How do you choose an app development house?

March 10, 2017 2:39 AM

I'm about to launch a Kickstarter to fund development of a very complex app. I have 3-4 app houses on my short list and they're all really good. Before I launch the Kickstarter, I need to decide who I'm going to go with and hire them to refine/redesign the prototype. Advice for how to make a good decision here?

I'm looking at this as the start of a long term business relationship - this project is going to be a very long term thing (not just banging out an app, shaking hands and leaving) - and so it seems really important to figure out what it's like working together with each potential company. I had been planning to bring my list down to my top 3, then hire them all to do a short trial run, but it's starting to look like that's going to be more expensive than I can afford prior to funding. What do?

posted by sirion to Computers & Internet (5 answers total)

The term you want is RFP (request for proposals). There's lots of guidelines out there on how to write one. You describe the goals of the project, scope and constraints, and budget. They come to you with a shiny PowerPoint bid proposal and tell you what they can do for you.
posted by matildaben at 7:30 AM on March 10, 2017

Also if you want them to do a trial run, do some reading about how to scope a true MVP (minimum viable product). The Lean Startup by Eric Reis is a good book to read for this.
posted by matildaben at 7:32 AM on March 10, 2017

Response by poster: We already have proposals and an MVP, so we're at the stage of figuring out who's actually he best fit. It's easy to knock out bad options, but how do you choose among multiple good looking options?
posted by sirion at 8:22 AM on March 10, 2017

Response by poster: (I should clarify, we have the specs and a mockup of our MVP, not the finished MVP itself!)
posted by sirion at 9:50 AM on March 10, 2017

Try checking references - they should be able to offer you some clients they've worked with before and you can call and ask them questions about what's important to you (easy to work with? stick to budgets? stick to time estimates? final product what was expected? any miscommunications? etc. etc.)
posted by brainmouse at 10:25 AM on March 10, 2017