Any idea that offers the solution of mankind’s problem risks to fail if you do not have a decent software development team. The success of the entire startup depends on it. You need a programmer who will develop your product; a designer who will make a great design, and a sales manager who will be able to convey all of this to your client. This is a basic set of stuff.
It is the team that investors evaluate the most. And only after they are interested in the idea, the market, sales and everything else. But where to find the right teammates inspired by your idea?
There are several possible ways to find a programmer: cooperate with a remote team, or hire developers onsite. What are the possible problems to work with the remote team?
Limited availability. When programmers at a remote location finish the work you have agreed with them, they take another project. If something needs to be done additionally (and it is impossible to do everything right the first time), they usually do not have time — you need to look for a replacement. A new person needs time to dive, the process is delayed.>
Low flexibility. You need strict daily control, otherwise, after two weeks of the sprint, you will not get what you expected. It is impossible to cover absolutely all the details, and the developers ask questions very rarely. As a result, the functionality does not work correctly, and long coordination of budgets and resources for re-development is required.
Failure to deliver in time. Development is often delayed by 30-50% because neither you nor the contractor had experience of creating a similar product. There are a lot of nuances.
Low interest in your product. For you, this project is a child, for remote developers, it is just one of many other projects.
You found a niche in the marketplace that is not yet occupied, formed your own assumptions into a concept, and you think it’s time to turn your idea into a product. The first thing that needs to be done is to structure your thoughts on this subject, to understand what kind of specialist you need. Ask yourself:
At this stage, the goal is to attract the developers right for your project. To do this, you need a simple but eye-catching job description.
Wherever you look for a candidate, remember: don’t disclose your idea, just the things they need to know. Check to see if the candidate has the right skills, references and previous work experience.
Let’s suppose you have a circle of specialists to choose from. How to choose the best one? During the interview, ask the following questions:
Do not make any decision before you talk to the candidate personally or at least via video call. This will help to understand them better.
Before you start, try to test the developer. Give him a small project, complex enough to test his skills and style of work, but simple enough to be completed in a short time and on a small budget.
Hire a developer, only if the code is really good, delivered on time, and you are satisfied with the way the work and communication went. Although you may be tempted to start working immediately, remember to protect your project idea. It is very unlikely that the developer will steal it, but still ask him to sign the NDA.
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