Giving your business a mobile presence is no longer optional: statistics show that 51 percent of people’s online time is now spent using mobile apps, and there are 224 million active mobile app users in any given month. How should you develop your company’s app? You will need to choose between hiring an in-house developer or outsourcing the project to a professional mobile app development company. Here’s an overview of the pros and cons of each of these two choices:
Hiring an Internal Mobile App Developer
Companies that want the single-minded commitment of a full-time employee often choose to hire an in-house app developer. Managers are able to maintain on ongoing dialog with a staff person in this role, supervising timelines and integrating strategy to fit with overall company goals.
On the other hand, when you hire an in-house developer, you are limited to his or her individual vision. There is an inherent risk involved in leaving all the technical decisions in the hands of one person. At the same time, developers have to be managed and guided by people with enough technical experience to fully engage in dialog about the best choices. Lone developers will also need to spend time and resources keeping their skills up-to-date and interacting with professional colleagues. As a result, retention may become an issue, because their networking often leads to other career opportunities. Furthermore, mobile app developers command high salaries, and when this expense is added to the cost of licensing for the code and tools they need, in-house app development can become a costly venture.
Outsourcing to a Professional Agency
When you work with professional app developers, a few considerations should be kept in mind: you will not be in constant dialog with your developer regarding overall marketing strategy, and an outside team won’t present innovations pertaining to your general business goals.
On the other hand, mobile app outsourcing offers significant benefits: a professional agency is experienced at evaluating the scope of your needs and will provide a realistic cost figure up front, along with various options to fit your budget. To be competitive, they will stay at the cutting edge of their profession, allowing you to focus on your core business objectives without having to arrange for ongoing training opportunities. As part of the app developer network, agencies will continue to provide support as OS upgrades and new technology emerge. Furthermore, they will begin your project immediately, offering a faster and more predictable speed to market.
Claiming your place in the emerging marketplace of mobile apps doesn’t need to involve intensive HR activity. For most companies, outsourcing to an experienced agency is the most efficient pathway to reaching today’s mobile app users.
Sources:
http://www.computerworld.com/article/2495388/app-development/mobile-app-dev–outsource-or-in-house-.html
http://www.comscore.com/Insights/Blog/Major-Mobile-Milestones-in-May-Apps-Now-Drive-Half-of-All-Time-Spent-on-Digital
http://info.localytics.com/blog/23-fresh-stats-and-charts-to-convince-your-boss-to-invest-more-in-mobile-in-2015
http://www.techrepublic.com/article/going-in-house-for-app-development/
