7 Tips for Hiring an Excellent Mobile App Developer

Hiring a mobile app development agency in Chicago is ideal if you want to get started on your own app. However, people who are not tech-savvy (and maybe even some who are) most likely need help differentiating the good, reliable developers from the sketchy, disreputable ones.

This guide outlines valuable tips and tricks to help you find a developer to work with, including:

• Why outsourcing works best for your business
• Seven essential tips to help narrow your choices

There’s a lot to discuss, so get ready to take notes.

Let’s go!

100+ companies trust us with their mobile app development needs. Watch the video below to learn why.

Why Outsourcing Mobile App Development Is Best

Unless you work in app development, you probably do not have a team of engineers, designers, developers, project managers, and testers on hand to make your plans a reality. Mobile apps are trending right now, and if you want to cash in, outsourcing is the next best thing you can do.

If the thought of paying someone to make your app when you can do it yourself with developer tools puzzles you, then you have all the more reason to outsource. An app — as any mobile app development agency in Chicago can tell you — is the work of more than just a few programmers.

A team relies on the skills of various experts and professionals to create a functioning app. You cannot expect any ROI from mobile apps that lack the critical insight of an entire development team. Outsourcing solves that because you benefit from the work of experts through their agency.

7 Essential Tips for Vetting Mobile App Developers

Finding the right developer to make your business’s app is a lengthy and complex process. Add to that the differing levels of familiarity with the technology in general and all of it becomes extra confusing. Below are seven steps to help you assess a developer’s fitness for your project.

     1. Check Other Mobile Apps They Developed 

The best way to assess the quality of a developer’s work is to check the apps they have already  made. You can usually find them listed on their website or social media pages, or you could do the brave thing and contact them. Not all of their work is accessible on app stores, at least not in their names.

Some also develop apps for private use, which means you have no chance of testing them at all. However, that is a good sign because it shows that high-profile clients trusted them enough to hire them for the job. Either way, do your research before jumping into anything with developers.

     2. Ask About Their Mobile App Development Process 

Creating a mobile app is as much a creative process as it is a technical one, but if your primary concern is results, then this might not matter that much to you. However, understanding how a developer arrives at their decision allows you to immerse yourself in the process and give input.

The developer may have a sense for differentiating between B2B and B2C app needs, but they are not as acquainted with your customers as you are. Being clear about your customers helps them make mobile design changes tailored to your needs, which saves time.

     3. Know Factors Affect the Costs of App Development

When hiring anyone to do a job, especially when outsourcing, cost is one of the most critical factors you should consider. A major project like this is not cheap; just ask any mobile app development agency in Chicago. As such, many factors weigh into what it takes to create a good mobile app.

For example, developing a scalable app might mean a higher upfront cost but also significantly less financial investment when the time comes. What you want to get out of this is transparency. How forthcoming are they when it comes to estimating costs, and how affordable is their model?

     4. Ask Them About User Privacy and Data Safety Laws

One of the biggest challenges of modern technological society is privacy. Many leading tech companies, including Meta (formerly Facebook), have come under fire for their roles in collecting and selling user data. Others have had security breaches resulting in leaks.

Not all developers are honest about this. In fact, the previously popular AI app Lensa is currently facing lawsuits for its handling of user data. Before hiring an app developer, ask them how they enforce privacy and data protection, especially now that Google is tightening its data policy.

     5. Ask How They Handle Scope Creep in Development

Facing changes mid-project is not exclusive to mobile app developers. However, their approach, preparedness, and response to it make a massive difference in your working relationship with them. In other words, how flexible are they, and how important is customer satisfaction to them?

Apart from that, it also speaks to the thoroughness of their creative process and planning. For example, are they building the app to be customizable in the future or is everything set in stone? Take this into context, though, and be reasonable with your request if you ask for adjustments.

     6. Evaluate Their Approach to Designing Mobile Apps

It is a consistent finding that user interface (UI) and user experience (UX) are among the most important parts of mobile app development, which is why thoughtfulness is vital to a good app. People expect it, especially from modern apps, along with intuitive use.

If your app is hard to navigate, confusing to use, or lacking critical features competitors have (such as personalized suggestions), users are probably going to look for other services. Learn as much as you can about how they conceptualize and design the perfect app for their clients.

     7. Explore Their Website and Their Social Media Pages

Last, visit their website to see what the developer has to offer your business. Many agencies are open about who their clients are and what they have developed. Use this to your advantage to do research into whether their skills and values align with what you need from app developers.

For instance, there are developers who advertise their part in producing apps for businesses that focus on sustainability and other causes. Others, meanwhile, have a list of high-profile private clients, and that might be appealing to some companies that want that kind of prestige.

Summing Up

As with any outsourcing, due diligence is your best defense against poor results, whether they are because of sour working relationships or a complete mismatch of skills and needs. Interviewing is not the only way to derive useful information for your decision, although it does help a lot.

Being resourceful and learning from their body of work is one way to review their level of work. Keeping up with tech news is also another way to know whether a developer is here to help or hinder your progress. Remember that laws governing apps and data privacy are still evolving.

Need help finding an app developer? Contact Digital Authority Partners to learn what we can do.