When it comes to planning and developing an app, this is a project that you don’t want to rush to send offshore with the promise of a quick turn around and a cheap bill. Outsourcing an app developer requires time and research, as you want to find the best Australian developer that understands the brief and brings even more value to the scope. According to Dreamwalk, as many as 33% of all software projects fail to be completed. Let’s go over how to outsource app development and what you should be looking for in your prospects to ensure you achieve the build that you are after.

Find an agency with success in your niche

Now that you have decided to outsource your project, you can start to assess the app design agencies and shortlist which options are going to best serve your needs. Ideally, you want to find an app design agency that has worked on projects similar to yours and have been established for a while so that they have a clearly defined process and the right people in the team. You might also look to see what awards they have received over the years to better understand the value they can bring to your app build.

Decide what your non-negotiables are

The primary concern with outsourcing app development is that your project won’t be quite right, the communication will be irregular or you don’t have the right amount of digital design approval points. By identifying what these non-negotiables are, you can include this in the scope of work and ensure that your needs are being met and understood by the developers. If your business has a number of stakeholders, then communication flow is going to be very important. If your app is very niche and serving a very specific audience, then you will want to be approving design elements as they unfold. With greater clarity, you can get exactly what you need from your outsourced development.

In-house or freelance

Your budget is likely going to dictate whether you choose an app development agency of a freelancer, and this decision is ultimately going to shape the experience and the app delivery. Neither option is a bad one, but you need to decide if having an agency where you can meet with your designers and conceptualise and discuss the direction of the app is better than sending an online brief out. When choosing an in-house design agency, you also get exposure to other professionals outside of your team of developers. This could be graphic designers, UX and CX designers, copywriters, photographers and even illustrators. You cannot put a price on these skill sets which will naturally improve your app development with these professionals working in the vicinity of your build.

Request testimonials and reviews

Before choosing your Australian app developer, be sure to read the reviews and testimonials of previous clients to see what the strengths are of your developer. These reviews might actually spark some ideas or project scope that you hadn’t thought to consider, not to mention getting you in the mindset of thinking like an app designer and app owner. Clutch is a good place to find such reviews, and it might also introduce you to some other Australian developers that you hadn’t found in your initial search. You can take this research a step further and actually download the apps they have they have included in their portfolio, and give them a test drive for yourself.

The last thing you want to do when finding an outsourced app developer is to rush the process and ignore any glaring red flags. This project will be very expensive and painful if you don’t work hard to find an appropriate developer that is going to deliver you an app you can be proud of.