Essential steps when hiring a software development team

Developing software is not an easy ride if you want to get a decent product that represents your business or idea. There is a list of steps that will help you to get everything done correctly. The main challenge is to keep that order to avoid chaos in searching, which can lead to mischoices, forgetting important things, and, as a result, getting a poor quality company that doubtfully will satisfy your needs. In this article, you find out what you should do first, why it is important, and sources where you can search software development companies, selection criteria, and a few more essential things.

Define your needs

You can not go further in software development without defining the needs of your product, as correct requirements are the solid ground for your product. People think that ideas and some abstract vision of what the software will do and how it will look is enough, but it is a big delusion. Except for your main idea and the abstract result of the product, you need to define the needs of every aspect of the product to avoid situations where you do not know what the software needs to be in some aspects like functions, design, interface, and whether it will be able to bring any kind of value to the end-users.

It is absolute truth, not only because it is an easy assumption but statistically as well. 

According to Statista, approximately 48% of software projects fail due to poorly documented requirements. To be in the opposite 52% of software projects, you need to care about defining requirements in the following aspects:

• User stories and target audience. Define who your target audience is, what they want, how they will interact with the product, what challenges they can face, and predict behavior and possible needs.
• Market needs.
• Business requirements.
• UI requirements.
• Features requirements.

If you do not have experience, a Business Analyst’s services are the salvation. BA can analyze your demands and transfer them into well-written requirements to confirm them with you.

Main sources where you can find decent software development companies

When you search for a software development company, you go to Google, write your request, and receive tons of unknown websites you do not believe to the fullest. To save time, there is a list of proven websites and sources where you can find a decent company for your needs:

LinkedIn
The most famous source with numerous companies and experts. Here you can find anyone and anything you need in terms of hiring. The platform has some other advantages as:

• huge network platform that allows anyone to build profitable connections and find a job or an employee;
• a lot of practical information about the companies because almost every company has a page where they post all the relevant information;
• opportunity to track the company’s history.

Pangea

Pangea is a famous platform with numerous decent companies. The main pros are:

• multiply filters that allow you to adjust your search as accurately as possible;
• the ability to add your well-described project so the companies can find you by themselves.

Clutch

Companies and their clients choose Clutch because of:

• open the company’s rate;
• available feedback to an acquaintance before starting to cooperate with the company.

Referral

It may be one of the most reliable options to choose a software development company by recommendations of someone you trust or someone who is trustworthy in the industry of your future product and he/she knows how to choose a trusted development company.

Companies selecting criteria

When you find a list of companies with all the necessary services, how to choose among them? There is no sign of a good or bad company. As you understand, common questions about your experience in software development and other similar ones will not give you confidence in your decision. 

• Proven hands-on experience

It is an essential thing when hiring a company. You need the company’s experience not only on the words but also proven. Ask for a portfolio, client testimonials, or even internal metrics like NPS, customer satisfaction, etc.

• Price

Do not chase low prices. Sometimes it can be tempting to hire cheap, but remember that the low price has its reason. It does not mean hiring the most expensive one but choosing precisely. You must pick the best option for its price, be aware of the value it may bring you, and decide what is more significant for you to get the most effective services combining quality and price.

• Security

It is vital to care about secure cooperation with the company to prevent data leaks. Find out if the software development company has high-security systems and what data privacy level it has. 

• Cultural and language compatibility

When hiring an outsourcing software development company, keep in mind cultural and language compatibility as you have to communicate with them daily, and the quality of the communication directly impacts the quality of the development process. Be aware of that and choose the company you feel the most comfortable with in terms of communication.  

Roles distribution

Keep in mind that the software development team is not only developers but:

• Business Analytics, who will make well-written software development requirements;
• Project Manager, who will manage the process and communicate with the product owner;
• The QA team aims to test the software using different testing scenarios and ensure it works properly. 

How ASD customizes the delivery process for the project 

The process of customizing depends on the stage of the project.

The project is from scratch:

• create general mockups of the main functionality
• develop high-level design
• revise the project
• confirm the project plan with the client
• formulate a business analysis plan
• setup development, QA, and DevOps processes

The project is ongoing and is to be handed over to our team completely:

• define knowledge holders and set up the process of knowledge transfer from one vendor to another
• execute knowledge transfer
• revise the project
• confirm the project plan with the client
• formulate a business analysis plan
• setup development, QA, and DevOps processes

Our team of experienced developers can create tailored travel software products to meet the unique needs of your business and help you achieve your goals. Whether you need an automated booking system, a customized CRM, or a guest management platform, we can build it for your software product. Fill in the form, and our manager will contact you to discuss the details of your project.

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Anatolii Fesuik

Head of Project Management

Conclusion

Let’s select the most necessary information and make it safe. In a nutshell, among the vital steps for hiring a software development team, we have the following:

• Define your needs as detailed as possible, including every aspect of the product
• The best sources to search for a software development company are LinkedIn, Pangea, Clutch, and companies’ websites.
• Companies selecting criteria are proven hands-on experience, price, security, and cultural compatibility
• Do not forget about proper role distribution.