Have you found a custom software development company that stands out from the crowd and want to make a final decision? Then clearly define your goal – together with the project team members involved, collect all the functional requirements you have already worked out and arrange an initial meeting to get to know each other. Don’t plan too much in advance – you should leave the crucial tech-related to the experts anyway.
Working in a bespoke software development company, I see that deciding on the right vendor has an essential impact on the quality, speed and scope of your next project. While one service provider might move like a slow train and sometimes even makes wrong turns, the right partner can turn your custom software development journey into a trip on the high-speed train with a lot more pleasant and comfortable ride.
Every modern decision-maker in business has stumbled upon a dilemma of choosing to outsource services, so if you still contemplate this big decision – you’re not alone. Hopefully, this blog post will help you navigate through the vendor jungle and tell you what to look for when choosing a custom software development company.
Responsibilities of a Custom Software Development Company
It all starts with the precise definition of the customer and project requirements. In order to do this, a target group must be carefully analysed to be able to decide on further steps. This initial phase is usually performed by qualified business analysts who help solidify the basis for the bespoke software development project. After that, the actual development of the source code and software architecture can begin. For instance, it is now that developers look at how the software components and app services should be related and interact with each other. The whole thing is subsequently implemented with the help of various programming languages such as Java, JavaScript or Python.
Once all necessary application modules have been assembled, it is time for software testing to ensure that all works as described in the predefined work standards and the service-level agreement (SLA). This is where quality and existing bugs are checked and resolved. Then, in case the software is bug-free, it can be deployed from the staging environment to production. Meanwhile, the developers also create software documentation that contains all information regarding the installation, use and maintenance of your bespoke software project. Finally, after the software application goes live, it will require proper technical maintenance and frequent optimizations to run seamlessly.
Business Domain Experience
For a better result and structured planning of the project, it is an advantage if the software development company has already dealt with similar projects. You can tell whether the company has relevant experience even before the implementation of your project has started. Feel free to ask what projects the company has worked on so far and what business domain experience they can provide. This way, you can get an idea of their work before working with this particular bespoke software development company.
The case might even be that a project in their portfolio is publicly visible, and you can see if it matches your ideas and to what extent. If not, you can even ask specifically whether your wishes can also be taken into account. Usually, IT professionals who have been in the business for a long time and have gained hands-on dev experience can call themselves Tech Experts or Senior Developers. From your side as a client, your team can only benefit from the knowledge of such highly experienced programmers, so consider the proposed team configuration.
Technological Independence
Depending on the purpose, scope, data used, interfaces or other framework conditions, the optimal technological basis for new bespoke software can drastically vary from project to project. A service provider who, as a technology partner of an established manufacturer, only uses their software and systems will naturally rely on their preferred technology – even if a better result could perhaps be achieved with another.
Technological independence means making you and your software flexible, giving you the security that you can get everything out of your project. In addition, if the basis for your project is either entirely self-developed or built using open source technology, you also free yourself from predetermined release and support cycles, license fees and other limitations of proprietary software.
Agile Software Development Methodology
There is more involved in good custom software development than just writing code. To achieve and keep the high-quality standards, most modern software development teams choose to follow Agile methodologies. Agile software development represents an iterative approach that helps project management and software development teams deliver value to their customers faster and more smoothly. Rather than launching everything at once, an Agile team delivers its work in small but fully functional chunks. Requirements, plans, and deliverables are continuously evaluated, allowing teams to respond quickly to changes through a natural flow.
Companies that follow an Agile software development methodology like Scrum work holistically and are highly client-centered, reflecting greater client satisfaction. By being better able to respond quickly and adequately to changing customer needs, Agile software development helps minimize risks and optimize project costs, which contributes to a sharp competitive advantage.
Business Communication Style
Impeccable support from a custom software development company should guarantee that communication always runs smoothly. This includes regular updates between you as a customer and the software vendor. Timely and clear discussions avoid misunderstandings and inform you about the current status of your software project. This is where Scrum as an Agile software development methodology shines brightly as it is based on continuous communication and reliable project management.
In 2022, geographical location doesn’t matter for good communication these days. If you used to look for nearshore software development outsourcing, these distances could be solved with the help of frequent video calls. Read the testimonials available on their website and read the reviews for them on Clutch, as this will help you imagine what a potential partnership with this company would look like. Finally, once you have a shortlist of potential vendor candidates, schedule initial interviews as soon as possible to get an idea of their business communication style and expertise areas.
Author Biography Aleksandrina Vasileva
Aleksandrina is a Content Creator at Dreamix, a custom software development company, and is keen on innovative technological solutions with a positive impact on our world. Her teaching background mixed with interests in psychology drives her to share knowledge. She is an avid reader and enthusiastic blogger, always looking for the next inspiration.
