In this digital age, mobile apps are the future of businesses. From food delivery to education, apps are ruling the world of technology. In a way, they give life to the business ideas of entrepreneurs.
At the heart of these projects are the app developers. If you have a non-technical background, you may feel intimidated about hiring and working with developers. While some businesses, like Arc dev, can help you to hire the best developers but managing them is a different game altogether.
Moreover, when the developers work from remote locations, it may become particularly challenging for the first-timers. You can follow a few tips to manage your team of app developers effectively.
Here is a round-up of the methods you can follow to manage your developers.
Learn More About Technology
Do you feel you need to learn coding to talk to your developers in their language? You don’t have to.
Developers spend a lot of time in building applications and solving real-time problems. Even if you learn to code, you won’t be able to reach their level.
Instead, it will be more meaningful to learn more about different aspects of app development like web hosting, database, hosting solutions, and front-end technology.
It will give you an edge as you communicate with your developers. Also, it will help you in giving effective inputs and making better decisions.
Avoid Micromanaging
As a non-technical professional, you may feel the need to know everything that the developers are doing. While your intention may be to ascertain that the project is on track, it may backfire. You may start micro-managing the work of your developers without sufficient knowledge of coding.
You can add more value by giving a clear vision statement. Make sure it is simple yet detailed and free from any ambiguity. You can also shift your focus to marketing and launch strategies as there will be nothing for you to see till a few weeks after the developers start their work.
Meanwhile, build a rapport so that the developers respect your opinions. Guide them when they face problems and are unable to decide the best way ahead. With such constructive feedback, you will be able to build a good working relationship with your developers.
Set Expectations
To build a successful app, you will have to bring your team of developers on a common page. You will have to get them excited about achieving a common vision. More than anything, you will have to make it clear that they are accountable for their work.
It is essential to maintain high productivity from a remote team of developers. You can prepare a set of project guidelines and present them as your developers come on board. Also, you can gently affirm the time commitment that the project will need.
Let the developers know that you are deeply involved in the development phase and are available to resolve any queries. This also holds true if you outsource your work to a custom software development company like XB software.
Have Realistic Expectations
Building an app is going to be an expensive affair. You cannot control the costs by asking your developers to rush or by limiting their resources. The best apps will take an investment of time, money, and effort.
As your developers start their work, do not push them to deliver the work fast. Doing that will compromise the quality of your work. Trust them and seek their opinions about the architecture, graphics, and design blueprints.
You could have set a timeline in your mind, but it may not be too realistic. The developers know the real deal owing to their experience. Involve them while setting the timelines and the cost of the project to have reasonable estimations.
However, if you feel the cost is exorbitant, you are free to talk to other developers. You will get a better idea and maybe, save some money.
Schedule Frequent Communication
Frequent communication during the development phase is critical for the success of your project. You need to bring your team together to understand what’s going on. Moreover, you need to give a platform to the developers to understand what the other members are doing, and if it will have any impact on their code.
In most cases, the developers will work on different modules simultaneously. The product’s success will depend upon seamless and error-free interaction between these modules. With frequent communication, they can catch and resolve any problems in the initial stages when it is easy to correct.
If you have a remote team, the need for frequent communication is all the more imperative. You can decide a time that suits the geographies and timelines of your developers.
Use Tools
While working on the project, you will understand the need for a collaboration tool for your developers. One that allows your team to share information and communicate. Moreover, you will feel the need to use a project management tool to allocate work and track the progress.
There are various simple tools that you can use for this purpose. For instance, a project management software will give you a single-glance report of the progress of your project. As the developers will complete their tasks, you will be able to see it in real-time.
Keep them ready before you hire your team of developers. However, if you haven’t, you can ask them to help you before the real work starts.
Be Flexible
Finally, it will help to be flexible about the implementation of your app. Somethings may seem easy but could be tough to carry out. For instance, having horizontal tabs on your app may not be as easy as telling your developers that you want them.
Be prepared to have some setbacks and, more importantly, be open to new ideas. It will be better to ask your developers about possible solutions. They can give you better ideas that are also more practical.
Conclusion
Working with app developers doesn’t require you to be a technical wizard. You can follow the tips above to win their trust and make the most of this professional relationship.
