Company can deliver the best solution.
- Developers should consider industry regulatory standards;
- You need a Service Level Agreement (SLA) to ensure a better partner relationship and if you want your privacy protected by an NDA.
- Add any instructions you would like your potential IT partner to follow. These could include communication methods, transparency and reporting.
5. Estimates and Proposals Received
It is fair to expect that you will receive responses from each of the people who have been contacted at this point.
Some may reply with confidence, pledging to fulfill your expectations. Others may be desperate for new business. Some recipients will not respond to your request if your demands do not match their client criteria or they cannot comply with the strict requirements you have set, like signing an agreement of non-disclosure.
The best-case scenario is that your email inbox will fill up with competitive bids, references and additional requirements.
It is crucial to be discerning and carefully assess the references provided as you receive bids. This process will allow you to eliminate unsuitable applicants and move on to an interview to understand their style better.
6. Hold a Meeting, Discuss Your Project, and Negotiate
After thoroughly evaluating each proposal, you might find 3-4 impressions and grab your attention. Meeting virtually with each team to determine which proposals will serve you the most is best.
You can gain a deeper understanding of their methodology, discuss your requirements and assess their expertise through a virtual meeting.
You can decide which team best suits your needs and is suited for a mobile app solution. You will want to discuss many other things after this.
Budget: Negotiation is more common since youve already submitted your budget. However, the budget plays an important role in the business world.
Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA): NDA guarantees that any sensitive information provided to the service provider will remain confidential.
IP Transfer: IP is the acronym for Intellectual Property. This must be considered before engaging with service providers to ensure that you retain control of the product following the contract.
Regarding mobile app development, the entire product is considered intellectual property. This includes the design, code, technical documentation and detailed specifications.
Non-Employment Agreement (NEA): The agreement between you and your provider is very important as it will prevent you from using a service from the other team to benefit their business.
Congratulations, once both parties have agreed on the terms, it is time to select the team or individual mobile app developers you want to hire to develop your application.
7. Selecting and Bringing on Board Talent for Your Project
You want to know if you can choose the talent you hire. Companies that have been in business for many years and employ a large team will offer you a selection of app developers.
This pool has been shortlisted according to the level of expertise needed for your project.
- The CVs will be sent to you for evaluation and selection.
- Youll then interview them to check their technical and communication skills and decide whether or not to continue with them.
- You can choose to sign the contract we mentioned or ask to see more talent profiles.
Youve finally gathered all your team members, so its now time to get them started on the project.
What to Avoid When Selecting Your Mobile App Development Partner
Youve learned about the top practices for hiring a mobile app developer and some of the most common errors. Here are some common mistakes:
Prioritizing Cost Over Quality
You may find that the project costs are a major constraint. It is vital to remember that while the cost of mobile app development is an important consideration, this should not be your sole factor in choosing a provider.
Consider the service standards of a potential provider. They may be more expensive upfront, but they could save a lot in post-development costs.
Take Your Confidentiality For Granted
Do not take your privacy and the security of your personal information for granted. Its okay to insist on certain requirements if a provider views it as an issue of trust.
Its best to avoid app developers who refuse to sign an NDA.
Do not Focus on Product Documentation
Every piece of documentation is vital to the process. It would help if you did not consider documentation a secondary part of your app development project.
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Wrapping up
It is exciting to choose a web application development company, but it must be done correctly.
You can use these simple steps to decide on the agency that will help your app come to life. It cannot be easy to compare the best mobile app developers if you do not know what criteria to use. I hope you found this guide helpful in narrowing down your options to meet your needs.
Depending on the project, some of these suggestions will be more relevant than others. These tips are important as you shop around for the best deal.
Weve compiled a list of all the questions you must ask before hiring an agency. Check it out, and let us know if you want to talk with an app agency with years of experience working with startups and brands.
