I’m going to say over 50% of my clients have had a REALLY bad past experience with an app development agency. Over 80% are unsatisfied. And the remaining 20% are just lucky they came to Devika first hehe 🤭

It’s not unusual for me to speak to a founder who has spent between $500k to $2m on application development services and has NO functional product to show for it 🤯

I don’t like talking poorly about others in the industry, so non-technical founders, here’s how a GOOD app developer will operate (and hopefully you’re working with one!).🤞🤞

Signs of a Good App Developer

It all starts with good planning

Would you let a builder start building your house, without an architect designing the specifications, and an engineer validating the designs? No, so don’t let someone build your app without a technical design.

• What’s a design doc called? Your app’s design documentation could be called a Statement of Work (SOW), a technical specification, engineering specification etc.
• Inclusions? It should cover your users, features, integrations, data points, sitemap (for authentication, onboarding and the main application), and tech stack at minimum. Any developer should be able to pick this up and make sense of it.
• Project outline: A project outline and refined cost estimates should also be provided in this document. This details the budget, and what features/integrations are expected to be completed in this budget.
• Length? It should be 15-40 pages for a MVP, give or take depending on complexity (don’t stress about this, but don’t accept a 2 page design document…)
• Translation: Even if you’re non-technical, they should be able to walk you through the document and outline any risks or justify why something will take 1/2/5/10 weeks. Don’t accept anything if you don’t understand it. If you don’t understand it, there is a risk they haven’t fully explored it.

Proactive Communication

A reliable developer will maintain regular check-ins. In my agency, we schedule fortnightly meetings (at minimum) to ensure that everyone is on the same page.

Frequent Milestones and Approvals

Good developers work in milestones (also called “sprints” in agile projects), seeking your approval at each stage. This iterative approach allows you to see progress regularly and ensures the final product aligns with your vision.

• You should be seeing your app every ~2 weeks and seeing changes most of the time (some sprints are integration focused, so you may not “see” anything but work is being done)
• You should be able to pay in regular, small instalments (we charge our clients every 2 weeks for work completed and approved)

Meeting Deadlines & estimates

Meeting agreed deadlines is a hallmark of a professional developer. Time and materials quotes are common to allow for unexpected issues, but they should not be exceeded regularly or significantly.

• A good developer should be able to:
  • Complete planning & design in ~1.5 months
  • Complete your MVP build in ~3-5 months
  • Launch on the agreed date

Testimonial & experience

If you’re investing $$$ in an app build, you must select an tech partner who has proof of performance. Similarly to the house analogy – would you let an apprentice carpenter build your house? No! You want the A team.

• Case studies in your industry probably don’t matter, instead focus on the developer’s capabilities building for similar sized clients and complexity of project
• Ask to speak to an existing client
• Also review the software development agency’s partnerships and network for further verification. For example, Devika is an Advanced AWS partner, which can only be achieved after 20+ verified reviews, verified case studies, staff certifications at an advanced level and more. It takes years to create these capabilities.

I’m already working with a developer and I don’t think they’re good… What do I do??

Consult an Expert: My agency Devika (or another similarly skilled consultant) can review your current code base and give you the good, bad and the ugly of where your app is at.

• Expect to pay $2-10k for a technical MVP review, depending on effort required
• I know this is more money, but at least you have a clear picture of the current situation, before investing more money with your existing developer.
• You can also book a free consult with me to get some high level advice.

Request Detailed Updates: Ask for a detailed update on the progress, including what has been completed and what remains. Insist on seeing actual work, not just promises.

Review the Scope of Work: If a clear scope of work doesn’t exist, demand one immediately. This document should outline every feature, milestone, and deadline.

Set Clear Expectations: Re-establish clear methods of engagement, milestones and deadlines

Consider Changing Developers: If red flags persist despite your efforts, it may be time to find a new developer. It’s better to cut your losses early than to continue down a path that’s not delivering results.

In conclusion, working with dodgy app developers can make or break your startup. By staying vigilant and proactive, you can ensure that your investment leads to a successful product launch. If you need guidance or a reliable team to bring your idea to life, feel free to reach out.

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