Many company leaders are posed with the difficult question of, “Should I develop my project in-house or with an independent developer?” Obviously, we want you to work with us. But there are just some instances where it doesn’t make sense to go with a developer. 

See below for a quick guide to help you with this question.

You Should Totally Develop In-House If…

• You have excellent project managers. Knowing all of the possible options is crucial to the success of your app. People often underestimate the importance of the system definition specifications and system design specifications. It’s a foundation with which you can properly build your app. If your project managers can properly assess the needs of your company and plan out a project, your app will be off to an excellent start.
• You have developers with the proper skill sets and time. Ultimately, your app is limited by the expertise of your team. There is often a big gap between the idea and the execution. If you have programmers who can execute the idea in the proper framework on the preferred platform, developing in house might be an excellent option. If you don’t, hiring the developers to execute your vision is also an option, though that begins to push the investment price up. Couple that with training and helping the employee acclimate to your company, and it can be a headache.

You Should Totally Work With a Developer If…

• You don’t have any in-house developers: Well, duh. You’re probably going to need to hire someone. Unless you have a really fast learner who also happens want to work for 70 hours a week for the next six months.
• You need help with the first step: You might have some great project managers, but many of them don’t know where to start with an app. That’s okay! A developer can come in, assess your needs, develop a timeline, give you the blueprint and send you on your merry way.
• You like your team but they can’t do it all: We get this all the time. A company has a great start on a solution but they are missing some crucial components. Bring a developer in, we’ll help where it’s needed and we’ll part ways when it’s done.
• Your team simply doesn’t have time to take on one more big project: You can’t imagine how common this is. Simply put: internal teams are often already too buried to take on a large project or manage it effectively. Partnering with an outside developer can get a project executed quickly, and there are plenty of options to ensure that you still have whatever control over the process and outcome you desire.

If you haven’t been able to tell yet, it all comes down to talent. Even if your team hasn’t made an app yet, but you trust their ability, developing in-house is a possibility. But if you have any doubts, hiring a developer is a much safer bet.