Jeremy Stephan | Nov 19, 2014 by:| Nov 19, 2014

Want something done right? Then you need to ask the right questions. This applies whether you’re choosing a contractor for a home remodel, researching schools for your kids, or choosing an app developer for your company’s next mobile project.

I recently wrote a blog post about five questions I think anyone should ask before they hire an app developer. The idea came about when a client shared some horror stories from a previous app development firm. All of the drama — not to mention lost time and expense — could have been easily avoided if only they’d asked the right questions up front. A lot of my colleagues at ArcTouch and our partners loved the post — and sent me other questions they thought would be good additions. So, below are five more questions I think would be good to add to the list.

You can also find all 10 questions in a printable appendix of our new ebook, From Great Idea To Successful Mobile App: How to create an app that delivers real value to your business and your customers. I hope this is helpful!

6. What are the types of customers you work with?

This is a good gauge of whether a developer has experience working with clients like you to create apps like yours. Most importantly, see if they have experience with the kind of integrations your app will require — for example, an enterprise app that requires integration with a CRM database, or a consumer app that works with social platforms like Facebook or Twitter.

7. Can I meet in person with the app developers and designers?

If you don’t get a firm answer on this, the company might be in the business of outsourcing development to freelance contractors or off-shore staff, which means it most likely won’t be feasible to meet with the team members in person. That’s not the way we work. You can meet our engineers and designers in person, and we often work on-site at our customer’s offices during various phases of the project.

8. Do your designers and engineers know key people at Apple and Google?

The answer to this question gives you an indication of how closely a firm’s app developers work with the companies responsible for the major mobile platforms. Having those relationships is crucial to understanding the ever-changing landscape of mobile — and knowing about key updates to the OS that should be factored into the development of your app.

9. How do you test?

If someone tells you that testing means some basic QA after the app is built, you should look elsewhere. Testing should be integrated all throughout development — and ideally, it includes elements of both behavior-driven development (BDD) and test-driven development (TDD).

10. What are your most successful apps in the app stores?

If you were interviewing someone for a job, you’d ask them about the projects they worked on and the companies they worked for. Take the same approach here — an app developer is only as good as the apps they’ve made.