Have you ever had a great idea for a new app, but dismissed it because you don’t know how to build it yourself? What if you could find someone to build the app for you, would you give it a try?
When Loren Locke, an accountant from New York, shared an idea for a new app that would help people connect with others, his wife Tamara, a psychologist, didn’t dismiss the idea just because neither of them had the background for it. Instead she responded, “Let’s find someone to help us develop it!”
Their newly launched app, GoPoint, helps people create small communities wherever they are based on shared interests. Say you are really into Star Wars, running, or making pickles, and you want to connect with others who share your passion. With GoPoint, you can create an event that others in your area can see and join.
Unlike websites that share calendars of events so you can find things to match your interests, GoPoint lets users know what is going on in their area with no search required. As such, GoPoint travels with you wherever you go to help you find a community of people to share experiences. Users can also easily create invitations to new events and activities as well.
“We felt there needed to be a better way for people to connect with others,” said Tamara. “With GoPoint, we hope people feel like they can be more courageous to connect.”
GoPoint’s Tamara and Loren Locke.
From idea to app
Loren and Tamara started bringing GoPoint to life in July 2015. Their first attempt at working with a developer did not go as they had hoped so they put the project on hold.
When they were ready to focus on building the app again, they worked with Upwork Pro to find the right partner to help them.
“Upwork Pro acted as a fantastic matchmaker,” said Tamara. “They listened to our ideas and objectives and then did the legwork for us to find a great match for our vision. The process was incredibly simple and far less stressful than searching through hundreds of possible freelancers.”
Based on their needs, Upwork Pro connected them with a global agency based in Palo Alto, CA called Intellectsoft.
“From the first conversation with Intellectsoft, everything seemed possible,” said Tamara. “They shared past work with us to show us the quality their team produces, and everything they said really hit the mark for us!”
“It was great getting connected with The GoPoint team through Upwork. Their attention to detail, focus on product excellence, and flexibility to incorporate our development knowledge and expertise made the project an absolute joy,” said Shawn Sieck, Intellectsoft’s Executive Vice President of Sales. “We’re happy to have found a client with a brilliant idea, and be the ones to make it happen.”
Knowing clients come to them for their expertise in software development, the Intellectsoft team has a process in place to help ensure clear guidance and structure throughout the development process.
To start the pre-development phase, for example, there were weekly calls with the project manager during which Loren and Tamara very methodically reviewed their goals for the app, discussed how the app would make money, and reviewed their budget.
Once in development, the project manager provided regular updates, arranged times to connect for key milestone reviews, and helped coordinate the submission of the app to iTunes.
Ready to bring your app idea to life?
The Locke’s learned a lot while developing GoPoint that might help you in your own efforts to bring your app idea to life with expert assistance.
Vision is much more than an idea. Having a great idea for an app is the fun part. The hard work comes in building the vision of your app—from how it will function and make money, to how it will grow over time. “The Intellectsoft team had very realistic conversations with us based on their experience to help us define the right vision.”
Focus on your core. Once you have your vision stay focused on delivering that well. It can be so easy to want to have your project be all-encompassing from the get go. However, this can also derail you from delivering really well on the main purpose of the project. Other ideas can be considered for future add-ons and upgrades once you have loyal customers.
A budget vs. the right budget. Building a quality app was a must for Loren and Tamara. If they were going to invest their time and money in it, they wanted to make sure the outcome was successful and had a viable future to eventually earn revenue. “At first we were nervous about budget, but they helped us determine the right budget to create a quality app.”
Finding a doer vs. a skilled guide. It’s one thing to find someone who has the skills you think you need to do the development work for your app. It’s another thing, and far more important — especially if you don’t have a background in app development or marketing — to find support from a developer or development agency that can actually guide you through the process. “Intellectsoft helped us to not only build the app, but to create a vision that would be successful,” said Tamara. “From the start, their team was invested in helping us make our dream come true!”
Ask all the questions. Communications is key throughout any project so do not hold back your questions. Asking questions will help you better understand the process, as well as, help you understand how to think about things long-term.
Find more information to help you get started
Upwork’s Hiring Headquarters offers a wealth of resources to help you learn more about creating an app, how to hire a developer, when hiring an agency might be a good idea, and strategies to help successfully market your app.
You can also learn more about Upwork Pro, a premium service that matches companies with hand picked freelancers that have been pre-vetted based in their skill category. The Upwork Pro team can help you find the right developer or agency team quickly to fit your specific project needs.
The post How a Non-Tech Husband and Wife Team Brought An App to Life appeared first on Upwork Blog.
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