It has become a common practice nowadays to hire software developers from India as it gives businesses access to competent resources and quality development solutions at cost-effective prices. However, while having a solid development team is critical for the successful completion of your dream software development project, finding the right outsourcing partner & reliable developers can be overwhelming.
This article highlights a few important questions you should ask before you hire a software development team.
No matter what you’ve heard or read about your outsourcing partner, you should still ensure that they’re a good fit for your particular requirements. Asking these questions and putting your doubts on the table will help you make an informed hiring decision and provide a better idea about how your chosen remote team will carry out the development process.
Table of Contents
Eight Questions To Ask Your Software Development Team
How Much Experience Do You Hold In Working In This Niche?
When looking for a suitable outsourcing partner, the first thing to consider is experience. Choose a development company that holds rich experience and a proven record of delivering successful projects. Especially if you have a customized or a complex software requirement in hand, a team with vast experience can handle it with ease & help you get the desired product.
However, don’t just look for the overall company’s experience but also check their history with similar projects as yours. The more your development team has worked on projects in your particular niche, the greater expertise they will have.
For instance, if you are looking forward to building an eCommerce store on WooCommerce, ask your development company about their experience in developing custom eCommerce websites & apps built on the WooCommerce platform.
Can You Show Your Portfolio Or Some Of Your Previously Handled Projects?
Before you hire a software development team from an outsourcing company, make sure to explore their portfolio and projects handled lately. Having a look at their portfolio, case studies, and previous projects will help you determine their work quality, gauge their capabilities, and help you determine whether they are fit for your needs or not.
Other than this, also ensure to check the company’s reviews to see what other clients have said about their association. You can also ask your potential software development firm to provide you with 2-3 references and cross-check with them to be completely sure before signing the contract agreement.
How Will You Take Feedback And Keep Me Updated On Development Progress?
What if your development team doesn’t answer your emails or phone calls for days or weeks? This will leave you worried and anxious, plus put your project in jeopardy. To avoid such a situation, make sure to discuss how and when you will connect with them in the beginning.
Open communication & transparency are the pillars for easy coordination and successful project development. Thus, make sure that your potential software development company encourages open discussions and is prompt in answering your queries.
Furthermore, ask them how often they will share the updates of the project and take your feedback. Also enquire about the different tools that the company will use to communicate- Google Meet, Skype, Microsoft Teams, Zoom, or any other communication tool, for connecting seamlessly.
Do You Ensure Proper Software Testing And Quality Assurance?
For any software development project, QA and testing are critical aspects of the agile development approach that cannot be ignored. If you want your software to stand out and have no bugs, you must enquire about the software testing process. If your outsourcing partner has a strong QA team, it makes a good choice to partner with them. Beyond that, make sure to check the firm’s accreditation and see if they have certified developers to ensure a quality development process and validate the company’s claims.
Will You Provide Support & Maintenance Services Once The Project Has Been Delivered?
No matter how well you have developed software, its success lies in properly maintaining and updating it. Therefore, before you hire mobile app developers, make sure to discuss post-launch support & maintenance. While there are companies that offer support services even after the project is delivered, there are other firms that charge extra for support & maintenance. Thus, ask your company about the additional costs associated with maintaining your software post-launch.
While discussing software support & maintenance, make sure to clarify:
- How will they handle urgent updates?
- Can they add a new feature later or whenever required?
- What if there is any downtime?
- Will they be able to fix bugs immediately?
- Can they also support updating website or app content?
Even if you are not opting for additional maintenance services, make sure that the company is ready to address all of your post-deployment requests or queries in a timely manner.
What If My Requirements Change Or I Need Iterations In My Project?
It is common to make slight changes in the project requirements, add or remove features, and have other alterations during the development phase. But how your development team responds to these changes is a matter of discussion.
Ideally, you should find out how any change is going to be implemented as every change in the initial project can lead to a change in cost. What if you are given a hefty invoice that you didn’t see coming? Thus, it is important to discuss this in the beginning to ensure a clear and transparent cost estimation.
Can You Help Me Develop Software On My Chosen Technology Stack?
Development stack refers to the coding language and libraries on which your product is built. Each element of that stack is chosen with a particular intent in mind. With so many technology stacks available, it is natural that you would want your product to be developed on your preferred technology stack, to satisfy your specific requirements.
Thus, make sure to ask your development team about the different technologies, platforms, and stacks they specialize in. If you are looking for developers with specific expertise, like MERN developers or Flutter developers, ensure that your software development agency has such dedicated, well-trained, and experienced developers to work on your project. Furthermore, you should also ask your outsourcing company about the average cost for developers in the stack that you’ve chosen.
Note: If you have no idea about which technology stack to go with, you can also ask your development team to suggest a development stack that best suits your software development requirements.
Will You Be Able To Meet The Given Deadline? What If There Is Any Delay?
For any development project, time-to-market is critical. You may have already decided when you want your product to be ready. Hence, it is advised to have a detailed discussion about your project timeline and get this drafted in your final agreement, to avoid any clashes and confusion. While many companies promise a quick development time, there are only a few that keep their promise. And so, you must communicate your deadline to ensure that your project is delivered on time. Also, make sure to discuss what is the provision if the project gets delayed or doesn’t get completed on time.
Wrapping Up
A strong development team is the backbone of any project. So, invest your effort and time in choosing the best development company in your budget. Other than the questions mentioned above that can help you make the right decision, you must also ask about a few other important things, like:
- Who will own the source code?
- What is the pricing & hiring model?
- Are there any hidden charges?
- How many developers will work on the project?
- How will you track the development progress?
- What is the process to hire a software development team?
While these questions can tell you a lot about the development team, don’t forget to clarify doubts, if you have any. Remember, a reliable outsourcing partner will understand your concerns and patiently answer your questions until you become assured that they can help you to achieve your desired goal.