Perficient colleague Jonathan Crockett, director of mobile solutions, was quoted in the recent Forrester report Pinpoint The Costs When Sourcing A Modern Mobile App. In the report, Forrester examines the many factors which impact the cost of developing mobile applications and provides guidance for reducing cost and development time.

The report was published as an update to a previous report. “Back in 2015 when this report was first published, mobile apps were exotic to many companies. They knew they wanted an app, weren’t always sure why, and didn’t know how to get from here to there. The landscape has changed significantly since then,” states the report, authored by Forrester Senior Analyst Andrew Cornwall.

Consumer Expectations Have Never Been Higher

Today, mobile technology is at a point of near ubiquity. As the mobile landscape evolves, technologies and capabilities that were once considered innovative have become table stakes. This drives consumers to expect greater value from the apps they choose to download.

“There is no such thing as maintenance mode anymore. Consumer expectations have never been higher. Successful apps are [continually] releasing new features and finding new ways to entice users,” states Crockett in his interview for the Forrester report.

 

While most organizations have established their own mobile development teams, they are likely to partner with a third-party vendor when they lack bandwidth or expertise to bring new features to market. Strategic partnerships are an effective way to boost innovation and velocity for mobile programs, but they are also an important consideration when calculating cost.

What Does It Cost to Build a Mobile Application?

The reality of building and improving a modern mobile application is that the cost will vary considerably across vendors. Technical requirements, desired features and functionality, and time to release are some of the factors that will consistently impact the overall cost.

While conducting research, Forrester interviewed several mobile application development providers, including Perficient. Each provider was asked to provide a confidential cost and time analysis for a hypothetical low-, medium-, and high-complexity mobile application. Forrester then determined average cost ranges and identified trends based on the information provided.

Smart Collaboration Saves Money

When working with a third-party vendor for mobile application development, time is money. Forrester states that most of the costly roadblocks to building successful mobile applications are not technical, but rather organizational in nature: “To put it bluntly: customers who are clear and responsive get their projects done faster than those who aren’t.” Effective collaboration and communication with third-party vendors save time and reduce the overall project costs, while disorganization can increase them.

Experts in Mobile Application Development

Forrester interviewed leaders from Perficient’s Mobile Solutions business unit while researching this report. Perficient is excited to continue sharing thought leadership and perspective on emerging trends in mobile application development. To learn more, download Pinpoint The Costs When Sourcing A Modern Mobile App, available for purchase or to Forrester subscribers, or contact our Mobile Solutions experts today.