Four Things to Know Before Hiring a Developer
You should know some things before hiring a developer that can save you money, time, and heartache.
If you’re unaware, I’m a software developer, and I’ve been in the industry for four years. I’ve met people of all technical experience levels and have heard some tragic stories. The saddest thing to hear is a person who’s spent thousands of dollars for their dream application and received a hot mess. This year, I’m opening my consultation doors to talk to friends, families, and strangers about what they need to know before starting a technical project.
As eager as you may be to get your product out to the public, it’s essential to understand who developers are, what software development entails, and the prices for a product.
So before you spend your hard-earned dollars on a developer for your next project, here are some things to consider.
Not all developers are designers.
There are different flavors of developers. Some are mathematical, some are more algorithmic, some are great at organizing and leading, and some are great designers.
Not all developers have a designer's eye. I, for one, am far from a designer. I may be able to finesse some beautiful feature every once and a while, but don’t leave me responsible for designing a full feature.
Before you approach a developer, at least have a draft design of how you want your product to look. Your developer should tell you if your design is feasible and perhaps offer suggestions on improving your design. Having a design beforehand enables you to have a productive conversation with your developer and ensures you get the best product at the end of the day.
Vague specifications result in ambiguous products.
Developers build what you supply them. We may have the ability to make suggestions and restructure ideas as we go along. But, we are not responsible for figuring out what you envision for your product.
It would be best if you approached a developer with an idea of the product's workflow, a familiarity with third-party vendors to integrate, like Paypal, and maybe a reference of a website you wish to mimic.
Too often, a client asks me to build a product and says, “I want a website like — “ but they don’t provide anything else. It’s difficult to gauge a client's expectations when the client doesn’t communicate their expectations. Without clear expectations, developers need to make assumptions, resulting in an ambiguous product and an unhappy client.
Be specific with what you want, have a plan, and be ready to discuss your project with your developer. Don’t become frustrated when we ask about things that may seem trivial to you. An icon style or a font size may seem odd to ask about, but we know those little things become big problems once a client sees a live product.
Tools for technical projects can be expensive.
Developers use a lot of tools, and some of them cost quite a bit of money. And unfortunately, if it's what we need to make your product come to life, chances are we’ll use it or request to use it without a second thought.
Websites need databases, domain names, cloud storage, analytical tools, and the list goes on. These can cost a pretty penny, which can add up depending on the product and the user traffic. There are also product managment tools such as Jira and BitBucket that have pricing plans depending on the team's size.
Developers know which technologies work best, but we often don’t think much about the technologies' costs. To avoid being left with a giant tab, do a little bit of research and familiarize yourself with tools and prices so you can converse with your developer about such matters.
Understand the development process.
Developers work differently than people in other professions. And it’s the hardest thing to work with clients who expect immediate results and undermine the development process.
Developers host planning meetings, daily morning meetings, and demos. We track tasks, code review, write tests and manually test features.
Each phase of the development process ensures users receive the highest quality product. The more rushed developers are, the more likely significant bugs are released. By understanding the development process, you can gauge how long a particular feature may take to develop.
Developers are expensive
Mentally prepare yourself for the pretty penny you’ll pay for developers.
Don’t be afraid to negotiate prices with your developer if you’re on a tight budget. Many of us are understanding and genuinely want you to have the best product at the end of the day.
It’s also helpful to consult with a trustworthy developer in your network before hiring external developers. They might be able to tell you when another developer's prices are too high for no good reason. For example, a developer with one year of industry experience charging $100/hour might be a little skeptical.
Also, don’t be afraid to do a little research on tech stacks to become familiar with what a developer might use. You can use this knowledge to vet developers beforehand. But, at the same time, have faith in your developer. Some of us genuinely love what we do, and the paycheque is a nice bonus.
