She is 5’6’’ at 26 years old with gorgeous blonde hair and an Australian accent that makes the word “boring” sound exciting.  I may or may not be describing Margot Robbie, successful Australian actress and producer that would be my ideal dating match.  Reaching out to her is next on my list, but knowing what I want and what I am looking for is half the battle.  Finding the right developer to swipe right on, is very similar!

The perfect match is always hard to find, especially over the internet.  But, here I will explain exactly how to do that with 5 quintessential steps to take when searching and embarking on your ideal software development relationship.

1. Figure out your needs

This is probably the most important piece of the entire process of finding the ideal development match. All people are different in their ideal perfect relationship match just as all companies are different in their needs for software development. Established businesses may be looking for talented development to bring onto their team or to act as an extension to their business.  Smaller businesses may be looking for affordable development and outsourcing completely in order to save on costs.  Startups may be looking for developers interested in sweat equity.  These are just a few examples, but the main criteria to evaluate includes:

1. Budget
2. Experience
3. Value
4. Speed to market
5. Communication

2. Contact through personal network or web – Google Search, UpWork, TopCoder

Once you know your business needs in regards to development and what you are looking for, you can simply search on Google for your exact needs, post a project on sites such as UpWork to find qualified talent, or even conduct small test phases through TopCoder which help you find the best fit for your company. Now, I would not suggest a Google search or conducting a test to find the man/woman of your dreams, but there are other apps out there for that if you feel so inclined.

3. Start with a small task

Would you take your date home to meet your family on the first date? Development relationships should be treated similarly.  Starting with a small project is wise before jumping into a long-term project or contract that may leave you stuck in a tough spot. Use this small task or project to measure their talent, communication, speed, and attention to detail. The first date can tell a lot about a person, so pay close attention on the test project.

4. Don’t settle

If your date mentions that they don’t want kids, and that is something you can’t compromise then keep searching. You may lose money on the small test project, but is that $100-$1,000 test project worth more than your future technology partnership for years to come? Some companies/developers may even perform the test project for free or extremely discounted in order to earn your business! Do not be afraid to run through several test projects with different developers or companies to make sure you are confident in going on that second date and moving forward.

5. Agree to terms with your development match

Lastly, don’t hesitate to set the boundaries. If you want to have a weekly meeting to review progress and future milestones, then just ask.  If this relationship is going to last, you want to make sure that they are committed, that the payment terms make sense, and that both parties are invested in this mutually beneficial relationship.

At Clarisoft Technologies we have experience working with clients that became our long-term partners. Find out how we made the relationships work.

Finding the right development match can be a daunting task. But, if you follow these 5 steps carefully, you will be sitting across the conference table with a Margot Robbie of development, planning for future development sprints.  Just to clarify, it won’t actually be Margot Robbie because by the time you finish reading this article, she will be on a date with me!