12 questions to ask before you hire a developer
Ask these of anyone you're thinking of hiring, including me. Good answers are short and specific; vague ones are your warning.
- 01
Will I get a written plan with scope, stages and dates before I pay?
If it isn't written down, you can't hold anyone to it, and neither of you will remember the same thing in a month.
- 02
How do I pay?
Pay in stages tied to working software you have seen. Paying everything upfront removes your only leverage.
- 03
Do I own the code, the data and every account?
Domain, hosting, app-store listing and code repository should be in your name from day one, not the developer's.
- 04
Can I see something working every week?
Weekly demos catch misunderstandings while they're cheap to fix. A big reveal at the end is where projects go wrong.
- 05
Can you show me something you've built that is live today?
A link you can open or a site you can visit is worth more than screenshots or a list of technologies.
- 06
What went wrong on a past project, and what did you change?
Every real project has problems. Someone who can't name one is either new or not being straight with you.
- 07
Where will my data live, and who can see it?
Especially for customer, patient or resident data: know the server, the country, and who has access.
- 08
What will it cost to run each month?
Hosting, SMS credits and app-store fees continue after the build. Get them in writing before you start.
- 09
What happens if you become unavailable?
Ask for documentation and automated tests at every stage, so another developer could take over without starting again.
- 10
Who trains my staff, and in what language?
Software your staff can't use is wasted. Training should happen on your premises, in the language they think in.
- 11
What support do I get after go-live, and what does it cost?
Agree how bugs are reported, how fast they're answered, and what counts as a change versus a fix.
- 12
Is software actually the fix?
Sometimes a process change or a tool you already pay for is cheaper. A good developer will tell you when you don't need them.
From Anirudh Chandan, software developer · anirudhchandan.com · WhatsApp +91 97604 55011