So you have a business and you need a professional web software or mobile application but don’t want to mess up with the wrong software development company? Don’t know what to look for when you decide who you should work with? Well, we understand, because software development is a complex process that is not visible to the naked eye until the very end. It is made of a hundred or even thousands of lines of code that only web developers comprehend. Just in the end, when the software’s pieces are put together, into a functional system you can see if it fits your business’ purposes and meets your needs. Of course, you will say you can’t wait until the very end because you can’t risk the time and budget with a software that isn’t functional.
Unfortunately, 68% of the custom software development projects fail. This is why you must make sure that you will be among the 32% that succeed. So, you must choose wisely the software development company to work with. The questions that come naturally are: Where to look for? Ask friends, acquaintances, Google it? How do I know I find the professional guys? And, moreover, how do I know if their services are consistent with my needs?
Well, there are several things you should look for when choosing the perfect software development company for your business.
1. The experience of the software development company
Whether you decide to work with freelancers, local software companies or offshore software development companies you must consider the experience of the software developers. You should look for:
- The projects they have already implemented. A trustworthy software company must have them listed on their website.
- The size and complexity of the projects they developed. See if it meets your standards.
- The industries they develop or have developed for. Might not work in your business domain or they may lack experience in it.
- Technologies they use and capabilities
- The size of the team. You have a complex project that may require need more developers working on it
- Team members CV and professional background. Check where the developers come from and if they are experienced.
2. The areas of web developers specialization
Check the areas of web developers specialization and the technologies they use. For example, if you want an Android App, you should check if the software development company has Android app developers. Depending on the size and complexity of your project you can appreciate if there are enough developers have the specific skills your project requires.
You might no know what technologies do you need for your project. Get in touch with the software development company‘s representatives to get an evaluation according to your needs. They should propose to you the technologies that it would suit you best. Anyway, you can do on your own a little bit of research to get an idea of what you might need.
3. Sustainable software project solutions
The software development company must be able to understand your project idea and come with the best technological solutions. See if, besides software developers, they do have specialized staff in the business analysis, design, software testing and even marketing. You want your software to be built well from the scratch and serve its purposes. You must have in mind that the software you want to build will be used by a certain category of people, so it must be built with the user in mind – to be friendly and intuitive to use.
4. Software project management methodology
Of course that you need the project delivered as fast and good as possible and you want your deadlines to be met. This is why you should check if the software company has project managers and what methodology do they use. An Agile methodology is what you should look after because ii is a method of project management for software development which is characterized by the division of tasks into short phases of work and frequent reassessment and adaptation of plans. Also, requirements and solutions evolve through collaboration between self-organizing. So, this offers you flexibility and a certain amount of control at the same time. You can keep up with the phases of development and if changes of plans occur, to make modifications on the go. Check if the software company has project managers. If your project is complex, you will need this and the project manager will act as an interface between you and the team of developers.
5. Communication with the software development company
This comes in relation to the previous point. You must consider how communication system will be organized (the frequency of meeting, the channels, etc), how your requirements will be communicated (e.g. to the project manager, directly to the developer, etc.), how you will be informed about the progress of the project development, potential delays or issues.
Another thing to check and take into account is if the company is outsourcing and of using offshore software development. This could have advantages and drawbacks. On one hand, outsourcing will help you cut costs significantly, but you must consider the jet lag and check if they speak English. Is is essential to assure yourself that you can speak a language in which you will be both understood. And this is possible with software companies that offshore in Romania.
Find out What Makes Romania the Perfect Place to Offshore Software Development
6. Recommendations and testimonials from previous clients
On a reliable software development company website, you will find testimonials and feedback from their clients. You can grab additional information from their reviews like whether their projects were completed on time and successfully or if they were content with the quality and functionality of their software if they’ve communicated efficiently, etc.
All in all, these are the main aspects to take into consideration when choosing a software development company. If you want to work with a reliable team with whom to establish long-term partnerships, to cut costs, get the best software project solutions and management, CONTACT US.