Empowering Strategic Partnerships: Collaborating for Excellence in Android Application Development Services
The demand for Android app development is undergoing exponential growth. The Android operating system has quickly transformed and become an indispensable medium for product owners. This surge can be credited to the fact that Android devices and applications create several opportunities for enhancing revenue and productivity. Furthermore, Android-built applications contribute to greater exposure for organizations and uncover access to new markets and demographics.
If building Android apps is the logical next step, then digital pioneers might consider outsourcing Android development, rather than managing the development lifecycle internally. Tech leaders organizing Android development with in-house resources is an excellent option. They can work closely with developers, understand the project’s status, and it’s easier to provide feedback and implement changes. But, it has become more expensive, time-intensive, and challenging than ever. There is a high risk that the in-house developers don’t maintain appropriate project documentation or construct a solution that is tough to scale.
Outsourcing Android Development – Neutralizing Security Risks
In-house app developers aren’t immune to the common security risks all enterprises face. Just like other citizen professionals, they can fail, overlook security aspects, or be forced to minimize their scale of operations radically. Many business leaders think that they will gain control over the project once they lead app development using in-house resources. But in reality, in-house development teams may not be able to follow standard security practices like the agile methodology of project management. This also minimizes the frequent feedback opportunities and communication during development processes.
This is one of the key reasons why leaders should team up with offshore partners and outsource Android development to external resources. By teaming up with an Android application development services provider, tech leaders benefit from all the skills and experience that dedicated developers have gained while conceiving projects for clients across different sectors.
Some of the security risks that can be neutralized by offshore Android developers are:
- API Security – Many in-house developers overlook their app’s API protection. APIs offer access to steady and structured app information- which is exactly what malicious hackers want. Offshore developers implement a bot protection solution particularly tailor-made for mobile apps. This will help in detecting and blocking the bad requests while improving proper authentication.
- Server-Side Controls – Code logic flaws and weak authentication rules are some of the common mistakes made by in-house developers during Android development. This makes the server-side more vulnerable and easily exploitable for unsecured users. Offshore Android developers block numerous threats by eliminating the capability of automated scripts to access app API. This helps in blocking manual threats and fixing server-side vulnerabilities, thereby strengthening security.
- Back-end Injections – Malicious actors can try to break into the app’s back-end by sending unusual queries that result in unauthorized data access. For instance, an app’s back-end database can be attacked by inserting an SQL query and accessing users’ private data. To eliminate back-end injections, offshore developers can deploy bots with proper input validations and reinforce security.
Best Practices in Offshore Android App Development
Focus on Omnichannel Experience
Offshore Android developers can effectively trade off two crucial development elements, User Experience Design and User Interface Design. While UX designing, the developers consider several aspects, including functionality integration, branding, and usability, and are intended to make the user experience as appealing and engaging as possible. In the context of UI designing, developers are responsible for building a visually compelling interface that provides a rewarding experience to the audience.
A sophisticated UI/UX design needs to adapt impeccably across a variety of Android devices and platforms to produce a cohesive multi-platform experience for users. Hence, business leaders can build a robust app that attracts users’ attention and encourages them to keep using it – thereby enhancing retention.
Embrace Agile Execution
By embracing Agile methodology during Android app development, offshore developers can provide significant benefits in contrast to the conventional waterfall approach. This supports better interconnection between the in-house and offshore teams, establishing a long-term and productive partnership.
The Agile model offers complete transparency into the development lifecycle for stakeholders and enables the flexibility for development teams to consider customer feedback during the app development process. This guarantees that the project remains aligned with the leader’s vision and that alterations can be easily made across the lifecycle to uphold that alignment.
Splitting a project into minor modules or sprints means several developers can be employed to accelerate the development phase. Agile Android app development will also allow business leaders to deploy an MVP quicker, enabling the rapid gathering of feedback from the audience and performing subsequent iterations.
Let’s look at a case study of Agile methodology in Android development:
Global bank ING is a US-based leading financial service provider. The project was to create a mobile banking platform for the organization, and this was a difficult undertaking. So they hired offshore Android developers to accomplish this initiative.
“Developers established a fully-featured prototype in 5 days and helped us with faster product deployment in the market, says, Clark, Creative Head”.
Implementing Periodical Updates
Launching updates in the context of security, new features, or functionality is a part of the Android app development lifecycle. However, it is not a good idea to overwhelm end-users with major app modifications. It’s always effective to launch major UI updates only after they have been experienced by a particular audience.
Progressive Release is another technique followed by offshore Android developers, which focuses on quick iteration while de-risking the deployment process. This allows offshore experts to launch specific functionality to desired user segments at defined intervals, thereby speeding up time-to-market without expanding the risk.
Integrate QA Across the Development Process
As an effective practice, offshore Android developers integrate QA (Quality Assurance) into every phase of the development process. This methodology ensures that the Android app is bug-free and fully functional. To achieve this, offshore developers set quality standards, describe functional requirements, and guarantee that an app fulfills all its quality needs. Developers can identify and eliminate errors before release to end-users and ensure that the app is compliant with market standards.
In addition, developers from an offshore Android app development company are responsible for conducting dynamic tests before an Android app gets released in the market. They assess a range of attributes including cross-device functionality, UX/UI, resource utilization, security, etc.
Also read – The Key Principles of User-centric Design in Enterprise Android App Development
5 Tips for Effective Android App Development Outsourcing
1. Perform a Detailed Vetting Process
Business leaders should devote time to finding potential Android development outsourcing partners. They can also seek references from colleagues or industry associates, and get feedback and reviews of their projects. Performing a comprehensive vetting process will help in finding a more reliable offshore partner for Android app development.
2. Describe Project Scope & Deliverables
By outlining and documenting the project scope and deliverables properly, both parties (in-house teams and offshore development partners) can apprehend the project requirements and set accurate expectations. Tech leaders must be specific about the app functionality, project timeline, technical specifications, and final objectives when deciding to outsource Android app development.
3. Signing a Non-disclosure Agreement (NDA)
Tech directors should sign an NDA with their offshore Android development partner before commencing a project. This will help them protect product ideas, concepts, and sensitive data. This legal document helps safeguard app property rights and confidential information in terms of development outsourcing.
4. Set up Metrics for Project Success
To achieve assured project success, leaders should define quantifiable criteria and Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) when partnering with an offshore Android development partner. This will help both parties to track progress, assess performance, and make data-driven decisions throughout the lifecycle.
5. Engage Stakeholders in the Project
By opting for Android app development outsourcing, digital leaders should involve their in-house stakeholders, such as IT Engineers, Business Analysts, and end-users. Engaging significant stakeholders ensures greater alignment with enterprise objectives, more inclusive feedback, and seamless project execution.
Closing Thoughts
Android app development can reshape business operations in several ways by offering an engaging medium to connect with customers. If tech leaders want an Android app for their business but don’t have sufficient resources to organize in-house development, outsourcing can help them stay relevant and competitive. A reliable offshore Android development partner can deliver cost-effective and fully functional applications on time.
