13 Questions You Should Ask Before Hiring A Dedicated Software Development Team

If you are someone who wants to develop a software product but lacks the resources, experience, or expertise in the domain to build the solution in-house, a dedicated software development team is the best way to go. Some of the benefits of hiring a dedicated development team include,

• Expertise in specialized skills and experience
• Higher level of quality and efficiency
• Flexibility to scale up or down based on changing needs
• Quicker completion time and improved results
• Greater cost savings as you don’t have to hire on payroll
• Access to the latest technology, tools, and trends

Whether you are an established business, or a tech start-up dedicated software development teams can offer the flexibility and scalability that you need for development. The hiring process also requires a lot of cost and resources which you can save with a dedicated team. But how do you choose the right dedicated development team for you? Let’s discuss some important questions you should ask before hiring a dedicated software development team.

Questions to ask before hiring a dedicated software development team

Does the vendor organization align with your business goals?

Before hiring a dedicated software development team, you need to define the specific goals that you are planning to achieve. For example, you might be an e-commerce platform that wants to develop a particular solution to improve user engagement. You need to be sure if the vendor is going to deliver a part of it or the entire solution and if they can help achieve your business goals.

Does the vendor understand your business well?

Dedicated development teams are often short-term engagements where you hire on an as-need basis. But the team you are hiring should have in-depth knowledge about your business and requirements to develop a successful solution. It is important that the vendor has a good idea about your business.

What is the vendor’s expertise in the niche?

If the vendor has done previous projects in your industry, they will be able to easily understand your requirements. You would also be able to understand how what business challenges they have solved, how they did it, what technologies they used and how they can deliver business benefits to your organization.

How many years of experience does the vendor have?

Experience can really make a difference in dedicated product development. An experienced team will have established processes, faster onboarding, and quicker development and delivery. If the vendor is experienced working in your domain or region, that will surely be an advantage in terms of quality and business value.

What is the methodology or approach that the vendor follows?

Development methodologies and approaches vary with teams. If you do not have well-defined requirements, the agile approach might be the best. Some might follow waterfall or Scrum for certain projects. Get to know the methodologies and processes that they follow.

What are the programming languages that they use?

Different programming languages, tools, and platforms are suitable for different projects. Some work best for certain projects and some might not. By getting to know the types of programming languages and the tools used by the developers, you can understand the proficiency of the vendor with those. You will also get to choose the vendor with better experience and skillsets necessary for your specific project.

What is the hiring process that the vendor follows?

You might need people with different skill sets, expertise, and experience for your project. Even though you are hiring a dedicated team, the vendor hires, and vets the team members. You should ask about the hiring process, the level of interviews, and if the people you need are available now. If they are not available at the time, the vendor might have to hire them, and it might lead to a delay. You can decide based if that is okay based on the urgency of the project. You can also prepare some questions to ask the software team to ensure they are the right fit.

Who will be managing the project and what would be the team structure?

Another important factor to consider is the composition of the team. How many developers or testers will be there? What is the typical team size and what are the responsibilities of the project manager? At Nuvento, we assign a project manager to each dedicated team for a smooth development and delivery process. How does the vendor manage communication?

Communication is an integral part of dedicated software development teams. You have to be updated about the developments throughout the project to avoid any problems that might arise in the future. Ask the vendor about the reporting process, demo schedules, and walkthroughs. If possible, have one-one sessions with team members. It is also important to define the communication channel, frequency, and timings especially if you are working with an offshore dedicated software development team.

What is the level of involvement required from your side?

Dedicated software development teams are independent and can work on their own but it is necessary to establish the involvement needed from your organization from the beginning.

What does the quality assurance process look like?

Quality assurance is an important part of the development process, and you need experts with different skill sets for each project. Make sure that the team has an established QA process, and you can also decide whether to do QA in-house.

Could you share your portfolio, testimonials, and references from previous clients?

The best way to understand and gauge the capabilities of your vendor is by talking to their previous clients and going through their portfolios and previous use cases. This would allow you to understand how apt the vendor is for your business. You can also ask for some references too.

What would be the timeline and how regular are you in meeting deadlines?

Realistic timelines and deadlines are important for dedicated development teams. Mapping the milestones and timelines correctly will help ensure smooth delivery. So, ensure that you hire a team that sets a realistic timeline and meet the deadlines.

How do you ensure security and confidentiality?

Security and confidentiality are crucial in outsourcing. It is important to ensure that the company has measures in place to protect your sensitive data. You can also check for compliance requirements, security practices that they follow, the laws and regulations that they adhere to, and the terms and conditions that they follow to ensure security and confidentiality.

Conclusion

To hire a dedicated software development team that is right for your business needs, you need to ask the right questions. The above questionnaire for software development teams will help you find the right partner. Vendors with experience and expertise can help you understand the budget, challenges, and benefits correctly. At Nuvento for dedicated development teams, we have transparent and established processes and documentation to ensure high quality and on time delivery.