A software project can transform a business, or it can drain money and time. Most failed projects I've been asked to rescue went wrong before a line of code was written, because the right questions weren't asked at the start. Here are seven to ask any developer or agency, including me.
1. Can I see work you've actually shipped?
Ask for live products you can open and use, not just screenshots. Ask what the developer personally built on each one.
2. How will you understand my business first?
A good developer asks a lot of questions about your customers, your staff and your current process before quoting. If someone quotes in five minutes, they're guessing.
3. What exactly is included in the price?
Get the scope in writing: features, number of revisions, hosting, domain and training. Unclear scope is the most common cause of disputes.
4. How often will I see progress?
Insist on regular demos of working software, weekly if possible. Seeing progress early lets you catch misunderstandings while they're cheap to fix.
5. Who owns the code and the accounts?
You should own your domain, hosting account and source code. Make sure this is agreed before work starts.
If you don't control your domain and hosting, you don't fully control your business online.
6. What happens after launch?
Every system needs fixes, updates and security patches. Ask about support, response times and the cost of ongoing maintenance.
7. How will you handle payments and data security?
If your software takes payments or stores customer data, ask how it will be protected and which payment providers will be used.
Planning a project? Tell me about it and I'll answer these questions for you upfront.
Full Stack Developer, CEO/Founder, MyPropifyNG, TEDx Speaker.