You have decided that custom-built software is exactly what you need. The intention behind it could be just about anything – expanding the organization in size and scale, streamlining the company process and so on.
Depending on what you intend to do with your custom software, you have probably already come up with an idea, essentially a vision for your software project. The only question is what should you do next?
While there are thousands of custom software development companies in existence, their service standards aren’t all the same. In fact, the custom software development company can end up being the greatest roadblock in your software project if you aren’t careful enough with your selection.
Here are some of the tips to consider when looking for a custom software development company:
- Get Referrals
Get referrals for custom software developers by talking to other people in your network to. Using this approach will not only fast-track the process of choosing potential custom software developers but also allow you to gather genuine feedback about them.
- Discuss the Coding
The quality of the coding will have a direct influence on the quality of the application built. Discuss with the software developers regarding the level that should be maintained with the coding. Your guidelines should be pointed as follows:
– More of Lean coding
– No resource-hungry/buggy codes, etc.
- Check the Company’s Portfolio
You should then go through a few of the company’s past projects to get an idea of the kind of applications the developers have previously worked on.
The reason for this is simple – Custom software development companies that have worked on numerous projects in the past will have a tried and tested methodology for successful project completion.
On the other hand, new software development companies will likely still be in the stage of developing methodologies since they have less experience. As a result, they might not be familiar with the challenges likely to emerge during the software development lifecycle. Visit Certum.co.uk for an established software development company.
Always consider the size of your custom software development project. The vast majority of custom software developers prefer taking on certain types of projects of e.g., multi-enterprise or multi-year projects.
- Understand the Different Software Systems
Learn about the various software development technologies used such as UNIX and Windows. Depending on their characteristics, choose the technology that you would like your custom application to be built on.
Find out what type of software development technology the company is experienced in. This is particularly important and applicable if you want your software project to be built on a certain software system.
- Focus on Delivery Time
You should only work with custom software developers with a proven track record on timely delivery. Not only will this give you and your team sufficient time for testing the software and report any bugs, but also your employees can orient and train themselves to make better use of the application.
The deadline of the application should be ideally decided in the initial negotiations. Set the time frame considering the time to be taken for training and debugging
- Focus on Good Communication Skills
Avoid choosing a team of geeks, stuck in a dark room for days on end, coding, and totally isolated from the remainder of the world. Ensure that your chosen software development company not only has the technical skills needed to build the application but also good communication skills.
Good communication skills are important since you will not need to put a lot of effort to receive regular updates from developers. You can initiate discussions and ask questions to be sure that the application is developed such that it meets your business goals in an optimal way.
- Clarify About Ownership of the Application
Finding that your competitors are using the application that you specially had custom built for your organization can be quite scary.
Custom software is essentially owned by the company that pays for it. Still, there have been certain cases of ownership conflict between business owners and custom software development companies. To avoid such conflicts in your project, make sure that the contact clearly states the ownership clause that complies with the laws of the governing state.
- Pay Attention to the User Experience
Always choose custom software developers with the resources and expertise to provide exceptional user experience. Avoid opting for a one-off utility that solves a short-term problem since it won’t serve any purpose. Instead, you should invest more to get a user-friendly application system that’s also highly polished.
- Consider Safety and Security Issues
Answer questions such as:
– What will be the risk involved in case the software works incorrectly?
– Will the software application have sensitive data, such as proprietary business information, classified information, etc.?
You should make sure that the custom software development company you decide to work with is insured to work on high-safety/high-security systems. In this way, you can be sure that they will implement essential steps for protecting personal and proprietary data.
- Clarify About Post-Development Support
Discuss the after-development support services with the software development company. Ensure that the company commits itself in writing to provide software customization, software orientation, software configuration, software backup, and software maintenance services.
