While mobile application development is a fairly new field in the business world, it is growing rapidly. With the large range of mobile app development benefits, businesses are developing them for a large variety of functions. With the growing competition in this field, it is important to focus on quality when developing an application. Creating an effective and efficient mobile app development team is, therefore, a key aspect of the process. If your business is serious about app development, you should be looking into putting together a strong team that can specialize in this field in the long term.
The mobile app development team structure
Businesses are often more concerned with simply releasing the mobile app to the public. However, a lot of work and thought should go into the entire process. The structure of the development team is specifically important. The team responsible for the application should be skilled in research, User Experience (UX) design for both iOS app development and Android app development, back-end design, troubleshooting, and mobile application security. It is crucial to create a team that can ensure quality throughout the development process, including the planning, research, design, development, testing and evaluation steps. This will ensure an effective full-cycle approach.
At the head of the mobile app development team structure should be a strong, knowledgeable and skilled leader that can guide the team throughout the process. The leader should have a clear and realistic vision and be able to lead the team from the beginning stages to the final steps. The rest of the mobile app development team should include a product manager, user research experts, visual and UX designers, back-end designers, front-end developers, and testers.
The development team should be able to gather ideas, do sufficient research, design, develop and test. This will ensure that there is no outsourcing once the development is in full swing. Outsourcing during the journey can hold back the process. Finally, there should also be a clear road map for the team to ensure a smooth route.
Outsourcing a development team
Outsourcing a team from a specialized company to develop applications for business has worked for some companies, however, this solution has some disadvantages. Outsourcing a team can often be a more affordable solution than hiring an in-house team and can often work for smaller, short-term projects. However, such teams are often only available for a certain period and may not be around to offer troubleshooting processes or to analyze the app after its release. Outsourced teams can also lack the exact skills and knowledge, such as experience in particular software programs, needed to build a specific app.
Hiring an in-house development team
Hiring an in-house team is often seen as a smart solution, especially for businesses that are serious about app development. While an in-house team will offer more time and energy during the development and release phases, such a team can be more expensive. Having an in-house team can also include a lot of employment admin for your company. You will have to keep in mind contracts, annual leave and monthly payroll.
If you are ready and serious about putting a development team together, consider these eight ultra-important tips.
Decide on the type of team
Do you want to put an ad hoc team together or do you want to employ a full-time team? You have to consider the benefits and disadvantages of a mobile app development in-house team vs outsourcing. It's important to know exactly what your aim is before you hire individuals.
Invest in a strong leader
For your team to be successful throughout the development process, you need to invest in a strong leader. A leader should have a clear vision, have excellent communication and management skills and thorough knowledge about the entire development process.
Previous mobile app experience is key
When recruiting for your team, make sure you select individuals with the relevant experience, especially in app development software. The previous experience offers the knowledge to ensure a smooth and efficient development journey.
Education is essential
A great education in mobile app development will provide an effective background for the team. Look for individuals with relevant education.
User Experience is important
Your mobile application's most important function will be the efficiency of its User Experience. Therefore, it is essential to recruit members that have experience and knowledge in User Experience processes.
Hire app development experts
There is no use in trying to save costs by hiring individuals who are not experts in their fields. To develop a top-quality product, hire professionals who have worked on large projects before in their specific roles.
Have a development road map
Before you recruit your team, create a comprehensive road map and consider all the mobile app development pros and cons. This will help both you and the employee to know exactly what is expected through the entire journey.
Offer mobile app training
These days, the trends in mobile and web application development change so quickly, many individuals are constantly getting training to ensure they have the relevant skills and knowledge. To ensure your team stays on top of their game, provide training often.
Once you have hired and structured your team, everyone needs to realize that the app team's work is not done once the app is developed. The app needs to be monitored and improved frequently. This can be done with the correct analytics, thorough feedback, and evaluation processes. Once errors are found, they should be investigated and fixed immediately. Constant design improvement changes should also be implemented to ensure the app stays new and relevant.
With the right knowledge of what the ideal app development team features are, it shouldn't be a complicated or protracted process. Simply follow the eight important tips mentioned above and structure your team according to your requirements. Following these tips, you will invest in a development team that will produce top-quality and effective mobile apps for your business.