So you’ve got an app idea. Now you need an app developer that can make that vision a reality. How do you find a software developer who understands what you’re reaching for and what you want the app to do?

Since we’ve hunted for app developers twice–once for our Communication APPtitude  iPad apps and then four years later when we wanted to develop web-based apps–we’ve learned a few things along the way.

First, networking leads you in the right direction. A friend or sibling knows a guy or gal who did work on another product that was well received. Putting it out there that you are looking for a software developer gets the ball rolling. You’d be surprised how many people have a name or a friend who knows someone.

Next, you set up phone calls and meetings. Initially, we didn’t have an office, so phone calls and meeting with prospective developers at Panera Bread became the norm. A phone call can tell you how articulate the app developer is and if it’s someone you can work with. A meeting lets you know if they understand your vision and gives you an idea about whether or not they are someone you can work with.

We knew we had found the right app developer not just because of the price–meaning affordable–but more importantly because they “got it.” The right app developer understood the vision for our two apps and plotted them out on a yellow legal pad right before our eyes. He asked lots of questions to fully understand our mission and we supplied the answers plus the user story. What did we want students to do with our apps and how would they use them? A good app developer asks the right questions and carefully plots out the user’s needs.

It’s not an easy process, but it’s one of the most important things you will do as a an app developer–finding the right person or company who will see your vision through until it hits the App Store and it meets or exceeds your expectations.

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