To find the best road to their objective, all organizations seeking to outsource app development must examine several choices. As a product owner, you must ask pertinent questions. The more specific the queries, the more specific the answers, and the better your chances of launching your app on time and under budget.
The majority of hazards may be removed before development begins. This article discusses how to outsource app development and create a win-win working partnership.
Avoid the most frequent mobile app development blunders. Use the following principles to come up with realistic responses concerning mobile development outsourcing.
Why (and when) should you outsource app development?
When a firm decides to outsource app development, it is critical to communicate expectations. What are they? Do you want to save money in the long run? Can you fill a gap in your knowledge in a certain area? Extend quickly to a new platform?
When you prepare properly as a product owner, your chances of finding the ideal team rise dramatically.
It is also critical to determine the start and endpoints of application outsourcing (launch? app updates? migration?).
The following questions are critical since they have a direct impact on the scope and timeframe of outsourcing app development:
- Are you developing a new software solution from scratch or extending an existing one?
- Are you combining it with your current company’s solutions?
- Will your app make use of smartphone hardware (accelerometer, Bluetooth, and so on)?
- Do you have any source code already? Do you wish to take advantage of it?
- Are there any industry-specific rules that the development team must follow?
- How many users do you anticipate?
- Do you want to create an app for internal use? Do you intend to sell it?
- Do you wish to engage an app development outsourcing team to execute the project?
- Do you want ongoing maintenance as well?
Some responses may provide cryptic but important information for the future development team.
At the outset, the product owner must choose the best strategy. He should seek the advice of someone with solid technical expertise.
Here are two examples:
- A business has a Web app as well as an Android app. They now require a team to create an iOS app. When developing an iOS app, the development team must consider the architecture of current apps. They should avoid developing their own from the ground up. They must remember app synchronization and other critical aspects.
- A firm must first determine whether to build an internal app or a commercial app. App architecture varies amongst the apps. An abrupt change in direction amid the development process necessitates extensive code base rebuilding. Avoid this expensive and unnecessary project activity.
Choosing from a variety of app development outsourcing alternatives
The application development outsourcing industry spans the whole globe. There are several options available on the market. Companies are flexible in terms of price, technology, and collaboration methods. You can select the appropriate collaboration model for your project’s requirements.
The model of outsourcing app chosen is determined by:
- Budgeted amount
- Scheduled timetable
- The scope of work
- App development only
- App development and maintenance
- App creation, maintenance, and frequent updates
- The number of essential features
- The amount of time a product owner may devote to team management
- Competence in a certain business domain, as well as an understanding of the rules in that domain
- Willingness to take up a portion of a project and collaborate with another team (if needed)
Make a priority list. Consider what matches your priorities.
Outsourcing mobile development vs. in-house development
The first thought that every project owner has is utilizing an in-house team or outsourcing application development. When specifics and constraints are recognized, both may be wonderful. You design the procedures and change them flexibly with in-house staff. Within the same business hours, an in-house staff is accessible. The business maintains essential project information inside. Some fewer persons have access to sensitive information.
On the other hand, an in-house team is costly. Aside from expensive salaries and benefits, finding, hiring, and retaining a missing specialist in this overheated market takes a long time. Businesses must maintain an HR department, consider employee incentives and bonuses, and implement safety precautions, among other things.
In turn, an outsourcing team is a speedier and less expensive choice. You do not pay for hiring and onboarding as a business. In addition, due to reduced hourly rates, a team from a cost-effective location might be 2 – 3 times cheaper. Typically, a team can get a project up and running quickly. There is no need to wait until all open positions are filled. The size of your team might change depending on your needs: quick upscale, rapid downscale.
Team engagement
When you outsource app development, you may select the collaboration model that best suits your future goals.
Do you currently lack an IT department but are striving to build one? Or do you want to continue outsourcing mobile app development?
There are two major outsourcing app development models based on the extent of post-launch activities:
The delivery team launches the app and moves on to the next assignment.
Dedicated staff: After the app is launched, the team works on app maintenance and upgrades.
Focus
The technological stack and emphasis of a firm are typically determined by factors such as:
- general development firms
- businesses that specialize in a certain industry (e.g., telemedicine app development)
- businesses that specialize in a certain technology sector (e.g., Virtual Reality, data mining)
General development firms offer extensive experience and inexpensive hourly costs. Specialized businesses have specialized knowledge and higher charges (and accomplish certain tasks more quickly). Depending on your needs, it makes sense to examine both types of businesses.
The following are the best possibilities for your project:
The firm recently introduced a comparable concept. They understand how to manage your project and can offer you a detailed plan.
The company has experience in your sector – They need less time to learn about your company and modify their strategy as soon as they delve into the details.
The firm has worked on a range of projects and can offer you a project map appropriate to your needs. The firm may lack tightly concentrated knowledge, but it is adaptable and can learn quickly.
Pricing
Pricing has a direct impact on the budget. Its location mostly determines the hourly rate of a firm. From east to west, prices rise. Eastern European companies offer great prices and excellent quality, while US/Australian firms are the most expensive.
Whatever location you pick, you can bargain on one of two price models:
Fixed pricing – You agree on project costs in advance. Projects having a clear scope are better suited for this.
Time and materials: You are charged depending on the team’s amount of time on your project. This works well for tasks with a wide range of requirements.
For example, imagine you want to build a fitness app from the ground up. You don’t have an internal team. You have assumptions and may need to alter requirements in response to user demands. You’ll also require someone to make updates. Your obvious option is to outsource to a dedicated team totally. The time and materials pricing approach is the best option.
Is it possible to combine both approaches? Yes, as long as you keep a healthy balance between expenses and flexibility. Set up a monthly budget and urge the team to tell you in advance if they will exceed it if you don’t want to keep up with expenditures while being flexible. Any modifications made are depending on how much of the monthly budget is still available.
