Qualities to look for in an ideal Software Development Partner

Some of the major factors driving the software outsourcing market are improved efficiency, access to exceptional capabilities, and faster time-to-market. Having said that, many businesses still hesitate to outsource their software development and product engineering projects, finding it hard to withstand the loss of management control, culture differences, quality and external risks.

In our last blog, we discussed why lower cost shouldn’t be the only reason to outsource and other benefits of outsourcing your software development to experts. This brings you to another important question, what to look for in a software development partner.

Here are some of the key characteristics you must look for in the companies you’ve shortlisted for your software product development .

Tailor-made Software Development Approach

You can start by assessing this very important detail about any software development firm; whether they provide customized development or not. Customized development is about understanding the finest details of the product requirements and delivering a software keeping in mind the unique requirements and objectives highlighted by the client. If they serve the clients with pre-developed themes and do not undertake customized development, you must avoid associating with such firms.

Intelligent UI/UX Development

Your end user is the one whose feedback matters the most. You have to understand if the software company is capable of doing justice to your end users’ demands and enhance the experience at every touch point, it is going to develop a brand image and loyalty, and hence UI and UX should be taken very seriously. Only a few software development companies possess the right expertise and the required set of resources to ensure excellent user experience development.

Excellent Track Record on Similar Projects

Almost every software development company claims that they have vast experience in every domain, in every industry. Majority of them could be false declarations. It is your job to not fall for such claims, and do a bit of research to see if they have developed any of the similar software, or delivered to any of the clients from the same industry. And if yes, how did they perform? what was the client’s feedback? You can speak to their old clients or can ask for references and testimonies from them.

Skilled Development and Delivery Teams

If your software development project would involve detailed interactions with the project development team, always enquire about software developers who will be work on your project. It’s important to carry out some pre-development discussions with them to ensure that they are capable of understanding your perspective and would be able to develop the software as required by you. This is quite imperative, especially if it is a long-term project.

Wide Diversity in Skill Sets

You cannot simply finalize the vendor that specializes in just one technology (even if it is the only one you need at the time). End-user needs are constantly changing, and so changes the software development needs. You wish your software development partner to be your one-stop shop for all your development, maintenance, update, and technology needs. The business world demands a wider variety of skill sets – programming languages, frameworks, platforms, and other solutions, and you don’t want to go looking for new partners every time a requirement arises for all the cost and time-related reasons.

Certifications and Accreditations

Ideal software development partners are often certified and verified by global institutions. One of the simplest ways to determine expertise of teams, companies, or experts in any field of tech solutions is by asking for certifications. Tech giants like Microsoft, Adobe, Oracle, and so on, offer certifications to individuals and businesses that use their platforms and tech solutions for project delivery. These certifications imply that the prospects are experts at the mentioned technology and maintain a certain standard to continue to keep their certificates valid. It’s no guarantee of quality work or successful business but it does show that a particular skill set or work with a specific tech stack is a focal point for them.

Holistic Quality Assurance and Software Testing

No business would want their software products to have bugs removed after it is launched in the market. Thus, testing becomes a vital ingredient that determines the quality of code written. A high level of QA process and different types of testing during software development guarantee client satisfaction to some level. Feel free to ask development partners about the types of testing they carry out and the processes by which they ensure bug detection and updation. In this case, you yourself have to stay committed to the quality of your software and take extra measures to check it using your internal staff. Software companies with good repute offer a contractual guarantee with respect to the quality of code and it’s acceptance.

Alert and Attentive Information Security

This definitely is the last point here, but also something that should be discussed from the beginning of the project. One miss and every effort can turn futile. You should discuss all the security clauses, also be sure that the software development company will hand over the source code of the product. You cannot share the vital and sensitive information about your project with a company that does not guarantee the security of your intellectual property.