It is a daunting task to find the right app developer. It’s like choosing the person you want to share your life with. Sometimes, however, things don’t go according to plan, and you decide it is time to part ways.
It was all bright and joyful initially because you have put your heart and soul into finding the right mobile app development company. But, communication becomes a problem, and progress slows down or becomes hostile.
Your relationship with the app developer should be no different from any third-party contractor, vendor, or retailer. The app developer should keep you informed, be treated fairly, and complete the tasks on time and in the desired quality. People expect much more from themselves than they have, as most need to gain experience to build an app.
Although it is rare, it’s common for clients to get stuck with their mobile app developers even when the app development needs to be on track or takes too long to complete.
If you’re experiencing any of these ten signs, it is time to fire your mobile app developer.
1. No Established Process
Developers should be honest about clarifying the process, starting with discovery conversations. To ensure everyone understands how the final product will look and function, the first phase of planning must include strategy, user experience, and visual design.
This planning works the same way a blueprint does when building a house. If you don’t plan properly, your app is less likely to be downloaded or succeed.
2. There is no regular communication
You must be in touch with your app developer regularly to discuss the progress of the development, share the latest updates and ask for your feedback. This interaction should occur daily at the beginning of your relationship.
This is a crucial moment for your app. You will be the one who creates the overall strategy and the roadmap for the app. Your developer will also be contributing to that effort.
After your app development is completed and you feel the process has become a bit more solidified, it will be easier to communicate with each other. However, regular communication at different intervals will still need to be maintained. Therefore, it is ideal to have weekly meetings/communications during the middle process of the development.
You may only get the app you wanted if you have had a timely and regular conversation with your developer.
3. There is no follow-up on action items
Your expectations of your app developer include consistent communication. Android app development company should give you the meeting minutes, highlighting the points and actions taken.
This documentation is essential to ensure both parties are on the same page regarding what was discussed, decided, and what is expected. In addition, it is essential to clearly state any actions that must be taken within a specified time frame so that the developer or you can take the necessary steps.
4. There is no need to request feedback
You may have found an expert developer. However, you still have the right to offer your opinions. Although the developer might not be an expert in the app’s intended use, industry, or audience, they may have some knowledge. Your product will succeed because of your knowledge and the developer’s expertise.
You must be given opportunities to give your feedback throughout the development process. In addition, you must pay attention to your input when you invest a lot of money in developing an app.
Even if you need help understanding the development process, you can still help select the colors and design for your app.
5. There is no proof of progress
While communication, follow-ups, feedback, and communication are all great, it is equally important to have at least a beta version of your app. Depending on the app’s complexity, the developer might need help to show you live functionality within the first two weeks.
Your developer should give you, at most, a demo of your app and some rough functionality at the end. In addition, your developer must provide your weekly app build by the end of the second month. This will allow you to see any progress or completion of any functionality.
The developer is expected to keep you informed about any bug fixes or new features, even after launching your first app.
6. The Scope of Work is irrelevant
Regular updates and installations of your app will ensure that it works as intended. As mentioned in the first sign, comprehensive strategy and planning are critical steps to setting expectations and preparing for the design and development phases.
To ensure that the app is being developed according to the plans and the developer is moving in the same direction, you can always refer back to the original planning documents.
If you find bugs, lags, or other problems in the app’s functionality, these are indicators that the foundation is not working correctly. If you report the same problems or obvious issues over and over, you might need a different app developer. Therefore, you should get rid of them as soon as you can.
7. There is no obligation to meet deadlines.
The development of an app should follow a schedule. This schedule outlines when items can be delivered and a general target completion date.
It is essential to set a target date and time for any project. This is especially true for apps launched at conferences or other events where the app will be the first in its class. It takes approximately 4-6 months to build a fully functional app. Many smaller tasks must be completed.
The app developer must show you evidence of the progress made on your app according to the schedule and any deadlines approaching. You may only complete the project on time if deadlines are regularly met.
Your development costs will rise if you miss deadlines or delay delivery. Sometimes, the developer can only give you an approximate date because of the app’s complexity. If this is the case, the developer must give you an uncertain time, and if the date seems unlikely to be met, he must inform the user with a valid reason.
8. No access to intellectual property
Your mobile app’s documentation, designs, and code become your intellectual property when you hire a developer. The developer will develop them, but you must also have access to them.
You risk having a bad relationship with your developer if you don’t. You may be able to use your developer’s exclusive access as leverage to get additional payments or to stay in the relationship even if things are going differently than planned.
Your developer will be most satisfied if you give them full access to all IPs through tools such as Trello, GitHub, and Dropbox.
Conclusion
If you see any of these signs in your developer, it may be time to end the partnership. We understand it’s more complex than it sounds.
You may always need help to get your code. But, even if you do, there are chances that the developer did something malicious to your app.
If your app is still assigned to an underperforming developer, it will cause more damage.
