To find the right software development partner may come has a big challenge to most companies. In fact, deciding to outsource software development needs is one thing, but choosing the right partner is what’s really important. As you all may know, a bad choice can lead not only to frustration and regrets on the strategy embraced, but also into loss of revenue and an organization not meeting its objectives.

On the other hand, making the right choices and working with the right software development partner, does not only increase market competitiveness, but also automates the processes and business results of the company. That may well explain the numbers of a market research saying that global custom software development market size was valued at USD 24.46 billion in 2021 and is expected to grow at a compound annual rate of 22.3% from 2022 to 2030.

To help your organization choose for the best, we outline below some ideas on how to choose the right software development partner… in five key steps.

About the partner: gather as much information as possible

You should know everything there is to know about your new partner.

From its skills, background, and previous projects right into communication guidelines and the way they do things. Take time to dive deep into what the potential software partner has built before and remember to check on social media for opinions as well as direct or indirect experiences of the company. Do never forget to weigh up the pros and cons and decide which cons are less worrying when working on aligning with your requirements.

Scalability

Outline your project requirements and find out which are your objectives prior to choose the new software development partner. Since day one, you must know for sure which the capabilities of each team member are and whether they match the project requirements you have inside. In fact, your software partner must be able to implement changes and solutions capable of expanding the business. On the other hand, you must count on an operational team that is aligned to an outsourcing partnership as it is important that in-house product owners, project managers, software development managers, and business analysts are fully invested in the outsourcing partnership.

Agile methodology

Cooperation is one of the key elements when we talk about delivering custom software services, assuring all the needs and expectations of the client are answered. So, choose a partner that works with agile methodology as this is a software development methodology’s that enhances the overall workflow of the project and the way your software partner will communicate with you during this stage of development.

Long term partnership

Does your (possible) new partner meets the requirements for a long-term partnership? We are talking here about some good years of experience in the market, an excellent financial stability and appropriate working methodologies. On the other hand, keep in mind that a company's culture is the personality of a company that provides an insight into the company's values and behaviours in its work environment. You may also find important to talk with the developers and not only the sales team as they know a lot more about the working practices your organization will be needing.

Network security

Security is (absolutely) critical these days. So, keep in mind that, when choosing a software development partner, you should also considerer those companies that embrace legal compliance and perform regular network security audits. Same is to say that your (future) partner should care about protecting customer data and confidential information as if they were their own.

All in all, choosing the right software development partner is not an easy task as there are a lot of different factors to consider so that you can make an informed decision. Start by understanding what kind of outsource services you need and follow the checklist we gave you, to find the right outsourcing company for your project.

It is important to go for a Digital Factory partner - software development that is solid, reliable, and transparent. This will give your company the ability to embrace cost reduction, process optimization, to improve products/services and, by the end of the day, to gain some competitive advantage.