How to choose a software house for a new project?

Choosing a software house for a new project is an important and difficult-to-make decision. The right software company could be invaluable support in building your product and a key factor in its success. Think carefully because the IT company you choose will be part of your daily work for the next few months and maybe even for years.

However, not everything lies with the contractor. Before you start looking for a software house for the new project be prepared. You must know exactly what you want to do. Define and write down your ideas, requirements, and scope of work. Prepare documentation and specify the budget you have. If you do not have all the assumptions, this article will give you the right tools to develop them.

Before you start looking for a software house for the new project be prepared. Define and write down your ideas, requirements, and scope of work.

Questions that you should ask when looking for a software house

At the beginning of the cooperation, each software house will try to collect as much information as is needed to plan and evaluate the project. To be prepared in this regard ask yourself the following questions:

• What are my business goals – Ask yourself what exactly you want to achieve in cooperation with the software house. Thanks to that, it would be much easier to define steps and milestones that would cover these goals.
  
  
• Is my project vision clear? – Do you need a native mobile application or rather a hybrid solution? Maybe not mobile development, but the web app better suits the needs of your business? Do you need a dedicated designer for this project or maybe you have already developed the whole graphic concept? What functionalities does your product need and why? Do you want to be able to integrate it with external tools or databases?
  
  
• Do I need all functionalities from the beginning? – When you have an idea that you have been cultivating for a long time, you strive to make it perfect. Sometimes you don’t need so much and the MVP version is enough to successfully launch a product and start earning money. The desire to do everything immediately will significantly extend the duration of the project but also the final cost of the product.
  
  
• What technological stack do I need for this project? – If you have the technical knowledge and you are able to determine the set of skills needed to work on this project, this will narrow down the search of the software house. If you do not have such knowledge – choose the IT company that most tries to understand your business and discover the needs together during product workshops.
  
  
• How big is my budget and how would I like to be charged for a project? – The budget is necessary to determine the scope of work and the deadline for its implementation. The same project can be implemented in several different ways, but which one is right for you depends on your financial capabilities.
  
  
• What else do I expect from the software company? – Consider if you have other requirements besides the above. People are different and not every style of work suits everyone. When choosing a software company for cooperation think about how you imagine onboarding and project start. What style of work is most convenient for you? What tools you would like to use? In which language you will communicate etc.

When choosing a software company for cooperation, think about how you imagine onboarding and project start.

Answering the above questions will help you narrow down the search area and reduce the time it takes for an IT company to meet your needs and expectations. What’s more, by collecting this information you will be a more reliable customer who knows what to expect. Thanks to that your conversations with various software houses will be substantive from the beginning. However, if you do not have all this information, do not break it down. A software company with the right approach to the client will offer you product workshops during which you will verify the idea and discuss all relevant issues.

Important aspects when choosing a software house

When you know what you expect, it’s time to choose the software house that best suits your new betting project. If you have experience and knowledge in the industry, start with recommendations from your network of contacts. Add recommended software houses to your list and keep looking. What should you pay special attention to?

Business fit with your software development partner is a key

Make sure that your software development partner has successfully implemented betting projects in the past or its specific branch that interests you, e.g. horse racing. Visit the website of the company you are considering and review the „case study” tab. If you find projects similar to your idea – that’s a good sign.

Social proof of the IT company

Next, check reviews about the IT company on Google, LinkedIn, FB, and Clutch (or other software development listings). If the opinions are personal, try to reach directly the people who collaborated with this company. Talking to them will help you make a decision. Also, check if the company has industry awards and distinctions.

Understanding your needs

A software company that knows and understands your industry will ask you specific and precise questions about the project. All this to get as much information as possible from the beginning. The more detailed the questions, the more reliable your new partner is. You should work with the software company that asks questions you haven’t thought about and can point out mistakes in your plan.

A software company that knows and understands your industry will ask you specific and precise questions about the project.

Prices when choosing a software house

Often the price of the project is the main factor that determines the choice of a software house. It is natural that you are looking for the most attractive offer, but the lowest price doesn’t mean the best solution. Collect several opinions and compare them with each other. Estimations well below market costs should give you food for thought. At a low price, there is a risk of getting low-quality source code instead. That will generate problems in the operation of the finished product. As a result, the initial savings will be covered by the high costs of fixes repairs and maintenance. If you have a limited budget, divide the project into stages with the software house. That will allow you to create a refined product at the pace that finance allows.

Transparency between you and your software partner

Cooperation with a software partner that is transparent can save you unnecessary nerves and give you full control over the project at every stage of its implementation. Make sure what the onboarding process looks like, as well as current communication, progress reporting during development, or the frequency of deployment. Consider all these factors when choosing a software partner for the next few months or years of cooperation.

IT company with the right technical stack

The experience of the IT company or even individual team members is an important factor that you should consider when making decisions. If you have clear technology requirements, choose an IT company that can meet them. If you do not have the proper knowledge to determine the required technology yourself, ask the software house for product workshops, during which you will specify the project vision and choose the best technologies for its implementation.

Comprehensive software development service

When looking for the software house to implement the project, think ahead. Is the IT company you are considering offering only development services? Or does it have a sufficiently comprehensive team to guarantee you the preparation of both, web and mobile digital products? Can you count on mentoring and consultations? In addition to writing the code, can you count on support in product design? What will happen after the development phase? Will the software house you are considering be able to support you in maintaining the product after it has been launched? Consider the company’s work style and methodologies. Is it flexible and what forms of cooperation does it offer? Choose a software house that offers as many of the services you expect as possible. Cooperation with one partner on many levels significantly facilitates communication and positively affects the quality of the product.

Soft aspects that you shouldn’t ignore

Aside from all technical and business aspects of the project, pay attention to the human factor. Sometimes your intuition knows best. It is important that during conversations with the software house you feel that you understand each other well and also like each other. Make sure you will not have communication problems, meet the team assigned to your project.

Questions that you should before you start looking for a software house

The decision to outsource IT services is not risk-free. A mistake in this matter can be very expensive for you. To minimize the risk of it occurring, please note whether:

• The price is not suspiciously low and whether the company employs experienced developers or whether there are no negative opinions on the network.
  
  
• After the work on your product is completed, your agreement guarantees that the source code copyrights will be transferred to your company.
  
  
• The size of the company is similar to yours and the communication conditions will allow you to talk with decision-makers or get a quick reaction in case of problems.
  
  
• Your new partner is not trying to force you to choose a technology or solution that may be risky for you.

You are ready to choose. Good luck!

Choosing a software house to collaborate with is often a difficult and always important decision for your business. The right technology partner can significantly affect the success of your project. You have deep research and several informative meetings ahead of you. I hope this article will help you prepare well and choose the best possible partner. If you are looking for a software house for a betting project, see the CrustLab portfolio and contact us!