Evaluating Custom Software Development Partners
Custom software development means just that – it’s tailored software solutions that can be applied to a range of businesses and contexts. For me, as Co-Founder and CEO of Asymm, the versatility of our services is a source of pride and satisfaction. It’s allowed us to work with diverse organizations, ranging from a Miami-based youth non-profit to a leading medical professional insurance firm.
I occasionally have conversations with people along the lines of “I didn’t realize you worked with consumer product brands, I thought you specialized in Insurance software.” I understand why this happens, but the organizations and industries we’ve worked with aren’t exclusive and our expertise can be applied to a variety of contexts, products, and digital strategies.
So, I decided to write this post as a guide to help anyone who thinks we might be the right partner but aren’t quite sure.
In other words, if you’re looking for a top software development agency but don’t know if Asymm would be a good fit, this post outlines our services, approach, and commitment to quality.
The Solutions We Provide
It’s all well and good to say we develop custom software, but what does that mean? To a certain extent, it means different things to different people. Asymm offers a range of specific solutions that allows companies to create the products and functionality that they need within software applications such as advanced websites and mobile applications.
More specifically, we break software development down into eight different service offerings. I’ll run through each of them quickly below.
API development
An Application Programming Interface – or API for short – allows two computer programs to communicate with each other. They have many business applications whether developing mobile, web, or desktop applications, data-heavy front-end applications, or syncing or distributing data across systems.
There are broad benefits of APIs. As a rule of thumb, if you think you could benefit from two applications talking to each other, it might be worth your time to research API types, API integrations and API best practices. You can also visit our custom API services page here.
Mobile application development
App development, whether for Android or IOS, is popular among businesses, and for good reason. In 2022, consumer spending on mobile apps reached 167 billion U.S. dollars, showing clear user preferences for mobile applications. A well developed mobile app can transform your business, allowing you to deliver an elevated native experience that you want your customers to have.
That said, user preferences aren’t the only reason that mobile applications are so popular. As we explore in our article on mobile app development in Mexico, mobile apps help bring in venture capital money for startups, strengthen the relationship between product and users, and can pave the way to key sources of revenue for businesses.
While it is true that there are barriers to accessing these benefits of mobile apps, partnering with a top development agency can help build a path to monetization.
Web applications
Whether for internal business uses or to enhance the customer experience, web applications are exceptionally useful. Developing website applications can be a complex process that can vary in terms of scale. It may involve an API-based architecture or incorporating microservices.
That said, having a dedicated web application for specific use cases can maximize internal productivity or transform the customer’s web experience. As web application specialists, we can help to plan, design, develop, and deploy advanced web based applications.
Backend solutions
When we talk about the “backend,” we’re referring to the core functionality, business logic, and the part of a software application that handles data manipulation or coordination between databases and third party integrations. In other words, it’s everything the customer doesn’t see – but will lead to a terrible experience if not built properly.
Backend solutions are what we create with our backend development services. Whether it’s for a mobile or web application, our team can ensure your product’s core functionality performs exactly as it should to guarantee a strong customer experience.
Custom website development
At Asymm, we specialize in tailored website design that delivers the specific results that companies, individuals, non-profits, or other types of organizations need.
Our websites are built specifically for your organization, ensuring a unique product that is scalable, functional, and offers an excellent user experience and unique user interface. Find out more about our custom web development services here.
Infrastructure & hosting
Being able to dynamically allocate or deallocate resources to meet the in-the-moment needs of an application or software project is what cloud infrastructure and hosting is all about. Whether applications, networks, servers, or storage devices, having them stored “dynamically” allows for greater flexibility – and greater performance – for today’s web-based applications.
If it’s important for you to be agile, responsive, or to quickly break into new markets, you should look into where your website or app is hosted. We can help with that.
Custom software integrations
While we offer custom API services, sometimes it makes more budgetary sense to integrate existing software systems. We specialize in integrating open-source, customized, and third-party APIs with your existing software. This can take many different forms depending on your specific needs. On our website, we outline the seven that we can help you with.
Microservices
Microservices architecture is an architecture design system that allows you to develop and scale complex software applications. If you want to serve large user bases via a native application, desktop application, and a web application at the same time, our microservice development service can help you to achieve this.
The Software Development Journey
Assuming one of the customized software services above fits with your specific needs, the next consideration is to bring the project to life. At Asymm, we offer a roadmap to help you on your development journey, depending on your specific organizational needs.
What do I mean by this? Well, it’s what we call nearshore outsourcing or nearshore staff augmentation.
What Does “Nearshore” Mean?
We’ve gone into detail in other posts on what nearshore is and how it differs from offshore. In a nutshell, nearshore refers to working with partner software developers or software development companies in a country that is physically and culturally close to yours. It allows for similar benefits as offshoring while offsetting some of the risks. As a custom software development company in California, our partners are primarily based in Mexico.
When working with businesses to realize their customized software development solutions, we offer full nearshore outsourcing or nearshore staff augmentation. Knowing which one is right for you depends on how you answer the following questions:
- Do you have the capabilities in house to create the software solution?
- Do you have some of the capabilities in house but might need added support to bring the product to life?
Nearshore outsourcing for software development
If the answer to the first question was a firm “no,” then nearshore outsourcing may be the solution. This is when you outline the goals, requirements, etc., and our team of software developers based in Mexico manages and develops the project.
You retain control of the project scope, direction, and receive regular updates, but the entire process from concept to launch is taken care of by us.
Nearshore staff augmentation for software development
If you answered “yes” to the second question, you’re more likely to need nearshore staff augmentation. For this approach, your team remains the project lead and you will take care of a certain amount of the work in house.
But for any skills shortages or extra talent needs, we’ll set you up with vetted, expert developers who augment your team and empower you to reach your goals.
The Asymm Approach
Whether you choose nearshore outsourcing or nearshore staff augmentation for your customized software project, our guarantee of quality remains the same. There are a few angles to look at here.
Ensuring ongoing project quality
Firstly, there’s the obvious issue of project quality. Most businesses who have worked with outsourced partners before will tell you that results vary. Some independent contractors or freelance software developers may be excellent, some less so. If you require a team of outsourced developers, it can be difficult to find on a practical level.
At Asymm, we have a long relationship with many of our partners and undergo stringent vetting procedures – as well as ongoing quality control – to ensure that we deliver the expected results. This is particularly true with fully outsourced projects as we have more control over the strategic approach.
Cutting through the red tape
The second consideration is more bureaucratic by nature. Nearshore outsourcing represents excellent perks – but there are also risks involved. This can include everything from cultural compatibility and data protection to legally gaining access to the talent.
At Asymm, we have overcome all of the necessary hurdles, whether tax-related or registering with the Mexican government, to ensure projects don’t get stuck before they even begin.
Still Unsure? Let’s Talk it Through
It’s important to take every aspect into consideration before beginning a project. This is as true for us as it is for you. Before agreeing to a project, we examine your project, requirements, and specifications to ensure that we can deliver the solution and quality that you expect of us and that we expect of ourselves.
If you’re considering a custom software development project, feel free to set up a call with me. I’ll ask about your goals and needs, and outline how we can help you if we see a mutual fit.
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Written by Ari Lew
Ari is the Ceo and Co-founder of Asymm. With a passion for product design and media, Ari oversees the UX/UI practice at Asymm and leads client success at the company.