7 Essential Qualities of a Great Custom Software Partner

An experienced software developer can create custom software that matches your business needs and goals. Whether it's an e-commerce website or an official business site, partnering with a Las Vegas custom software development agency is a sound investment.

How do you know that you are hiring the best partner for your firm? This article focuses on the seven essential qualities of an excellent software developer:

1. Experience in custom software development.
2. Impressive communication skills.
3. Excellent problem-solving skills.
4. Clear understanding of information security.
5. Transparent pricing.
6. Commitment to testing.
7. Knowledge of agile methodologies.

Learn why these qualities should be your priority. Let’s go!

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1. Has Experience in Custom Software Development

When creating software for your business, you want custom software developers with extensive experience and a deeper understanding of programming languages, frameworks, and best practices. They have worked on various projects and gained valuable insights and problem-solving skills.

Experienced developers are familiar with the software development lifecycle and are able to more effectively navigate these stages. They produce high-quality software by creating lean, maintainable code and following coding standards.

They have also worked across different industries and projects, bringing this knowledge to your project and ensuring that the software meets your business's needs. The following strategies will help you assess a custom software developer’s level of experience:

• Visit the agency's official website and check the "About Us" or "Company" section, which contains information about their background, history, and experience.
• Review the developer’s portfolio section on their website. Look for projects that are similar to what you wish to do.
• Check testimonials and case studies that are on the agency's website.
• Contact the agency and inquire about their team’s qualifications, expertise, and experience.
• Request references from previous clients who have worked with them on similar projects.
• Conduct online research about the agency, such as looking at reviews, ratings, and feedback on platforms including Clutch, Google Reviews, or social media.
• Consider industry recognition and partnerships, which indicate their level of expertise and experience.
• Schedule a consultation or meeting to discuss your specific requirements.

2. Shows Impressive Communication Skills

Good communication skills are critical for a custom software developer. Clear and effective communication to understand the business’s needs, project goals, and specific requirements. It helps to ask relevant questions, seek clarification, and thoroughly understand the expectations.

Software development is a collaborative process involving various stakeholders, including clients, project managers, designers, and testers. With good communication, the developer efficiently collaborates with the team to share ideas and discuss potential challenges.

Assess the communication skills of a custom software developer using these practical steps:

• Schedule an interview with the developer and ask about their previous experience, approach to communication, and handling different scenarios.
• Review their portfolio and case studies to assess how they communicate technical concepts and project details.
• Include collaboration exercises to assess your candidate. This could be a group discussion, a problem-solving activity, or a simulated scenario about communication.
• Request samples of their written communication, such as emails, project documentation, or technical articles.
• Ask the developer to present or demonstrate their previous work and assess their ability to communicate technical concepts.

3. Provides Excellent Problem-Solving Skills

Custom software development often involves complex problems and challenges. A developer with strong problem-solving skills can analyze issues, identify root causes, and propose efficient solutions. An experienced agency has the ability to navigate through obstacles, reduce development time, and prevent delays.

A developer who excels at problem-solving thinks outside of the box to find alternative approaches and innovative solutions. They adapt to changing circumstances to effectively address new challenges.

Problem-solving skills are tied to a growth mindset and a commitment to continuous learning. Therefore, developers with innate problem-solving skills and knowledge of the latest software development trends, always look for ways to improve their skills and knowledge. To assess problem-solving skills, consider these approaches:

• Include technical questions and problem-solving scenarios during the interview.
• Provide coding exercises or challenges that simulate real-world scenarios and determine how the developer approaches the problem, creates the solution, and implements it.
• Use hypothetical scenarios or case studies related to software development challenges and ask them to describe how they would approach and solve these problems.

4. Understands Information Security

A custom software developer needs to understand information technology (IT), as their job involves designing and building software solutions that align with the broader IT infrastructure and systems. With this deeper understanding of IT, the developer creates software that smoothly integrates with software technology platforms and follows relevant standards and protocols.

