How to Find a Reliable Software Development Company? Here is Your Checklist!
Who would have ever thought that people worldwide would have to confine themselves to their houses for months? The unforeseen circumstances have changed how we work, travel, and socialize. A survey by McKinsey finds that responses to COVID-19 have speeded the adoption of digital technologies by several years. Experts believe that the change brought by the pandemic is here to stay for long.
The McKinsey Global Survey of executives suggests that companies across the globe have accelerated digitizing by 3 to 4 years after the pandemic outbreak. Companies across the world are allocating special budgets for digital initiatives. Building world-class websites and engaging mobile applications are now a priority for almost every company.
This trend has significantly contributed to the growth of the IT industry. Suppose you have finally decided to digitize your business through customized software. In that case, website, or mobile app development, a software development consulting should be your first step in the digital transformation journey. It will help you hire dedicated web developers and help you understand your digital needs, and provide the right solutions for them.
What Is a Software Development Consulting?
Software development consulting is a self-explanatory term. With his prolific domain knowledge, the software development consultant will guide you in eliciting business needs and identifying pain points. From software ideation to implementation, he will develop the right solutions to meet the client’s digital transformation needs. He will also help the client find a talented software or web development team to deliver the best result. A software development consultant is generally a third-party service provider that enables you to build a solid online presence through practical digital tools.
How to Find a Reliable Software Development Company? Here Is Your Checklist
The choice of software development company will significantly impact the outcome, and therefore, it is essential to select the company wisely. We have compiled a checklist to help you identify the best software development company for your requirements.
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Ask around:
Know someone who recently got software developed for business? Ask people in your network. You will get a reference for a good software development company. What is better than getting the review straight from the company’s client? If their experiences have been satisfactory, yours will be too. This is the easiest and most reliable method of selecting a software development company. After you get the reference, google about them and read feedback from different clients. This will help you evaluate the company.
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Check their Coding standards:
Your software’s user experience depends on the quality of coding. Ensure you select an organization that asks its programmers to maintain well-defined coding standards. It gives a uniform appearance to codes written by different engineers, improves code’s legibility, maintainability and simplifies the coding process. It is easier to reuse these codes and detect errors in them. Overall, if it is coded correctly, it will be easier to maintain them by other engineers. It will overall enhance the efficiency of your software, website, or application.
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Check their portfolio:
Software development is a constant evolutionary process. Check their past projects if you want to check what type of projects the company has undertaken. Software development companies often employ tried and tested methodologies for different projects, and it gives you a glimpse of how the company deals with complex challenges and delivers results. Also, while doing this, keep your software project’s size in mind. Different software companies have expertise in handling various types of projects. Some are good with multi-year projects, some with multi-enterprise projects. Check which category do you fit. You can select the software development company accordingly.
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Choose your technology:
Software is built on different technologies, and each technology serves another purpose. For example, the engineer may employ machine learning for some features of your software, predictive analytics for some, and artificial intelligence to enhance user experience. Based on your requirement and user base, you have to decide whether you want to give prominence to one technology or you need a combination of one or more technologies. Your software development consultant will also help you make the right choice with his extensive domain knowledge.
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Clarify timelines:
In business, time is money, and you can lose a competitive advantage due to the delay. Therefore, select a company with a good track record in delivering projects on time. Set deadlines from the initial phase of negotiation. Ensure you give the team of developers enough time to develop bug-free software or application, but not so much that your software or app lose relevance.
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Communication is the key:
When you start shortlisting the software development companies, check how much they emphasize communication. Do they promise to provide regular updates on the project? Do they have a dedicated project manager for every project? How do they keep the clients in the loop? Asking these questions will help you get a fair idea about the company’s communication model. Getting regular updates throughout the software development lifecycle enables you to get a clear idea about if the software development process is aligned with your business goals or not.
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Product ownership:
A company gets a mobile application software developed to gain a competitive advantage and enhanced user experience. It works only well when it is exclusive. Therefore, it is essential to make it clear with the software development company that the ownership of the product will be entirely yours, and they will not be able to use or replicate it with any other client. You should not award the project to the software development company that disagrees with this clause.
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Evaluate user experience:
Before finalizing the company, go through the company’s previously developed software and apps. Specifically, pay attention to the user experience. The ultimate goal of technology is to provide an exceptional user experience. The company you select should have a team of developers who understand user behavior and pain points. This way, you can develop a software or app that can significantly contribute to a company’s growth.
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Cyber security:
Is the software development company confident of assuring the security of the data used in the software? The software or app can have sensitive data related to your company, product, or users, and if it gets leaked, it may harm your business from several ends. Therefore, before signing a pact with a company, make sure the company can develop software or apps that are secured from cyberattacks.
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Post-development service:
What after the software or app is developed? In your contract, you should specify that the software development company should provide you with configuration, orientation, customization, maintenance, and backup services. Post-development services are as essential as software development services.
SEE ALSO: 9 mHealth Apps that are Revolutionizing Healthcare Industry
Final Take!
All of the points mentioned above are important to ensure that the software you are planning to develop caters to your business and its technical needs. You should sign a deal with a company that offers clarifications on these points and agrees with them not just orally but in writing. This deal is called NDA. Consider this a bonus point in the checklist that it is a green signal to go ahead with a company that is ready to sign the Non-disclosure Agreement. With this, they will be bound to not sharing your company’s internal details with any third party who is not concerned with you.
