How to choose a software development partner
Almost every supplier passes the first call. Differences surface in month three, when the project meets an unexpected constraint. These are the questions that anticipate that moment rather than discovering it.
Ask who will actually work on the project
The single most useful question. Many firms present senior profiles during the sales process and then assign different people to delivery. Ask for names, ask to speak with them before signing, and ask what happens if that person leaves the project.
A solid answer includes an explicit policy on replacement and handover. A weak answer points to a generic resource pool.
Ask them to enter your process, not theirs
A partner who insists on bringing their own tools, ticketing and reporting channel is creating a second parallel process. Every piece of information will have to cross it twice.
Ask explicitly whether the engineers will work in your repositories, your ticketing and your reviews. If the answer is no, ask why.
Ask how they communicate when something goes wrong
Every project hits a problem. The difference between suppliers shows in how long passes between the problem being known internally and you hearing about it.
Ask for a concrete example of a project that went wrong and what they did. A supplier with no such example either lacks experience or is not telling you.
Ask how it ends
The least pleasant conversation and the most informative. Notice period, code ownership, documentation, knowledge transfer. A partner confident in their value answers without hesitating, because they are not relying on lock-in to keep you.
Ask about reducing capacity too, not only increasing it. Flexibility downwards is more revealing than flexibility upwards.
Frequently asked questions
What should you ask a software development partner before signing?
The names of the assigned people, whether they will work in your tools and process, an example of a project that went badly and how it was handled, and the exit terms: notice period, code ownership and knowledge transfer.
Is a large or small partner better?
It depends how much continuity matters. Large firms offer more replacement depth but rotate people more often. Small teams offer more continuity but less ability to absorb a spike. Neither is better in the abstract: it depends which risk concerns you more.