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How to Collaborate with a Software Development Tech Partner

Getting IT projects from ideation to launch requires a lot of work, some of which might not be in your team’s wheelhouse. By working with an experienced software development tech partner, your business can leverage outside expertise for internal IT projects — without the cost of directly hiring talent in-house.

However, collaborating with a third-party can take some getting used to. Whether you’re a nimble startup or an established enterprise, you have your own style of communication, project management, and problem-solving. By making the effort to get your tech partner on the same page as your own team, you’ll be setting up your IT projects for long-term success.

At VentureDevs, we know how important it is to seamlessly integrate into our partners’ workflows, so we adapt to their work style — not the other way around. To learn more about collaborating successfully with a tech partner — and what VentureDevs does to make our partnerships run smoothly — check out these tips.

As in any relationship, communication is key. In fact, research has shown that poor communication costs businesses with fewer than 100 employees up to$420,000 per year and companies with more than 100,000 employees as much as $62 million per year.

When you start working with any tech partner, you should agree on what type of communication works best. From investing in the right collaboration tools to setting regular meetings, you and any software development firm you’re working with need to build sustainable, streamlined communication processes.

It’s hard to tell how well any project is going if you never set goals to measure it against. That’s why setting clear priorities — and doing so in tandem with your tech partner — is a must at the outset of every IT initiative.

For example, part of the discovery process at VentureDevs focuses on setting clear project goals and benchmarks. We work with our partners to identify primary goals, establish a clear roadmap to achieving them, and figure out how to update and revise them as projects move forward.

Transparent communication is effective communication. With 29% of projects failing because of communication issues, it’s crucial that you and your tech partner be open and honest throughout any product build. Only by giving them the best possible information about your needs, resources, timeline, and more can you get the best possible product in return.

When working with your tech partner, consider that Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella once told the company’s employees to skip unnecessary meetings. With that in mind, remember that you hired your tech partner because you believe in their skills and trust them to get the job done — and you should give them the time and space to do so.

When you’re collaborating with a software development firm, make sure to respect their time and set them up for success. This should include setting meetings only when necessary and sticking to communication strategies agreed upon at the beginning of your project.

Great tech partnerships can last multiple projects. Sooner or later, though, it’ll be time to wrap up your work with any third party. When that time comes, you should both be prepared.

Make sure that you and your tech partner agree on a transition plan ahead of time to ensure a smooth off-boarding. This will help you maintain a mutually beneficial business relationship, where you can support and promote each other, even after the project’s conclusion.

For non-technical founders, working with an experienced tech partner can be a strategic way to build and launch ideas without needing to hire a full-time CTO. To learn more about finding the best tech partner for your business — and to hear about the VentureDevs approach to software development collaboration — reach out to us here and check out what our CEO Joe Gardner has to say about it.