Every day, we work with business people just like you who want a talented web or mobile developer to turn an idea into a working product. Here are our top recommendations for anyone beginning this process:
1. Write down and share your business plan to show developers you are serious
If your idea is for a new business, use the Lean Canvas ( http://leancanvas.com/ ) to map out your business model.
Make sure you build minimum viable product, meaning a first version with the least possible number of features that would still be worth paying for, so that you can test your idea before spending your entire budget.
Here are posts on TechCrunch and eConsultancy about how to build a minimum viable product for your business. You don’t want to waste your resources building something nobody will use.
2. For existing businesses, write down the purpose of the project
If your idea or project is for an existing business, then you’ll want to write down what your business does, the purpose of the project and the functional requirements of the project.
The more detail you provide, the more likely a talented developer will want to work with you. If you just say, “Here’s my idea, it’s going to be huge, please go figure it out” talented developers will run the other way.
3. Even if you don’t know how to code, you can write an outline of the functional requirements
Outline the functionality or features in as much detail as possible. Here’s an example of a functional requirements document. You can segment those ideas into phases or in priority order. Don’t be afraid to include questions for your developer. Here’s a forum post listing things developers want to see when considering a project.
4. Create a visual outline or “mock-up” to explain the ideal design for your product
In addition to a written description, we recommend you create a “mock-up” of what you want your idea to look like. Draw something on a napkin, create a wireframe, take screenshots of other sites you like or even design it yourself.
Consider Balsamiq or QuirkTools to create wireframes, find web and mobile template you like onThemeForest, or design it youself using Photoshop or GIMP (the free version).
5. Provide a realistic budget to attract quality and timely work
Determining the right budget is often a challenge. Most people say as little as possible but as much as necessary. Let’s talk about what’s necessary. You get what you pay for, and good developers can charge $30 – $300 per hour depending on skills and experience. While every project is different, here are some rough estimates based on our experience:
- For an API integration connecting two web-based tools, budget at least $500 – $1000 for a job well done.
- For mobile apps, we’d set a floor of $5 – $10k for something basic, and likely more if you’re app needs customization
- For web applications, don’t expect quality work for less than $3000 – $5000. For a serious minimum viable product, you could spend from $15,000 to $150,000 depending on your exact requirements.
If you are serious about building your product, you need to be realistic and open about what you can afford.
6. Request a few proposals because there’s always more than one way to build a product
Once you have a budget in mind, the next step is to find a few reliable web developers to evaluate for your project. If you’re an expert you could look on GitHub or similar sites, but most business people have a hard time evaluating and hiring developers so be sure to ask for help.
Find someone who can communicate well, can show you an existing porftolio and is excited about the project you’re working on. Someone who charges more per hour may be worthwhile in the long run, thanks to time savings, better code, and better communication.
7. Once you select a developer, create project milestones so you can check-in along the way
Don’t wait until the project is “done” to peak under the hood. Ask your developer to help you set a few milestones, and don’t be afraid to pay along the way.
8. Get some help to find the right developer so you get the end result you need
Hopefully you can find a developer via word-or-mouth, but often times you’ll find that the good ones are taken. If you’re serious about getting your project done now, Matchist has hundreds of vetted US-based freelance developers available on-demand for both web and mobile development projects.
Need help? Follow steps 1-5, visit Matchist.com and submit your project description for free today.
TWO QUESTIONS:
Business Folks: What other recommendations do you have?
Developers: What else can clients do in advance to help you meet their needs?
This post originally appeared on the matchist blog.
.jpg)
