Mobile App Development Outsourcing
Hey there! Have you checked out the market and stumbled upon a cool app idea, but now you’re not sure what to do next?
Why not consider following in the footsteps of Google and Boeing and mobile app development outsourcing? In today’s world, you don’t always need to build your team for making mobile apps. Many businesses, whether small or big, choose to outsource their mobile app development to sidestep hiring issues and ensure a smooth development journey. How do you pick the best outsourcing option and steer clear of expensive errors?
If you’re keen to learn more about successful mobile app development outsourcing, we’ve put together this guide that explains how to outsource app development and follow the best practices. Here’s what you’ll discover:
The current market status for mobile app development outsourcing.Reasons why companies opt to outsource app development.The primary challenges faced in outsourcing mobile development, along with their solutions.Different models for mobile app development outsourcingPlaces where you can outsource mobile app development.A step-by-step guide to mobile app development outsourcing, featuring seven clear steps. Let’s explore how to outsource app development efficiently, without wasting time and money.
Why Outsource Mobile App Development in 2024
Many companies in today’s fast-changing world choose to outsource important business processes. In 2023, experts estimated the global outsourcing market at $430.53 trillion, with expectations for continued growth in the future.
Experts project that revenue in the IT Outsourcing segment will hit US $512.50 billion in 2024. They also anticipate that the average spending per employee in this segment will reach US $146.10 in the same year. In terms of global comparison, the United States is expected to generate the highest revenue, reaching US $185.50 billion in 2024.
Outsourcing your app development project can boost the overall operational efficiency of your business. Many businesses choose mobile app development outsourcing instead of building their own teams for various reasons. Research shows that cutting costs is a major driver for outsourcing in mobile app development. According to staffing company OnContracting, businesses can save an average of $100,000 every year by opting to outsource app development.
Reasons to Enhance Your Business with Mobile App Development Outsourcing
1. Cost Efficiency:
Cost efficiency stands out as the primary reason why companies choose to outsource app development today. Hiring a programmer to create an app is generally cheaper than forming your own app development team. Whether you collaborate with a mobile software development company or freelance app developers, the cost of mobile app development services tends to be lower. Depending on your business location and the outsourcing destination, cost savings can range from 20% to 70%. In the professional developer market, the average annual salary in the USA is approximately $80,000. If you opt to outsource app development to Europe, specifically Armenia, mobile software development services will typically cost you between $30-40 per hour.
2. Better Business Focus:
Mobile application outsourcing involves a complex process that demands significant time and dedication. When you work with mobile app development agencies, much of the workload that would otherwise require your personal attention is automatically delegated. Once you’ve hired an app development company and established communication channels, your role primarily involves providing timely feedback. A professional outsourcing development company assigns a dedicated project manager to oversee all tasks on your behalf. They ensure you receive regular updates to stay informed and provide feedback as necessary. As a result of outsourcing mobile application development, you gain extra time that you can allocate to other business tasks that require your direct involvement, such as securing investments, forming partnerships, and marketing.
3. Top Experts in The Field:
In some projects, top talents such as AI or AR developers may be necessary. When you outsource mobile app development, you won’t encounter difficulties in locating and hiring experts in specialized fields. Outsourcing mobile app development doesn’t confine you to a particular location or time zone. You have the flexibility to hire professionals from anywhere in the world to work on your project.
4. Broad Skillset:
Top outsourcing companies typically utilize a multi-level team structure comprising various specialists. Typically, a development team includes roles like Project Managers, Business Analysts, Software Engineers, Quality Assurance Engineers, and more. Collaborating with such a development team accelerates the app development process significantly, as each member is accountable for a specific aspect of the project.
5. Quicker Development Process:
This stands out as one of the main reasons for outsourcing app development. Time is crucial in the business world, and even a few days can make a significant difference for a new digital product. Therefore, launching a new product on the market as quickly as possible and within a predetermined deadline is vital.
When you outsource mobile app development to a professional vendor, they carefully assess the project and timeline. They then use this information to allocate the necessary resources to meet the set deadlines. As a result, you can progress from an idea to a finished product much more swiftly.
6. Flexibility:
Successful mobile application outsourcing relies on partnering with companies that employ flexible software development methodologies such as Scrum or Kanban. These approaches break down the process into small sprints, each resulting in a fully functional new feature or part of the digital solution. This ensures smooth adaptation to changing plans during the app development process, with the mobile app development team swiftly adjusting processes according to revised business requirements.
7. Scalability:
When there’s a need to accelerate development or implement complex functionality, increasing the team size becomes essential. Unlike managing an in-house team, outsourcing offers greater flexibility. Experienced companies can easily scale up the team from 5 to 15 developers without hindering project timelines, allowing for seamless adaptation to changing plans.
8. Risk Reduction:
The sudden departure of a senior developer can be a nightmare for any business owner developing a new digital project. Finding a replacement on short notice is challenging. With mobile application outsourcing, the outsourcing company takes on risk mitigation tasks, including handling in-project processes and unexpected feature implementation problems. A dedicated Project Manager assesses and addresses all risks, ensuring smoother project progress.
