After explaining the process of choosing the best app developers in one of our previous articles, we have decided to list some of the questions you should ask mobile app developers before hiring them. The mobile app development is a complicated niche, and depending on the needs of your audience you might need iOS app developer, Android app developer, or programmers specialized in some other systems and frameworks.
Since iPhone is much more popular in the United States, many entrepreneurs who are targeting the US audience are hiring iPhone app developers, while the professionals who work with Android are usually more popular in Europe. Of course, the operating system preferences are not the only factor when choosing the right company or a freelance developer.
Before hiring, you need to ask a lot of questions and pay special attention to the candidate's portfolio. In this article, we have shared questions that will help you to find out the most relevant information about the developer's skills and experience.
If you want to create a functional and professional-looking app, you should definitely hire a mobile app development company. Many entrepreneurs want to build a mobile app by themselves, to save money and have more control over the process. If you are a professional developer, there’s no reason not to try, but if you are just entering the digital game, this can take a lot of your time. You can use this time in a much better way, for improving the productivity of your company and for developing your core business.
Still, if you decide to create the mobile app by yourself, our mobile app development guide can be very helpful. Both professionally and amateur made apps can bring benefits to your business and improve your, sales and cash flow.
Can I see some of the mobile apps you have built?
The best way to determine whether the developer will be able to produce the adequate ROI is to check their portfolio and previous projects. Don’t hire developers and agencies, who are not ready to show you their portfolio and discuss the functionality and design of their previous apps.
Do you have any references?
Mobile app developers may have great portfolios, but contacting their previous clients is the only way to get more information about their past projects. Avoid agencies that don’t provide you with customer references. When talking to former clients focus on the ones that do business in the same niche as you.
How many mobile app developers you have on your team?
Although freelance developers and freelancers can be both safe and affordable, it is always better to hire an agency that employs an expert team of mobile app developers that can cover a wide variety of niche-specific projects.
Do you have specialized iOS app developer or an Android app developer in your staff?
Many developers know how to create apps for both platforms, but you will have much better results if the agency’s team have at least one developer, who is specialized in the OS you are targeting.
Do your iPhone app developers have experience with Android apps?
Although many developers work in only one system, you should also inspect their other competencies to make sure they are the right people for the job.
Do your iOS app developer and Android app developer have experience with cross-platform frameworks?
Cross-platform mobile app development can be viewed as a separate skill. There are many different tools cross-platform developers use, to make their app compliant with both operating systems.
Do you use agile development, when working on complex projects?
Agile development is a handy model that provides you with an insight into developers' actions throughout the whole building process. Agencies that apply this method are more efficient, and they have a better approach to the minimal viable product.
Can you explain the contents of your development package in detail?
Development packages offered by agencies and individual developers are sometimes hard to understand to entrepreneurs, who don’t have any previous experience in IT. That is why you should always ask developers to clarify and explain the terms you don’t understand. You shouldn't hire the developer until you have defined every feature they offer and determine how valuable it can be for building your app.
How skilled are your developers?
Apart from asking for the company's portfolio, you also need to focus on individual developers. Ask them about their previous work, their formal and informal education, and if they have been working on similar projects. You can also find the developers on LinkedIn or GitHub, list their project work and check whether they are telling you the truth.
What is more important for you, the apps' design or the user experience?
Good agencies will never give you a straight answer on this question. None of these categories should be sacrificed, and proper development and design teams are always able to create the best user interface and wrap it into a nice-looking design.
Do you offer the post-launch maintenance?
After you launch your app and add it one or a few app stores, the development job is far from being done. Most non-IT entrepreneurs aren't able to maintain the app by themselves. After you have launched the app, you need to update it on a regular basis, fix its bugs and add new features and functionalities. For these tasks, you will need to hire a development team, so it is better to ask for the price of the development, plus app maintenance up front. This way you will find much better deals.
Depending on the type of the app you are planning to make and the budget of your development project you can ask more questions. Respected development agencies like Virtual spirit have nothing to hide, so you should contact us, and we will provide you with plenty of information about our offers, competencies, price policies, discounts, and previous projects.
