Software development is an increasingly vital endeavor for companies of all sizes in 2020 – whether you’re looking to implement new restaurant booking software or to completely overhaul the running of your business.
Unless your firm is big enough to employ a comprehensive IT team, outsourcing of software development is often the easiest and most cost-effective option. But where to start?
Choosing a software development company is a bit more complicated than closing your eyes and sticking a pin in a page of the phone book. In fact, there are a number of things to consider before making this all-important decision and, we’ll take a look at some of them here.
7 Things to Make Sure Before Outsourcing Software Development
1. At Any Cost
Let’s face it, price tends to be a big factor in every aspect of business and software development is no exception. A quick search online will highlight a massive difference in software development fees and so it’s important that you set a budget before searching for your developer.
You can do this by putting together a clear and comprehensive plan of exactly what you are looking for. This will then allow you to figure out the market price for the completion of the work. For this, it’s a good idea to join forum discussions in order to find out what other businesses like yours have paid for the same or similar service.
Once you have this information, you’ll be able to amend your budget if necessary and be in a position to identify (and dismiss) developers based on price.
2. Techpertise
Once you’ve figured out the budget for your software development, it’s time to take a look at the kind of skill and expertise which will be needed for successful completion.
This is important as you’ll be throwing time and money away if you end up with a developer who is lacking certain experience or software development skills. If you’re not technical minded, it’s a good idea to seek the advice of somebody who is in order to put together a wish list expertise and experience.
Not only will this allow you to choose a good match with a developer but, it’ll also help with the decision process by way of whittling down the shortlist.
Also, Read: A Complete Guide for Proof of Concept In Successful Software Development
3. What do we want?
Leading on from techpertise is the ability to communicate exactly what you are looking for. Although this may sound like stating the bleeding obvious, you’d be surprised at how many times this has been the downfall of a software project. This important stage involves getting together with your team to decide the following:
- What should the software do?
- How should it do it?
- What are the most important aspects?
- What are the things that you don’t want from your software?
Preparing a clear and concise plan of exactly what you want will help a potential developer to quickly provide a quote and timeline as well as minimizing errors due to misunderstandings. As with techpertise, if you’re not entirely sure, it’s always worth seeking professional advice.
4. Research Experience Placements
We live in a world of reviews and recommendations – so use them! One of the best ways of finding a great software development company is to find out who other businesses like yours have used – and what they think of them. There are tons of resources online such as forums and local groups on social media which can help you form an idea of the best companies around. You can also check out Glassdoor to find developers in your area.
5. Quality Assurance
Now that you have your shortlist of software developers, it’s time to get down to the nitty-gritty. At this stage, you should be thinking about meeting with potential developers in order to ask the important questions – and one of these tackles quality assurance and security.
Your software development will form a huge part of your business and you want it to be unique – for this reason, it’s important that your potential developer is able to layout for you the measures that they will take to safeguard privacy and security. Secondly, you want to know that your software will not only be fit for purpose but will be worth the price and, this is where quality assurance comes in.
Your software developer should be able to provide you with the steps which will be taken to ensure the quality of the project – and the process which will be followed in the event that you are less than delighted with the outcome. Look out for the teeny tiny print in a developer’s terms and conditions to ensure that you won’t be stuck with paying for substandard work.
6. Culture Club
When meeting with a potential developer, try to do this at their premises as this will allow you to see how they work and the level of professionalism involved. It will also allow you to gauge whether or not the company shares your ethos and work culture – which is particularly important if you’re looking for a long term relationship. This will also allow you to form a ‘gut reaction’ regarding whether or not you like and trust the personnel involved which will be essential in the long run.
7. Project Management
Probably the most important question you need to ask during the meeting is ‘How will my project be managed?’ Why is this important? For a few reasons – this question is potentially a deal-breaker as it basically tells you all you need to know.
The answer to this question should reveal whether or not you’ll be assigned a dedicated project manager, who will be overseeing the work, how communication will be made – and how often and, how involved you will be during the project. This should also be the point at which you are given a clear timeline for the project.
Choosing a software development company for your business is one of the most important decisions that you will ever make. Getting it wrong can be time-consuming, expensive and, ultimately, devastating for your company. For this reason, it’s always worth taking the time and following the steps in this article to find the perfect partner, first time round.
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