Hopefully, this never happens to you, but the fact of the matter is, it happens. For a variety of reasons, you may need to make the switch to a different development firm. Here are a few quick tips to keep in mind to make the transition as seamless as possible.
As mentioned before, there could be a variety of reasons why you would want to switch developers. Here are a few quick examples:
- Poor quality/performance
- Inability to meet growing business needs/changes
- Poor Value – you might have found a better developer who offers far better value
- Local vs. Offshore – you might want to avoid outsourcing an offshore development team
- A change in your developers’ team structures
Regardless of your switching, your current product development team is no longer the right fit. It’s essential to ease the transition to your new development team as smoothly as possible. Here are a few tips for transitioning to a new software development team.
What is Required When Making the Switch?
Your new developer needs every piece of the puzzle to grasp the project, which is why you must be thorough and provide EVERYTHING. Transferring information can be difficult depending on your relationship with your old developer. Your app development team will likely know what your new developer needs, but if you end on a sour note, here are a few basics.
Planning
When you decide to switch, your project may still be far from completion, so it’s crucial to forward every piece of app planning and architecture to your new developer. Even though the app design and planning may not be exactly where you want it, it’s essential to give your new developer a starting point so they understand your project goals. If it’s a possibility, your old developer can assist with this.
Related Post: Planning For An App: What Does It Take?
Code
It’s no secret that apps run on code, databases, and all sorts of crazy cool technical miracles that one of our developers would be more than happy to explain! (not the blog guy). If your app is coded already, you need to request any content your old developer has started building for you. Hopefully, you’re in good standing with them to make a smooth transition. However, the best strategy is to connect your new developer with your old developer. Remember that if you have paid your old developer, you own any work they have done (unless stated otherwise in the contract), so having them transfer that work to the new developer should be no problem.
Builds
Depending on what stage your app is at, there may be some bugs and errors you need to smooth out. Even if the app doesn’t function at 100%, sending bugs to your new developer will help them identify what your app was meant to do. Your old developer may have already sent these files to test on your own mobile device, if not, gather all the files (if your app was nearing completion).
Related Post: What to expect with bug fixes and maintenance once your app launches
Conclusion
We hope anyone interested in app development makes a smart and informed decision when it comes to choosing their development team. Taking the extra steps to do research on your potential developer will go a long way in helping you make the right decision, and hopefully avoid transitioning developers altogether. If you’re interested in chatting with us regarding a potential app idea, visit the Contact section of our site. Our team would love to learn about your vision, and how we can make it a reality!