9. Comprehensive Business Support:
Mobile app development companies often offer a variety of services, including marketing, market research, and business analysis. This ensures comprehensive business support, maximizing the project’s chances of success post-launch.
10. Security:
Outsourcing development provides significant advantages over an in-house team, especially regarding security. Professional companies have protocols in place to ensure compliance with local legislation and data protection rules. They utilize secure platforms like GitLab for source code storage, Confluence and Google Drive for project documentation. Signing a Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) ensures the protection of both user data and your app idea.
Main Concerns of Mobile App Development Outsourcing
Although the benefits of outsourcing mobile app development are clear, many companies still hesitate to pursue it because they don’t know how to approach it wisely. Let’s examine the primary concerns that might deter you from outsourcing mobile development and how to overcome them without any loss for your business.
1. Wrong Vendor Selection:
The primary concern for outsourcing app development is selecting the wrong vendor. Often, companies make this mistake by choosing a vendor solely based on price comparison. For instance, outsourcing app development to India might lead to future issues with code quality. Therefore, selecting a vendor solely based on price might not be the optimal solution.
Solution: Choose a vendor based on multiple criteria such as portfolio, experience, client reviews, etc.
Experiencing unexpected results:
It can be a nightmare after finding your ideal company, but the vendor fails to deliver as expected. This problem often arises when vendors and clients fail to align their expectations. If you don’t clearly communicate what you want from the development process, don’t expect the vendor to guess your business requirements and expectations.
Solution: Engage in initial project discussions and provide timely feedback to ensure you get the desired results.
Security Issues:
Clients frequently struggle with outsourcing app development while ensuring the security of their business. They worry about sharing access to sensitive data. However, you can effectively reduce these risks by collaborating with a professional outsourcing development company.
Solution: Sign an NDA and adhere to the specified rules throughout the cooperation period.
Communication Issues:
Setting up a smooth communication process is a necessity for successful mobile application outsourcing. Usually, a project manager is responsible for direct communication with the client, so getting the process right shouldn’t be a problem.
Solution: negotiate and set up the communication process from the start with your project manager.
Underqualified Vendor:
Encountering an underqualified vendor can be frustrating. If your project goes awry despite finding what seemed like the perfect mobile app development team, it’s likely because you didn’t thoroughly review the company’s portfolio.
Solution: Before hiring a team, always check the company’s portfolio. Even the best vendor may lack the necessary talents and experience. For a smooth project, reach out to our team for tech recommendations and project estimation.
How to Outsource Mobile App Development In 6 Steps
Now that you’re familiar with all the benefits of outsourcing mobile app development, let’s explore the key steps involved in the journey to successful app creation.
Step 1: Decide on the project type
The first step in outsourcing app development is understanding the type of project you’re undertaking. You can create a small, medium, or large application for one or multiple operating systems. Before reaching out to app development companies, clarify which type of application you’re creating—whether it’s a healthcare app, dating app, or eCommerce application. Then, determine your budget and create an initial list of requirements.
Step 2: Choose between platforms
Depending on your budget, you can outsource mobile app development for a single app version or for both iOS and Android. Making the right choice requires understanding your target audience and their platform preferences.
Step 3: Devise project requirements
Once you’ve decided on the platform, work on defining the features for your application. In addition to standard features like sign-in and user accounts, brainstorm unique features that will make your app stand out.
Step 4: Find a Mobile App Development Outsourcing Company:
Once you’ve identified the features you plan to implement, start looking for the best companies to work with. Begin your research on platforms like The Manifest, Clutch, and GoodFirms. Pay close attention to the top ten app development companies list and explore other vendors as well. Take a comprehensive approach and analyze various factors. After your analysis, create a list with specifications such as years of experience, relevant portfolios, customer reviews, hourly rates, etc. From this list, select a few vendors for screening interviews. During these interviews, assess their English proficiency, communication skills, development approach, and ability to navigate cultural differences.
Step 5: Establish project management
Effective communication is vital for successful app development. Before developers begin their work, ensure that communication and project management are organized. Utilize various software solutions to facilitate communication, task tracking, file exchange, and idea sharing with your team. In professional companies, the Project Manager oversees client communication and the organization of all processes within the development team.
Step 6: Enjoy the benefits of outsourcing mobile app development
Once you’ve mastered the process of outsourcing app development and ensured its success, you can reap the benefits of collaborating with highly experienced developers. You can focus your attention on other business tasks and only devote minimal time to overseeing the processes within your application development team.
Starting Point for Mobile App Development Outsourcing
To ensure smooth outsourcing of app development, follow these steps:
- Choose a vendor based on expertise, relevant experience, etc., rather than comparing prices.
- Clearly define goals from the outset of cooperation with the development vendor.
- Provide timely feedback and share inputs with your app development team to maintain alignment with expectations.
- Establish communication channels such as Slack for messaging, Jira for task tracking, and Zoom for video calls.
- Discuss app development cost and timeline before starting development to avoid surprises or changes in payment terms.
