Questions You Should Ask Your Chosen Android App Development Company

These days, more and more companies are leveraging custom software development as a way to not only provide their people with the tools necessary to do their jobs, but to enable them to work “smarter, not harder” as well. But not every organization necessarily has the capacity to handle these needs in-house, which means that you’ll have to go looking for an Android app development company that can.

But at the same time, it’s important to acknowledge that not all development companies are created equally. If you want to make sure you wind up with a partner who can meet your needs and exceed your expectations, there are a few key things you’ll want to keep in mind.

 

The Essential Questions to Ask Your Next Android App Development Partner

What follows is a list of some of the most important questions that you should ask any Android app development company BEFORE work begins in your next big project. They’re a great way to not only make sure that both parties understand the expectations of one another prior to work beginning in earnest, but they can also help everyone stay on the same page moving forward.

1. 1. “What type of previous work have you done on Android mobile app development?”
      This is a great way to make sure that a company is capable of producing the type of quality, sophisticated content that they say they can – and that you and your people will be able to depend on in the future.
   2. “What type of cost model do you follow as a mobile application development company?”
      Naturally, when you engage with a partner in app development services, you need to know how you’ll be expected to pay for them. This will give you an overview of precisely that.
   3. “Do you understand our business model?”
      No two businesses are created in quite the same way, and business models in particular can vary wildly depending on which specific organization you’re talking about. In no uncertain terms, an Android app development company MUST have an intimate understanding of the way their clients work – thus allowing them to fulfill their expectations in the future.
   4. “Can you provide client references who can vouch for your app development firm?”
      Unless the Android application development and design partner you’ve selected is brand new, they should be more than happy to provide a list of references that you can speak with in order to find out more about the way they like to work. If they’re hesitant to share this information, that could be a warning sign that things are not what they seem.
   5. “How would the success of the app be measured?”
      Some companies define success as “the app is done.” Others judge things based on criteria like user adoption. Both parties need to be able to come to an agreement as to what success actually looks like.
   6. “What is your process like? Do you do agile development or any other methodology?”
      This, too, is an important question so that YOU can get your expectations in order. The processes of different high-quality Android app development companies can be dramatically different. You can’t expect someone to change the way they work to meet your needs, necessarily. Instead, find the partner that already meets those needs with their given process.
   7. “Can you explain your development services in detail?”
      The answer to this question is a great way to help crystalize the time table of the project at hand. It will help clue you in as to certain benchmarks that you can expect and how long it will take to move from one stage to the next. This is also a great way to develop an idea of the true depth of expertise of the company you’re working with. You’ll also learn whether they offer important services like testing, etc.
   8. “Can you go into more detail about your experience?”
      In no uncertain terms, it is of critical importance to gauge the experience of the people who will actually be working on the app project every day. You need to find out as much as you can about not only the project managers and their experience with similar projects, but also their success rates as well.
   9. “What are the coding standards that you follow, along with any other frameworks that you and your team specializes in?”So many of these questions are all about getting your expectations in order prior to the start of a project, and this one is no exception. By understanding what standards a development team holds them to, you can get a better idea of the ones YOU should be holding them to as well.
   10. “Is submission to app stores a part of your marketing services?”The Android App Store, as is true with the iTunes App Store, has very strict policies regarding how submissions are handled and what is accepted, especially in the United States. Essentially, you need to find out whose responsibility this is – yours or the developer in question.
   11. “What type of post-launch app maintenance do you offer?”
       Some Android app development companies may essentially leave you “on your own” once the app is finished. If it’s important to continue to have a partner who will support you indefinitely, you need to be aware of that as soon as possible.
   12. “What level of involvement is required from the client?”
       Some Android app development companies will want constant interaction and feedback, while others prefer to be left to their own devices. Figuring out what they need is one of the keys of guaranteeing a successful outcome at the project’s completion.
   13. “What type of communications tools and methods does your mobile app development company use to convey progress and updates on a project?”
       If an app development company DOES want to solicit feedback on a regular basis, you need to find out how to create the most collaborative, communications-friendly environment possible.
   14. “What experience do you have with other operating systems in terms of app development?”
       You may not want an iPhone version of your app today… but that could change in the future. This question will tell you whether your partner can support that need or if you’ll have to find someone else to work on the port.
   15. “Who owns the code after the project is finished?”
       Generally speaking, the answer to this question should be YOU. But if it isn’t, you need to know right away – especially if that’s important to you.

    

2. Obviously, there will be some organization-specific questions that you should also ask that cannot be mentioned here because they’re unique to your situation. Having said that, these questions represent an excellent starting point for what is sure to be a mutually beneficial situation for everyone involved.