For any startup founder, the software product is the backbone of the business. But with limited resources and a burning desire to get to market fast, building an in-house development team can be a daunting task. That’s where a software development partner comes in, a trusted extension of your team that turns your idea into an innovative product.



Getting into software development can be a great opportunity for your business.



But, you need to do it right.



To do that, you need to choose the right software development partner.



That’s why we’ve written this guide to help you make the right choice.



Let’s dive in!



How to choose a software development partner

Here, we’ll cover the steps you need to take when choosing a software development partner:



Define your goals and requirements:

Before you start looking for a software development vendor, you first need to define your goals and requirements.



This means defining:

Your long-term goals

Your software product’s features

The type of development team you need



The best place to start is setting clear goals.

You should use the SMART goals framework:

With it, you’ll make sure your goals are clear and realistic.

Once you’ve set your goals, you should consider your requirements.



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Development Team:

Finally, you need to decide what type of team you want to hire a dedicated team or an extended team.



Hiring an extended team is a good choice if you’re looking to plug skill gaps in your in-house team or need only 1 or 2 engineers.



But, a dedicated team is the better choice if you want to build a complex product and need a long-term development partner.



A dedicated team works just like an in-house team, except they’re hired by a third-party agency or service provider.



If you pick the right vendor, the dedicated team will care about your product as much as an in-house team.



And that’s exactly what you should be looking for.



Why it’s important:

Helps avoid misunderstandings — if you’re clear about your goals, you’ll avoid confusion and miscommunication when choosing a vendor



Long-term planning — clear goals and well-defined requirements are key for your long-term strategy and planning



Minimizes risks — clear goals and requirements will minimize the risk of hiring the wrong partner.



Feature Focus:

Once you’ve set your goals, you should consider your requirements.



But, you should be thinking about how you want your product to work and which features you want to include.



Keep in mind that you shouldn’t go overboard with features and functionalities. Every startup founder has a laundry list of features they want to include. But a good partner will help you prioritize ruthlessly. They’ll guide you in identifying the features that deliver the most value to your users first, ensuring a strong Minimum Viable Product (MVP) that can be tested and validated quickly.



There are several feature prioritization methods you can use to help you narrow down your feature list.



Top questions to ask a software development partner



Now, let’s discuss some top questions you should always ask a software development vendor and why they’re important.



What projects have you worked on?

Asking this question will show you if a vendor is the right fit.

You’ll find out if they have the right skills, experience, and professionalism you need for your project.



Which services do you offer?

A vendor’s services will show you if they can meet your requirements and if they’re a potential long-term partner.



What development methodology do you use?

The development methodology a vendor uses directly shapes how they develop software and the quality of development.

Agile methodologies like Scrum and Kanban are the gold standard for modern software development.



Do you offer post-launch support?

If a vendor offers post-launch support and maintenance, they can be your long-term partner.



What is your pricing model?

The pricing model the vendor uses will determine how much development will cost you in the end.



Do I have direct contact with the development team?

Direct communication with the team you’ve hired increases efficiency and gives you full control over the project.



Need a reliable software development partner?

Software development is not easy; And finding the right software development partner is even harder.



That’s where Nerdbug come in. We can take your idea and help you build a solid software product from the ground up.



We are your Perfect Tech Partner!

If you want to learn more, feel free to get in touch with us.