If you are going to develop your own mobile application and don’t have your own development team, the way of outsourcing is probably the most optimal solution. If you entrust the development to an external team that has the know-how and experience gained from other implemented projects, you can significantly reduce the risk of possible trouble. Potential problems may lurk at every turn: failure to comply with deadlines, the low quality of an application, failure to comply with the budget and many others.

The world of mobility is a field that is characterized by extraordinary dynamics and the pace of development. The speed with which new hardware appears on the market (smartphones, tablets, smart watches, glasses, etc.) or new versions of operating systems (Android, iOS, Windows) requires a constant and de facto immediate response from developers. The continuous monitoring of development, adding know-how and the updating of already developed applications are an absolute necessity.

The advantages and disadvantages of outsourcing the development of a mobile application

Every coin has two sides, so outsourcing the development of a mobile application has both its advantages and disadvantages. Positive aspects prevail in most cases, because the benefits of outsourcing mainly lead to financial savings.

Advantages

• Access to the experience and know-how, which an external supplier has.
• Opportunity to embark on the development of a very large and complex solution. Quality development companies have specialists who are involved in the implementation of the various parts of the development of a solution (software architects, UX designers, graphic designers, developers, testers, project managers, marketers, and many other specialized roles).
• Good possibilities for resource planning and expenditure planning.
• All administration and staff costs are eliminated.
• No additional costs for finding workers and their training.
• You get a well coordinated team that works together and is accustomed to each other – the process is far shorter than with a new team.

Disadvantages

• Low operability of decision – it is necessary to define the task carefully, the task must contain everything you expect from an application.
• Risks associated with the contractor – lack of experience and quality of outputs, weak references, etc.
• The need to communicate with an external entity – communication barriers, less flexibility of management, the risk of information leakage outside the company, etc.

When is it advantageous to use the outsourcing of development?

Use of the outsourcing of mobile application development is especially suitable in the event that:

• You do not have adequate staff with relevant knowledge and experience in the development of mobile solutions.
• Dates are unrelenting. If you are working with tight deadlines and you can’t handle the development using your own resources, then outsourcing is an option that can remove a thorn from your side.
• You want to focus mainly on your business. Solving of other activities on your own would be consuming and inefficient.

The problem of development is possible to solve through internal development using your own people. If you decide to take advantage of outsourcing, you have a wide range of potential suppliers. From individuals (usually students) through specialized development studios to large multinational software companies. The choice is entirely up to you…