THINKS COST IS THE WRONG QUESTION
POSTED BY DAN YOUNG
We are mobile development consultancy. We build apps for clients. Thus we are approached on a weekly basis with the inevitable question: "I want to build an app. How much does it take to build apps?" When we hear this question at the onset of a discussion, we tend to run! Why? They are asking the wrong question.
Asking how much an app costs at the onset is akin to asking a builder, "I want to build a house. How much will it cost?" If you look at developing apps in the same way you look at building a house, then you have a better idea of the complexity of estimating app development.
If you are considering an app idea, the first question you need to ask yourself is how are you going to generate revenue from the idea. Thus the first question you may want to ask your consultancy is to ideate on the monetization options for your idea. If you have already done your due diligence, the next question is to determine your development budget--how much can you afford for construction? If you know your budget, then ask about what features are needed to build the appropriate level of functionality, within budget, that achieves the monetization objective.
Building software is like building a house. You need money for design and planning, materials and construction, and for finishing and permitting. The parallels are there with app development. In software, you have to design and plan a project around budget, allocate resources for development and plan on the fees associated with app stores and the application processes. Therefore, when you are toying with an idea and want to run it by a firm like DXY, query us on these items. Leading with questions on cost is the wrong approach.
