My first foray into the world of mobile app development was around 2010. A friend of mine had been in this business sector for several years and thought it might be a new possibility as I was looking to change my music skill set.

Right off the bat, let me tell you that I am a pseudo-gamer. I enjoy my fair share of Facebook, iOS apps, and the online browser. As I learned to apply my love of writing to the world of Google, I was privileged to watch an application develop from idea stage to completion.

The economy is beginning to recover. Smartphones and tablets are in an “arms race” to create the lightest, most pixel-rich and durable devices for retail consumption. As a small or large business owner, charting your organization’s growth is the difference between record profits or laying off staff.

Mobile technology is a strategy that can generate additional revenue, reduce downtime, improve employee productivity, and work as a way to communicate new sales or events happening at your location.

Once you’ve decided to explore building a mobile app for your business, you’ll need to have some criteria for the business you choose to hire. At the small business level, budgets are always a concern.

How much does your business need to be on the mobile frontier?

There are many different ways to position your business in the mobile / online realm. The more bells and whistles you want the smartphone app to offer, the more time it will take to create, as well as the money required to ensure everything works properly. If you think it’s important for your business to take the next step, you’ll need to set aside a decent budget to make it happen. After all, this app will promote your brand and you definitely want to launch it with the best foot forward.

How many developers live in your area?

It is not necessarily a failure that you should hire a local developer. However, it is a good option to consider because you can meet them face to face and become familiar with their gestures.

The benefits of hiring a local mobile app developer include:

• Keeps your investment dollars in the local economy.
• You can meet them in person and ask a lot of questions.
• If there is an emergency or a major problem, you can go to their office.

It’s important to know the developers’ body of work before meeting with them to discuss their ideas. If you look at your graphics and aren’t impressed, you can consider other options. There is some truth to the fact that functionality is sometimes more important than graphics style, but at the end of the day, you really want to be happy with the look and feel of the smartphone app. Graphics should be nice to you and all errors should be resolved beforehand.

Looking at a development company’s client list can help you form an opinion about their track record and whether they can handle your needs. Sure, you might be able to find that rough diamond developer who will work on a small budget for a chance to show what they can do, but do you really want to risk your brand that way? There is no wrong answer to this question, but it is definitely something to keep in mind.

How long will the application take to develop?

If time is of the essence, the best thing to do is hire a company that has enough employees to handle the load. If it is a rush job, it will cost much more to complete. You also run the risk of unforeseen technical failures (also known as “errors”), due to lack of adequate time to perform the test. It’s been said before that greatness can’t be rushed and if you can give developers a great deal of time they can produce an amazing product and meet your deadlines.

If you’re meeting with a developer who doesn’t have a formulated template for how they’ll complete each task, consider not using them for this project. This is extremely important and needs structure.

Innovation workshops, brainstorming and ideation sessions, process flow development, co-design sessions, task optimization, concept sketches, iterative modeling, low / high fidelity prototyping, and test design are just a few of the terms you should listen to when your application details are discussed.

How many developers are employed in this company?

Knowing if there will be a team of developers working on your application will give you the peace of mind you need to feel safe on your first foray into the mobile universe. If there is a developer working on the app, it shouldn’t be a deal breaker, necessarily, but it will give you an idea of ​​the timeline and what to expect. Having multiple developers working on different elements of the framework lets you know that the company you hired is eager to fulfill your requests. In my opinion, it is always good to have more than one pair of eyes on the product. Debating can only make the app look and work better. Dissenting views engender creativity and trigger new approaches to problem solving. A developer creates a climate of dictatorship and could be more challenging in communicating what their needs are for the application.

I feel like after your initial meetings with the prospective firm, you should have a great sense of ease and enthusiasm about hiring them. Investing between $ 5,000 and $ 100,000 in a mobile application is an important decision. You need to feel good about the decision and have a solid logic behind the next step.

Obviously, there are dozens of other questions you can ask the prospective mobile app development company. This is just the tip of the iceberg. If you are considering creating a mobile app for your organization, I hope you find this article helpful and a good introduction to get your creativity flowing.