There’s no shortage of online articles weighing in on the relative merits of outsourced versus in-house app development for companies. But they often think in binary terms, as though the two concepts are mutually exclusive.
Let’s look at the basic facts. Your company needs an app. Moreover, it needs a powerful, engaging app – one that drives retention, can scale alongside your business, and, ultimately, pleases your end-users. You have some talented personnel on hand but aren’t sure whether their talents will suffice with such a large and significant project.
So, you have a decision to make: do you keep your app development in-house or outsource to experts who may or may not take a vested interest in your project? In this article, let’s explore the drawbacks with each choice, before pitching a happy middle ground: “inside outsiders.”
The Trouble with In-House App Development
Where to begin? Companies that decide to keep their app development in-house often make the choice based on familiarity and cost; they want people close to their business, who have a stake in its success, to execute the project, believing it to be the more cost-effective option as well. That makes sense on paper, but it often results in a less-than-ideal product that – truthfully – isn’t that much cheaper.
The cost of pulling a team and its managers away from their core competencies can be substantial. An inexperienced team usually takes longer to deliver the product too, adding to the total cost. Finally, after all that, you may still need to bring in ringers to check the app’s security, privacy and accessibility.
Then, there’s the matter of actually building out the app. In-house designers may know their way around the brand aesthetics, but they aren’t experts in app UX/UI, emerging technologies or app scalability. You may end up with an app that isn’t user-friendly or future-proof.
Common Outsourcing Pitfalls
Outsourcing can have its disadvantages as well – specifically, if you choose a disengaged or inexperienced development company. In that case, those initial pain points(high cost and low familiarity)can be founded.
Large app development companies may not give your project the attention you know it deserves, and inexperienced companies might push back the launch date, potentially costing you in lost revenue.
Inside Outsiders: The Happy Middle Ground
The answer is simple enough: Look for mobile application development companies with the know-how of outsiders and the familiarity of insiders. Find a tight-knit, experienced app development company that will take the time and energy to understand your goals, business strategy and branding aesthetic, so they operate like insiders. Additionally, vet potential app development companies beforehand to see if they have a track record of staying on budget and on time.
You will never find in-house developers that can match the expertise and experience of an app development company. But you can find an app development company willing to match the familiarity and budget-awareness of an in-house team. In common parlance, it’s known as a middle ground. In the business world, we call it a winning solution.
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