Critical Questions You Must Ask When Choosing a Software Development Firm

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Critical Questions You Must Ask When Choosing a
Software Development Firm
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• You probably have hundreds of ideas about what
  makes the perfect software development company
  for your project. For a company developing
  medical billing applications you are probably
  focused on professionalism and experience. If you
  are developing a social media application, or
  game, you may be thinking about people with an
  adventurous spirit, freewheeling, innovative, and
  fun. Before you are caught up in culture and
  personality, you need to take time to ask a few
  serious questions.

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• In a recent blog post on CustomSoftwareDevelopment
  .biz, they brought up one of our favorite
  questions. Do the software development companies
  offer their development teams employee stock
  option packages? Asking about ESOPS may seem a
  little silly, but as their article points out, it
  makes perfect sense. Companies give their
  employees stock options keep their employees
  longer. This is a critical element in the success
  of your project today and for long-term support.

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• Consider what happens when the company cannot
  retain their top developers. A critical team
  member changes jobs right in the middle of your
  project. Suddenly your project is not moving
  forward. There is confusion and uncertainty. Ask
  questions about the companys employee retention
  rates, compensation plans, and strategies to deal
  with employee loss during a project. These little
  hidden details can make the difference between
  your project being complete on time and within
  budget, or not.

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• The second question you should ask is about
  project management. Do not have blind faith that
  they have a good system in place. Many software
  development companies fly by the seat of their
  pants with no defined project plans. This is not
  a good method to make sure your project succeeds.
  This usually leads to delays and cost overruns.
  Ask the company to explain what systems they use
  and how they report progress to you. Have them
  put this in writing.

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• Even companies who are adventurous, innovative,
  and fun need to have systems in place to track
  progress. Think how often you have read articles
  describing delays in game launches. Your project
  cannot have a floating timetable with no
  accountability. A third question that should be
  on your mind is the core of making every project
  successful. Can you explain our needs to us in
  your own words? Make sure your software
  development company truly understands your needs
  completely. The biggest failure point in any
  project is poor communication. In the rush to
  write specifications, request bids, and select a
  development company, communication is often
  pushed to the side. Everything thinks they know
  what each other is saying.

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• Do not take the risk of thinking everyone
  understands. Take the extra time to talk to the
  development companies you are considering. Make
  them explain the project concept to you. If a
  company cannot explain your project to you with
  certainty, you have two choices. You can explain
  the project to them again, or you can remove them
  from your list of potential developers.
• These three questions do not cover any of the
  technical aspects of your project, but they play
  a major role in your projects success. Ask the
  questions and listen closely to the answers. It
  will save you time, money, and major frustration.