Do you know what to look for when you’re looking for a
programmer to help with custom software creation? Most businesspeople don’t.
That’s only natural. Business owners and executives have no
reason to be familiar with programming languages and design processes. They
have to be focused on the bigger picture, which largely involves what they want
from the finished product in terms of appearance and functionality. They can’t
get those outcomes, though, until they have the right team in place.
The need to hire a programming team without having
programming knowledge can lead to a bit of difficulty. How do you hire a team
when it’s difficult to properly assess their qualifications? How can you be
sure about who you’re going to if you aren’t entirely sure what separates one
from another?
The first thing to know is that you absolutely can find the
right software programming partner even if you've never written or seen a line
of code in your life. All you need are the proper set of criteria to examine.
Just like non-engineers can pick out great cars, our job is to look for the
obvious signs of quality.
As veteran developers ourselves, today we are going to give
you a quick peek behind the curtain. We are going to show you, in non-technical
terms, exactly what to look for in a custom software programming vendor. It all
starts with the one quality you would probably look for in any specialty…
Your Software
Programming Partner Should Have Experience
The more you do anything, the better you get. With
experience, it’s easier to avoid common mistakes and pitfalls, and to
streamline your working process to come out with the right result.
Software programming is no exception to that rule, although
a lot of startup firms and independent programmers would like you to ignore
that fact. That’s because the least expensive and least experienced programmers
want you to think that it’s all a matter of putting a few simple lines of code
together. However, things are more complicated. Believe it or not, programming
software takes vision and creativity along with a base of technical knowledge.
If you’re serious about creating a tool that helps you to
market, automate, or better process information, then work with someone who
understands the way a piece of software comes together. The experience level of
your team matters, particularly if you have a complex project.
You Want a
Programming Team with a Willingness to Listen
Although programming software isn’t as simple or straightforward
as people tend to believe, in some ways it is
the easier part of the job. That’s because the most valuable work happens when
your vendor asks you what kind of program you want to create, and why certain
features or ideas are important.
If your programmer isn’t listening carefully, they might
miss the important details or jump to conclusions. That’s not a good idea,
since programmers never know a client’s industry as well as the client does.
The finer points of functionality, appearance, and usability all come into
focus through a gradual question-and-answer period. That can sometimes take an
hour, but it can last longer, too.
This is something a lot of business people wouldn’t
necessarily consider to be important, but you don’t want a programmer who doesn’t
take the time to figure out what you’re hoping to get from their work.
Choose a Software
Programmer with Lots of Patience
In a lot of ways, designing and programming a custom
software package is a lot like writing a book. You can begin from an outline,
but they’re going to be revisions, additions, and even major plot changes along
the way. You’ll find pieces of code are missing, need to be amended, or aren’t
compatible with one another.
This is to say that good software programming takes a bit of
patience. You have to be able to be calm and work through the little issues
that are going to come up as you write line after line and then test your work.
You also have to be able to step back and assess things when clients realize
that what they asked for isn't exactly the same as what they wanted.
If you choose a software programming team that isn’t
patient, you are going to end up with an app that feels rushed. That might get
you to a finished program quicker, but over time you’ll have to deal with more
errors and patches that hurt your profitability.
Your Software
Development Partner Should Emphasize Reliability
There are software programming firms out there that
specialize in giving clients more glitz than substance. That is, they build
programs that look great, with interesting design features and animations, but
don’t necessarily work as well as they should once they’re put to use.
In some cases, that can mean a lack of functionality. The
resulting software just doesn’t have as many tools or features as the client
originally intended, or those features aren’t as deep (in terms of reporting,
etc.). In other cases, speed and reliability can be compromised. The app might
run perfectly in a test setting, but crash repeatedly when it’s used on a different
workstation or website.
When it comes to creating software, reliability is the name
of the game. Refuse to work with any programming team that prioritizes speed or
budget above long-term value.
Examine a Software
Programmer’s Portfolio and Case Studies
Even if you know what you’re looking for in a software
programmer, it’s not necessarily easy to find it. That’s because some people
will tell you virtually anything in order to close the sale. You might have to
do a little bit of research to get to the truth, or to verify that what you’re
hearing is accurate.
This is where a custom software development company’s
portfolio and case study examples come into play. You want to have the chance
to take a good long look at their previous work, and to evaluate the statements
past clients have made. What you’re looking for isn’t just positive feedback,
but a sense that business owners and executives who have hired them the past
are emphasizing experience, patience, etc., in their praise.
No one knows your software programmer like the people who
have already hired them the past. Take the time to read what they have to say
before making your decision.
Pay Attention to Your
Developer’s Budget and Scheduling Terms
Before you sign the bottom line, it’s worth looking through
the budget and terms proposed by your creative partner. What are they promising
you in terms of delivery? What about additional costs for edits or revisions?
How do the cancellation terms look?
Pay attention to each line item and don’t assume that the
price you're quoted will always be the final cost. Some software companies make
their money off of add-on fees, or aren’t great about meeting deadlines. You
don’t want to get caught in a situation where you’re tied to a company that
won’t deliver and you can’t get away.
A reputable programming partner is going to be confident
enough in their work to offer you terms that are fair but friendly. If you get
the sense that you’re being locked into something you might regret later, ask a
few questions before finalizing the deal.
You Can Hire the Best
Without Breaking the Bank
All things considered, it probably won’t come as a major
surprise that the best software programmers aren’t usually the cheapest.
Experience, technical skill, and business know-how tend to come with a cost.
With that being said, however, you can definitely work with
the best in the business without breaking your IT budget. In fact, many of our
clients actually save money on custom software programming because they don’t
have to pay for delays, deal with unexpected errors, or suffer losses from apps
that don’t do with they are supposed to. Quality always wins out in the end,
especially in our industry.
So, if you want to work with the most trusted software
programming team in Arizona, contact the experts at Kinetik IT. We’ll be happy
to give you a free, no-obligation consultation to hear about your project.
Then, we’ll show you just how easy it is to turn your idea into a finished
product your clients, customers, or employees can use.