How to choose the right software development company

In software development—and product development in general—the right partnership can seal the deal, while a poor one can put the brakes on your entire business.

in many cases, both project and partnership planning go hand in hand, with the former informing the latter

Choosing the perfect software development company to work with when you need to create a great digital product is critical. It requires as much consideration as the details of the project itself. Luckily, in many cases, both project and partnership planning go hand in hand, with the former informing the latter.

Read on to discover what it takes to find the best software company for your project, plus a few tips to help you along the way.

Define your needs

Before you can pick out the perfect software development company to work with, you have to figure out what you need. The requirements below are fairly common among most companies looking to launch their next digital development project:

Speed vs. quality/breadth of functionality

Although there are many software development companies that can deliver a passable product to you on time, very few can stick to precise specifications when work needs to be done within a short period of time.

Aside from planning out your development project long before it begins, it helps to carefully weigh the importance of timing vs. total features shipped in each iteration of your digital product.

If time is of the essence, you may need to hold back on building out certain features; however, incorporating the right functionality can sometimes take precedence over delivering a finished product quickly.

Testing and optimising

Determining not only whether your software project will require testing, but also the extent to which it will need to be tested to be deemed usable and complete is pivotal to its developmental success.

A holistic approach to software development incorporates continuous testing by default. However, during the primary development stage, it’s especially important to eliminate major usability issues as well as the most frequently encountered bugs. To do this, you should start by determining what features should be present in the first iteration of your digital product and narrow the scope for testing requirements to accommodate these key elements.

Customisation

Custom functionality is not the same as a custom technology stack or custom support for third-party integrations

Custom software development can mean many different things. Custom functionality is not the same as a custom technology stack or custom support for third-party integrations. Deciding what kinds of customisations your project will require ahead of time can help you avoid a lot of misunderstandings and frustration later on in the development process.

Communication

Ensuring lines of communication remain open and accessible can speed up development and reduce miscommunication headaches along the way. Carefully considering your communication needs before picking out a software development company to partner with can keep you from reaching a costly impasse once your project is well underway.

In addition to simply keeping in touch with team leaders in your organisation, it helps to know that the software development company you’ve chosen to partner with can provide strategic technological advice to further inform your development decisions.

Experienced development partners can pare down maintenance costs, identify system incompatibilities, and reduce other technical liabilities that creep up in far too many serious digital projects. At JDLT, we offer this kind of strategic assistance to all of our customers, going so far as to highlight the need for features they might not have considered—but not all development companies do the same.

Pricing

One of the most immediately recognisable software development concerns is pricing. Staying within your allotted budget can prove to be a complex undertaking, but the best software development companies can provide highly accurate pricing projections to keep your company from overextending itself.

Ask and assess

The best way to learn more about the software development company or companies you’re considering partnering with is to ask them about their specialities and quality standards. Be sure to ask them about their previous experience in your niche and industry. This can provide you with clear proof of their competence and commitment to their clients.

Case studies are especially useful for gauging how well a given development company handles certain types of projects. When assessing a potential development partner's provided case studies, pay special attention to the manner in which features are developed and deployed. You’re more likely to find the best fit in software companies with experience deploying complex solutions alongside other systems in businesses similar in size to your own.

Bring your idea to life with JDLT

A software development company like JDLT can help keep your project aligned with your vision.

Mid-sized businesses benefit from JDLT's multiple years of experience in the industry and acute attention to detail in mission-critical development efforts. Our team has helped businesses successfully navigate a range of common development conundrums and can expertly assist your company in crafting the perfect digital product.

You can learn more about our approach to solving companies' development problems in our custom software development case study.