Custom software needs to interface with other systems or databases in an organization. A keen understanding of IT enables the developer to create and implement software that provides seamless integrations, data exchange, interoperability, and compatibility. To evaluate a custom software developer's understanding of software technologies and IT, these strategies help:

• During a technical interview, ask specific questions about IT concepts and technologies relevant to the project.
• Include technical assessments or coding exercises with IT-related challenges.
• Inquire about the developer's previous projects and their involvement in the IT-related aspects.
• Consider certifications or training courses related to IT domains.
• Ask for references and recommendations about the developer's ability to navigate IT challenges.

5. Offers Transparent Pricing

Having a custom software developer with transparent pricing allows you to accurately plan and allocate the budget for custom software development. This helps you understand the cost breakdown and make informed decisions about your financial resources and priorities.

With transparent pricing, businesses are able to closely monitor the costs associated with software development. They avoid unpleasant surprises or hidden charges during the development process. It ensures that all costs, such as licensing fees, third-party integrations, or additional development hours, are mentioned upfront. 

To identify the pricing of a custom software developer, follow these steps:

• Ask potential developers to provide detailed proposals outlining their pricing structure, including a breakdown of costs, hours, licensing fees, maintenance, and any additional services.
• Determine whether the developer offers a fixed price for the entire project or charges an hourly rate.
• Define the scope of work for the project, including detailed requirements and specifications.
• Ask for clarifications if the pricing proposal is not clear or lacks specific details.
• Obtain pricing proposals from various developers and compare them.
• Based on your specific requirements and budget, discuss negotiating the pricing with the developer.

6. Exhibits Commitment To Testing

A custom software developer committed to testing shows their commitment to the project.  Testing identifies and fixes bugs, validates functionality, and verifies that the software meets specified requirements. Adherence to testing helps developers deliver a higher quality product that performs as expected.

Thorough testing helps reduce the risks associated with software development. It confirms that the software meets user expectations and provides a positive user experience. It also helps maintain and scale custom software. This shows that the developer understands the long-term implications and invests in comprehensive testing.

To identify if a custom software developer is committed to testing, follow these approaches:

• Inquire about their testing processes and methodologies, including their approach to different types of testing, such as functional, integration, performance, and security.
• Request examples of testing documentation, such as test plans, test cases, or bug reports, from their previous projects.
• Check whether the developer holds any certifications related to quality assurance or software testing, such as ISTQB (International Software Testing Qualifications Board) certifications.
• Contact references provided by the developer and ask about their experience with the developer's commitment to testing.
• Assess whether the developer has experience working with dedicated testing professionals or quality assurance teams.

7. Reveals Knowledge of Agile Methodologies

Knowledge of agile methodologies refers to a developer's understanding and experience using agile software development principles and practices. Agile methods such as Scrum or Kanban offer iterative and incremental development, collaboration, flexibility, and customer centricity.

Knowing Agile methodologies emphasizes adaptability to changing requirements and customer feedback. This adaptability increases customer satisfaction and fits the software solution well.

Agile methodologies encourage continuous improvement and learning. Finally, a developer familiar with Agile project management understands roles, ceremonies (such as daily stand-ups and sprint planning), and artifacts (such as backlogs and burn-down charts) related to this methodology. 

Use these strategies to assess a custom software developer's knowledge of Agile methodologies.

• During the technical interview, ask specific questions about Agile principles, practices, and roles.
• Inquire outright about their previous experience with Agile projects. Include the challenges they faced in Agile environments and the solutions used.
• Check if they hold Agile certifications, such as Certified ScrumMaster (CSM) or Professional Scrum Master (PSM).
• Inquire about the developer's familiarity with popular Agile tools such as Jira or Trello. Ask also about their experience with Agile practices such as sprint planning, backlog grooming, and user story estimation.

Summing Up

Find custom software developers with profound experience, impressive communication skills, and excellent problem-solving skills. Your partner must also clearly understand IT security and be committed to software testing. Additionally, having experience using agile methodologies helps them create efficient and engaging software for their clients.

Find out how a Las Vegas custom software development agency can help grow your business. Contact Digital Authority Partners (DAP) today.