One of the questions we see in the enterprise app development field the most is whether or not a company should build an internal mobile staff or hire an onshore vs. offshore development partner. Like most choices, there are advantages and disadvantages to each option.
With an in-house team, you have the most control over the design and development process. Your developers are experts in your business from the beginning because you hired them, whereas it can take a third party firm some time to get onto the same level of expertise. On the flip side, it costs a lot of money and takes a long time to build a mobile team within your company. And, if you’re a small to medium-sized business, you probably don’t have the budget to build an entire mobile team.
If you choose to go with an external partner for your mobile strategy and development, you generally have to choose between a domestic or an offshore firm. Domestic firms usually excel in design and user experience, but can suffer in the technical proficiency department. Plus, their developers usually cost far more, so your budget immediately goes up even though the quality might be similar.
Offshore firms are great from a cost efficiency and technical prowess standpoint, but can often struggle with change requests and core functionality design if they don’t have an exact grasp on what you’re trying to do with your application. Plus, the time differential and language barrier can make it a hassle to work with them.
Hybrid firms are in the middle. They usually pair an onshore design and account management team with an offshore development staff so you get the quality and working relationship you want at closer to an offshore price.
All in all, there are good reasons to work with an external partner. We’ve put together an infographic detailing all of the factors you might want to consider when selecting a mobile development strategy. For some that will be in-house, and for others that will be working with a partner. Hopefully this infographic will help you determine which is the best option for you.
