Every company, a shop, or general business, needs to have a presence in the mobile market. It could be in the form of a customized website or an app. This has generated a strong demand for iOS professionals.
If your target market is iOS users or after careful analysis, you have decided an iOS app is a good choice for your target market, the next step is to look for an iOS developer company. Many clients make common mistakes in choosing an iOS company. For instance, thinking that a good knowledge of the iOS platform is enough. Instead, your focus should be beyond the iOS experience. There are a handful of qualities that matter for the successful completion of a project.
To reduce the legwork in finding a great company, here we bring you 10 qualities to look for in an iOS company before signing a contract:
- Technical Knowledge
The first quality, of course, is the essential technical knowledge. This includes IDE management, object-oriented programming, expertise in control systems, and more. These are the minimum requirements for starting iOS programming. Anything beyond that is welcomed.
- Advanced Knowledge
Essential technique knowledge was the bare minimum requirement. It’s good to work with an iOS developer company having advanced knowledge. That means you should ideally be working with senior developers having hands-on experience in the following tools:
- ARC
- Unit testing
- CoreData
- Xcode 4.x
- Grand Central Dispatch
- Creativity
In iOS development, creativity is everything. The ability of a company’s developers to think out of the box puts them above others. If they can create unconventional apps, hire them immediately. You need people who can think beyond boundaries because that’s how new ideas stem.
A developer who can think of new ideas can lay the foundation of a unique app of your choice. They would have what it takes to bring your novel idea to come alive.
- Analytical skills
Next in the list of great qualities to look for in an iOS developer company is analytical skill. Remember, a good IOS developer is also a problem solver. They must have a logical mind to support creativity. High-end tasks cannot be achieved by a developer who lacks analytical skills.
Choose a company that is ready to put themselves in the shoes of a customer and identify the audience for whom you want to build the app. Such a company can identify the audience’s needs and create an app that fulfills these needs.
- Successful Completion Rate
Nothing is more frustrating than assigning the project of a company and learning they can’t get the job done. To avoid this, choose a company that already has a proven track record of a high completion rate.
At the time of the interview, judge how to keep the company is about this job. Progressive developers always share new ideas that they think best fit the need of your target audience. Their input and interest will be visible once you have shared the details about your project. They will not hesitate in giving you an appropriate timeline for the job.
- Years of Experience
The older an iOS developer company is in its field, the more experienced it will be. Determine how skillful and knowledgeable its developers are. They must have good UX and UI design skills along with programming skills.
They must follow industry best practices and have hands-on experience with modern programming languages. They should be able to give an opinion on which language would best suit your iOS development project.
Always meet the developers who are to work on your project. Don’t mind asking about their areas of expertise and years of experience in the industry. If you are not satisfied with the person, ask the company to reassign the project to someone more experienced. This should save you from troubles later on.
- Knowledge of Cross-Platform Development
Never settle for a company whose expertise is limited to one platform only. You need versatile developers who have worked with a different operating system. They must be able to develop an app for any type of device.
They must have the knowledge and/or experience in iOS, Android, and BlackBerry development. Some projects require an app that is functional on more than one platform. If this is the requirement of your project too, the cross-platform experience is a must.
- Proven Track Record
While looking at the portfolio, verifying qualification and expertise is important, it’s also crucial to learn what previous clients have to say about the company.
Most companies treat their potential clients the same way they treated previous clients. So, it’s a great idea to reach out to their previous clients and inquire about their experience. Look for reviews about the company on Yelp and Clutch. This would tell you if the iOS developer company is actually worthy of your time and money.
- Employ Latest Industry Tech and Trends
An impressive portfolio is never a guarantee that your project will be a success too. Mobile app development is a dynamic industry. Trends keep on changing. You must be certain the company employs the latest technology, trends, and ideas in their projects. This is the way only your app will sand out in the Apple app store.
- Effective Communication
Once you have found a company that meets all qualities stated above, don’t forget to check one last thing i.e. communication.
How good they are in communication will be revealed right from the start in your initial conversation with the company. Prompt response, attention to detail, curiosity, and ability to take up challenges – you will learn about these characteristics as you get more involved with the company and its developers.
Effective communication is the key to success. Every company wants to be updated about their app. Smooth communication allows the developers to beware of the objectives of your project. This would also ensure these objectives are met. If you can’t count on the company for good communication, look for another one.
To Conclude
Now that you know what qualities to look for in an iOS developer company, take a pen and paper and start Google companies in your local area. List them down and dig up these 10 qualities in them.
Good luck in your quest!
