// Guide · 5 min read
What to prepare before you hire an app developer
Seven things to have ready before you talk to an app development company, so you get an accurate estimate and a first version that solves the right problem.
By Simple To Work ·
The quality of an app project is mostly decided before any code is written. A clear starting point gets you a more accurate estimate, a smaller first version and fewer surprises. None of this needs technical knowledge.
1. The problem in one paragraph
Write down what is going wrong today, who it affects and what it costs. "Our technicians write job notes on paper and the office retypes them into QuickBooks, which takes two people half a day" is far more useful than "we need an app".
2. Who will use it
List each kind of user (customers, staff, managers, partners) and what each one needs to get done. Most apps have two or three kinds of user with very different needs.
3. How the work happens now
Walk through the current process step by step, including the spreadsheets, emails and phone calls. Screenshots and sample documents help a lot. The workarounds are usually where the best features come from.
4. The systems it has to talk to
Accounting, ERP, CRM, e-commerce, payments, calendars. Integrations are often the biggest unknown in an estimate, so list them early, with who has admin access to each.
5. What the first version must do
Split your list into "must have to be useful" and "nice to have later". A first version that does one workflow well and launches quickly beats a complete version that launches a year late.
6. Budget range and deadline
Sharing a range is not a negotiating weakness. It lets the developer suggest the right size of first version instead of guessing. If there is a real deadline (a season, a trade show, a contract), say so.
7. Who decides
Name one person who can answer questions and approve designs within a day or two. Projects slow down most when decisions wait on a committee.
Questions to ask the developer
- Will the code and cloud accounts be in our name from day one?
- Can we see something working every week or two?
- Who maintains it after launch, and how is that priced?
- Can you show us apps you built that are in use today?
Bring these to a first call and you will get a much more accurate picture of cost and timeline, from any developer.
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