Choosing a development partner can be like shopping for a new car. You have to do your research, interview different companies, and compare prices and services. It's time-consuming, but it'll be worth it in the end.

If you're wondering how to choose the right agency for your project — or if you've already chosen one but are wondering if they're good at what they do — here are five essential questions that every company should ask before signing on with a software development company:

Who is on the team?

The first thing to do when hiring a software development company is to ask them about their team. This means asking how many people are on the team, how long they’ve been with the company, what their experience level is and if they have references. The last two points are particularly important because you want to be sure that you can trust this person(s) with your project. You also want to know where they're based (if applicable) so that there are no communication issues between teams across different time zones or locations.

Which tools and technologies do they use?

To get the most out of your development team, it is important to choose one that has experience with the right tools and technologies. There are many available options on both the client-side (i.e., JavaScript) and server-side (i.e. Node.js or Java), as well as frameworks or libraries that can help make these languages easier to use. A good development team will employ whichever tools best fit its project goals and existing technology stack so that it can be more efficient in creating quality software for you.

For example, JavaScript is a programming language used on both client-side web applications (via frontend code) and server-side applications (via backend code). It's highly useful because of its flexibility; this ability allows developers to write once but deploy everywhere from mobile devices to desktops without having to rewrite any code between platforms or browsers! If you're looking for flexibility in your next software product then consider using ES6/ES7 syntax instead.

What is their process?

You want to make sure that their process makes sense for you and your business. You need to know that if there's a problem, they have a plan for addressing it. A good agency will know how to handle problems before they become obstacles.

If the agency can't articulate its process in detail, this may be an indication of poor project management or poor quality workmanship.

You want a company that can explain its process, how it works with clients and how it will work for you. It's important to know that the agency has experienced project managers on staff so that there are no communication problems between you and your developer. You also want to know what happens once you launch your product into the market?

How will you keep in touch and get updates?

You should be able to clearly define the communication process before starting your project. This includes how often you'll be updated, what kind of communication you'll have with the team, and what happens if you have questions. It's also important to know when the project is complete so that everyone is clear on the next steps.

It's important to understand how you'll communicate with the team, be it via Slack, regular cadence calls or some other method.

This will help you avoid any misunderstandings and make sure that everyone has the same expectations.

How long will it take to complete your project?

The time it will take to complete your project is one of the first things a prospective software development company should tell you about. It can be difficult for them to give you a concrete answer, however, because there are so many factors that can affect how long it takes:

• How much detail you provide

• How many iterations are required by the agency before they and you are satisfied with the product

• The number of developers working on the project at any given time

• The number of projects already in progress at the agency (this is especially true if they have multiple teams)

A good agency will never tell you exactly when they can complete your project in the first conversations you have with them. After further discussions, and sometimes workshops, the whole team will sit down and put together an estimated timeline. The reason for this is that in software development there can be a lot of unknowns, and sometimes developers can be hit with unforeseen issues that can take slightly longer to overcome than anticipated - by giving estimated timelines and having an active project manager to keep clients up-to-date with the progress it allows developers to be free to do their best work.

With this said, if you have hard deadlines to meet, let the team know and they should be able to find a way to ensure you can meet the deadlines, just beware that this could mean taking features out of the product to reduce the initial development timeframe - you can always get the features added in at a later date.

Choosing a software development agency can be competitive. Use these questions to help you choose a partner who can make your idea a reality.

Choosing a software development agency can be competitive. Use these questions to help you choose a partner who can make your idea a reality.

Software developers are in high demand and expected to continue growing at an average rate of 19% over the next decade, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). It’s no surprise that companies have become more selective about their choices for outsourced software development. However, finding a good fit for your business is not an easy task—not only because of the sheer number of options out there but also because many agencies are more experienced than others when it comes to working with startups and small businesses.

Conclusion

We hope these questions have helped you get a better idea of what to look for when hiring a software development agency. It's important to do your due diligence because not all agencies provide the same level of service and quality. As with any business relationship, trust is key! If you feel like any of these 5 questions haven't been answered, then it might be time to move on from this potential partner and find someone else who can meet your needs.

At Bytehogs, we know all too well the importance of selecting the right development partner, after all, most of our team have run their own businesses in the past and gone through the process themselves. If you're looking for an agency to build a new software project for you, take a 30-minute call with our team this week and we'll answer the questions from this post as well as any other questions you may have. We can't wait to hear from you!