Custom software developers can turn your ideas into a reality, helping you clarify the nuances of your software vision and eventually building out the software product you want. But if you want this process to go smoothly and to the best possible finished product, having a good working relationship with your software developers is important.
How do you work with custom software developers effectively?
Choose the Right Partner
Everything starts with your ability to find the right partner. If you have a good software development partner, everything will flow much more smoothly, and communication will instantly devolve into a secondary concern.
When scouting for a good partner, look at:
- Capabilities. Experienced, competent developers are much easier to work with than their novice counterparts. Make sure your candidates have all the qualifications necessary to make what you want to make.
- Workload/availability. It is also important to work with a partner who is free of a crushing workload and who is genuinely available. Will this software developer be able to focus on your project sufficiently?
- Points of contact. Most good software development operations have designated points of contact, such as project managers, who function as liaisons between clients and the developers themselves. Look for an institution or organization with a clear internal organizational chart.
- Projected timeline. Start discussions about the timeline as early as possible. Ensure that you and your software developer completely agree about what’s acceptable before beginning.
- Past work. Look at past projects to see what this developer is capable of. Are these projects the high quality that you need? Are they good indications of capabilities?
- Reviews and testimonials. Reinforce your answers to these questions by looking at reviews and testimonials. What do previous clients have to say about this developer?
Communicate Early and Often
Communication has the power to prevent, mitigate, and proactively resolve the vast majority of issues that can arise when developing software. Accordingly, it’s in your best interest to communicate early and often.
- Establish a good foundation. When you first start working with a custom software developer, establish a good foundation of communication. Focus on mutual respect, clarity, and conciseness, and avoid any software developers who make communication unnecessarily challenging, such as by refusing to respond to emails or habitually speaking in confusing ways.
- Express yourself fully and clearly in all your communications. Don’t beat around the bush about what you want, and be sure to express both your hopes and concerns. When asked a question, give a full and honest answer; when asking questions, be precise.
- Set mutually acceptable expectations. Expectation management is critical for good communication as well. At the very beginning of your partnership, collaborate on setting mutually acceptable expectations. For example, how often are you going to meet? In what format are you going to meet? What are the processes for giving feedback? Who are the best points of contact to work with?
- Develop a timetable for meetings and reports. In line with this, you should develop a timetable for meetings and reports. Regular check-ins are ideal for keeping everyone up to date-and on task.
- Ask lots of questions. Don’t be shy about asking questions, especially if you’re new to the world of software development. Your project manager or other point of contact should be willing to educate you on anything you’re curious about – or clarify anything you don’t understand.
- Comply with requests promptly. Periodically, your software developer may have requests for you. For example, they may need you to answer a few questions or provide supplementary materials so that they can keep working. Whenever possible, comply with these requests promptly.
Stay Flexible
Software development doesn’t always go as expected. In the course of development, there may be revealed challenges or significant delays that throw a wrench into your plans. Try to stay as flexible as possible and roll with the changes as they come. That doesn’t mean you have to compromise on your bottom-line objectives, but it does mean you have to be willing to adapt on the road to achieve them.
Take Professional Advice
Your custom software developers are experts in their field. They may have insights or ideas that conflict with your intuition, but it’s typically in your best interest to trust them. If your software developers make recommendations to you or warn you about potential issues, take them seriously. You don’t have to do everything they say, but you should treat their recommendations as genuine professional advice.
Working with software developers is fun, though it can be challenging at times. With the right partner and a good approach, you should be able to resolve most issues before they begin to impact your project.
Photo by Mikhail Nilov: Pexels
