Many companies have experienced the age old problem of being stuck with a developer or programming entity they're not happy with. Finding a good programmer is essential to growing and becoming more efficient for many internal and external operations. Imagine working with a developer that is honest, hardworking, knowledgeable and willing to point you in the right direction rather than pump up business for himself.

Well basically there are three areas to be concerned with when looking for an outside developer or programming team. Quality, Time and Money, neither is more important than the other yet you can rarely have all three at the same time. Quality is important because the programming code will be practically worthless unless a skilled developer is involved. Quality also defines the work ethic and ability to communicate clearly what direction is best for your company to take.

Time is relatively obvious from a programming standpoint because if the developer is not a good planner you may find yourself far exceeding the deadline. A programmer who is good can also be slow yet thorough, this can cost you more money even though he has high marks in the quality sector.

Finally there is Money, which is closely related to time however it also has to do with how much the programmer charges for his services. A slow programmer may bill less per hour but overall cost more money because of lack in experience. However a more expensive programmer may bill more per hour or per project but complete a project in a timely manner with fewer errors.

Overall finding an experienced developer that is a good communicator is the key. A few of the questions listed below are a great way to know what your getting into before making a commitment to a new programmer or development team.

Questions you can ask:

Will this programmer leave me high and dry? You can generally check on a programmer’s track record by asking the developer if they can contact references. Believe it or not people that have worked with this individual are generally glad to speak about their experience.

Is this programmer trying to drum up business by saying his services are superior? A subjective programmer can be hard to detect, to that programmer his approach is generally the best way to achieve a solution. Getting a second and third opinion from other entities or programmers is generally a good way to gage the authenticity of a proposed solution. Remember there is many different potential solutions to the same technological problem, asking around can’t hurt.

Will my developer grow and change as I do? Every business is constantly changing; in some cases these changes involve technology. Asking your potential developer what will happen with a custom application or enhancement they’ll build for you when you change operating systems or upgrade existing applications are a legitimate question. Asking the question before you begin a new project is essential to preventing a potential problem with your new developer. Find out ahead of time what options you have before committing long term to a programmer.

Being co-dependant of your developer is a bad relationship. I’ve personally seen situations where a developer is called in for trouble shooting more than one time per week. The cost of doing so will add up quickly, and a well built application should not have such complications. Since custom applications are generally confidential and proprietary to other entities asking to see samples on a desktop application may not be realistic. However you can start on a small cost effective project with your new developer to gage how he works with you. Fortunately Web Based applications are generally available for the public to see, requesting samples are recommended before moving forward.

Finally have your developer sign a “Confidentiality Agreement” (NDA). You can find samples of them online which can be easily modified to fit your needs. The general idea is to protect the application from ending up in your competitions hands. Without a proper NDA you could find yourself having funded an application that is re-sold many times over without a cent going to you! This document also protects confidential information the developer will inevitably have about you and your clients.

You should do your part, before starting a new project with an outside programmer or development firm and plan carefully. We don’t expect you to have a detailed design document, however a plan with bullet points of expected functionality and samples of what you’re looking for are a good place to start. As much information you can provide us with is essential to us doing our job properly.