In a world where the only thing that remains constant is change, people constantly seek new ways of life – whether it’s delivering increased efficiency, added convenience, or enhanced advantage. In order for software to succeed, it has to be innovative, cutting edge and something that is sure to deliver great value to its users. This is one information product that has made a lot of people multi-millionaires, while others were rendered bankrupt. Software development has paved the way for virtually unknown individuals who suddenly propelled to stardom and large conglomerates fall flat on their faces.
Success or failure is largely dependent on idea. So if you think you have a solid idea that is worth investing significant money on, you can consider selling software and possibly look forward to retiring comfortably even at such an early age.
Idea Generation
Coming up with an exceptionally innovative idea is not something that comes naturally for most people. Most people go through a number of tried and tested methods for generating these ideas. All throughout the process, it is important that you stay focused on your ultimate goal, whatever it may be.
A lot of people try to innovate but end up improving or enhancing an existing idea. To be really successful at software development, the key here is to offer something new, no matter how simple the idea may be. Try to consider your field of expertise or maybe a hobby you are passionate about. What is the common problem that does not have an existing solution or something that could be done better? It is important that you are able to clearly define the value proposition of your product in order to market and sell the idea effectively.
Nurture New Ideas
Spend time to observe your surroundings. If you are given the freedom to change or enhance certain products or processes, what would it be? It may be just as simple as a providing a software solution to ensure waiters will be more efficient in taking orders.
Don’t Be Intimidated
True, a lot of large companies out there sell software products, which can make you feel like a hapless guppy swimming in an ocean infested by sharks. However, a lot of small, ordinary individuals managed to rise up to the challenge and beat the odds but believing in their idea and making it happen.
Rounding Up Your Team
Whether or not you have programming skills, you will need a team to help you develop the software product you have in mind. Aside from having that innovative idea, you also need a proficient team to breathe life to your idea. The practical and inexpensive option these days is to outsource your software development team.
It can be quite tricky to find a solid and reliable team and collaborate with individuals who are working halfway across the globe. Below are some tips to get you started:
Start Looking At The Right Place
For software development projects, large job boards such as Dice and Monster will not be able to yield results, when it comes to searching for the top talents. If you don’t want to end up looking for a needle in a haystack, you need to take a more strategic approach. Here are some of your best options:
Odesk
Odesk is home to highly proficient talent range from simple data entry work to complex coding. The great thing with Odesk is that you can check portfolios of candidates and sift through applications based on their experience, proficiency and expertise. Look for developers who have extensive experience in the particular field that you want to pursue. With Odesk, you can either hire by the hour or per project basis. If you already have the scope of the project, it is recommended that you contract services per project basis.
Established and serious programmers mostly have LinkedIn accounts. Some of them may be currently employed and are not actively looking for opportunities so you can’t find them on job boards. Try to sift through potential talents, make inquiries or ask for referrals to speed up your hiring process.
Use Your Network
When it comes to hiring the best talents you can find, leave no stone unturned. If you know some reliable developers, that would present as a great entry point to open up a substantial network.
Focus On Finding Developers, Not Mere Job Hunters
Don’t just seek people who are looking for a job, but those who have established a name in the industry as a reliable developer. Keep in mind that most employers will hang on to their best people.
Recruit Based On Your Needs
Take time to really determine what your specific needs are. This may be obvious but a lot of people often overlook this basic fact when they take the plunge. Just because you are expecting to work with someone with experience, this doesn’t mean you need you can skip outlining your expectations and what you want. Here are some tips:
• Don’t simply hire based on the interview — you’re not looking for a sales person
• Don’t hire based on management skills
• Don’t hire a clone of yourself but instead someone who can complement you
Trust Your Instincts When Making A Final Decision
Whenever you feel a slightly bit uneasy, listen to that gut feel. No matter how good a candidate may be, if you are uncomfortable for some reason or you cannot imagine working with the person, recognize and listen to your instincts. Hire someone who you can choose without reservations.
Common Mistakes When Hiring Programmers
Now that you have a better idea what factors to consider when hiring a programmer, you also need to be fully aware to potential pitfalls you want to avoid.
Failing To Consider End User
This is easily one of the most common and biggest mistakes most people and even established companies make. Beyond designing a software product that is innovative with all the bells and whistles, you need to make sure that it’s user-friendly. Don’t design something that simply wows and astounds your target market, but something that can meet the needs and expectations of potential buyers and one that will offer real value.
In order to avoid this mistake, take time to really study the end users or the target market you plan to sell the product to. Your programmers should also be fully educated and briefed to look at the big picture instead of getting too caught up with details. Take into account the following questions:
• What is the target user’s initial impression of your product?
• What are the specific roles and applications included in the product?
• How do you plan people to interact with your software?
• How will users make use of the resulting information?
• What type of information do your users need to input into the program?
• What specific type of information, what kind of format or what do they expect to be generated from using your software?
Expecting the Impossible
You may be surprised to know that there are actually a lot of people who fail simply because they embarked on a project that is simply not feasible or impossible to accomplish. A lot of businessmen assume that when they are able to secure the best talents, their programmers can read their minds and what they expect.
If you want to make sure that the end product meets your requirements and preferences, you need to take time and study the scope, outline everything in detail and explain every important point thoroughly. Just because you have come across a highly recommended software development firm, doesn’t mean you can expect them to magically whip up your specific idea. You need to be really involved with the project, from start to finish.
Failing To Fully Determine The Scope Of The Project
A lot of people, especially those that do not have any technical background end up underestimating the size of their project. This is because they interpret that a simple process will be easy to code.
You need to have a full and detailed project description that covers the entire project. If possible, you may want to hire someone to prepare a detailed project specification and description of the project.
Failing To Share The Vision
Providing your programmer the project description is simply not enough. By all means share your vision of the project and give them the big picture, especially during the early stages of the development. This will help eliminate any possible misinterpretation of the project scope and prevent chaos and confusion.
In order to ensure that you and your developer are on the same page, here are some tips:
• Make sure to write the project description clearly and concisely
• Encourage interaction and collaboration
• Ask the developer to rephrase the tasks or describe the tasks at hand just to check if he is able to comprehend well what you have in mind
• Ask for deliverables often in order to make important corrections instead of suffering costly mistakes
• Request your developer to write a document that will outline his design concept.
• Always maintain a frequent and open communication with your developer. While this might mean adjusting to different time zones and conducting meetings via chat or web conference, this is something that you should never overlook.
Taking Shortcuts
A lot of people seem to overlook the importance of planning. It is actually as important as the actual development. The early development stages are the most critical aspects in ensuring the success of the project.
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