Demonstrable experience
Ask for real cases and a portfolio, not just promises. A serious company can show you projects similar to yours and explain how they solved the problems.
Team seniority
Ask who will actually work on your project. Be wary of teams where everything is done by junior profiles; critical projects need senior architects and developers.
The right technology stack
Technology should fit your need, not the other way around. A good company explains to you why it chooses each tool.
Process and communication
- Clear methodology and incremental deliveries.
- Visible, measurable progress.
- Documentation of what they build.
- A direct, consistent communication channel.
Red flags
- Vague promises with no defined scope.
- Suspiciously low prices.
- No documentation or version control.
- All the knowledge concentrated in a single person.
Questions for the first meeting
- Who will work on my project and what experience do they have?
- How do you deliver progress and how do you measure it?
- What happens to the code and documentation at the end?
- How do you handle scope changes?