Introduction
You may have a few employees in your organization or you may be a large corporation, but a challenging project can be intimidating and may lie beyond the reach of your team’s expertise. That’s where a software development partner comes in.
A software development partner can offer you guidance on a software project from design to launch. As you work with them you can declutter and unravel the required business processes, identify the target audience, and establish goals and deadlines.
More importantly, as a partner in the development venture you will have access to their team of professionals with relevant software development experience, such as developers, analysts, project managers, and more.
Common Mistakes
Having a software development partner can certainly have its advantages but one has to tread carefully while finding a good fit:
- Avoid partnering with companies that are much larger than your own. A large partner may not give importance to your specific needs and may not be as invested in the success of your project
- Be cautious of partners that offer services at extremely low prices. Cheap services can often come at the cost of quality
- Stay away from firms that claim to be experts in all technologies. Such entities can be jack of all trades but master of none
- Be wary of partners with poor-quality websites, generic testimonials, and vague portfolios. These can be signs that the company is not as experienced as they claim to be
From these lapses, one can see how important it is to find a reliable partner. Having a good partner can ensure that your project is in good hands while you focus on your business
Partner Selection Criteria
- Company Size & Structure: The size of the company is one of the most important considerations while evaluating. If the vendor is a big organization and works mostly with large enterprises, they may pay less attention to your specific project. However, if the company is small, it may not have the resources or experience to work on large-scale projects.
- Work Methodology: One must be aware of the kind of methodologies used by your software development partner. Are they developing with the most modern practices? The knowledge of Agile is a must for any software development company today. It helps you to get a Minimum Viable Product (MVP) out at the earliest with minimum cost.
- Technology Stack: The partner should bring something different and valuable to the table. Thus its niche of expertise should be different from yours.
- Experience: Before shaking hands with a software firm, it is crucial to evaluate their work experience. If they have good experience, they can provide you with numerous add-on solutions which will enhance the value of the project.
- Market Reputation and Presence: A software development company that offers good quality services, will have a great online presence. Visit popular review platforms such as Clutch, GoodFirms, and AppFutura, to get some real customer feedback
- Communication: The communication process should be seamless so that you can transfer your thoughts easily and fast. Ineffective communication may encompass insufficient English proficiency, a lack of emotional intelligence and cultural differences. Always ensure that there should not be any communication gap.
- Pricing Models: Make sure the pricing model suits you. In a fixed price model, the business specifications, time and date of delivery, and project budget are fixed. The model is comparatively less flexible as compared to others. Another is a time and material model – the software developers charge you for the number of hours that are invested by them.
Conclusion
Hiring a partner can overcome the shortage of skills that you might experience with your software development company. This requires you to go over several issues and come up with a plan before finalizing the cost.
You can follow the selection criteria mentioned above to make a wise decision. One should also be wary of the common mistakes committed. A good, reliable and experienced partner will provide you with top-notch service, hassle-free development, and a robust final product that can lead you to business success.