Finally — the time of truth.

It’s the final step of the vetting process, and we’re sure the previous steps have already helped you weed out the incompatible options for your project.

Before this, every step of the vetting process was based on tangible qualities, but this one in particular — is based on the intangible qualities of a development agency. It’s based on their abilities to make and maintain relationships.

So, what are the top interpersonal qualities to look for in a development agency?

  • Supreme Communication Skills

Good communication skills are directly related to good developmental skills. A good development agency can clearly understand a problem, break it down into hypotheses, and propose a solution consistently. They don’t have to quickly grasp concepts, ask clear questions and write everything down in spec documentation. 

Moreover, any decent international agency usually has people who speak multiple languages ​​consistently and are fluent in English documentation. In the tech world, English is the language of most documentation and developer interactions. 

  • Positive Attitude

Then, good programmers care about the success of their products. They are positive, willing to give their best to get the job done, and do their best every day. It’s important not to tire developers with frequent urgent deadlines, but sometimes time constraints are unavoidable.

When a product needs to be brought to market or a specific feature needs to be released on time, a good programming team would go one step further and bring the product to market as much as possible because they care. Great developers don’t let their ego interfere with constructive criticism. 

A great way to instil a positive attitude is to allow them to participate in interesting projects, give them a sense of belonging, and praise them for doing a good job. 

  • Good Time Management Skills

A good agency is very reliable, and they have a strong work ethic and show up to meetings on time. An important skill is the ability to complete, deliver, and estimate the time to complete a task. So, in essence, great development teams know how to manage their clients — so you don’t have to worry about anything.

  • Empathy

The ability to empathize with you and your team members would allow them to fully understand your team’s challenges and find ways to make sure your project works for everyone. 

Empathy allows development agencies to predict how others will react to what we say. This means that they can adjust the way they speak to anyone — depending on who they are talking to. 

Moreover, it also allows them to see things from the other person’s point of view, which is you. They are the people who will be building your product, so find a team that would try to see things from your point of view and your target audience as well.

  • Quick Learners

Good programmers don’t just get the job done, and they consider the far-reaching impact on the system and overall user experience. They want to know that the features they are creating are of high value and are willing to speak out when a change request might compromise other aspects or use cases of the software.

  • They Focus On Clarity

The impact of your communications (both oral and written) depends on clarity. Therefore, good development agencies are always short but specific about the ideas they want to convey to you or the teams they’re working with. It helps both the audience and me to focus on what’s important. 

  • Transparency

Software companies must publicly communicate their pricing structures, development methods, technical standards, and anything else that may affect the final product.

A reputable institution is confident that its operating procedures will be scrutinized. Serious problems arise when clients hide something, such as the skills used or the number of programmers on the project. 

  • Thinking Big

A project is more important than its components. Development companies shouldn’t get carried away by the details at the expense of overall functionality. If the problem is not resolved, they find a solution or move on. This allows them to focus on the big picture of a successful release, not on the latest technology or the favourite, high-paying projects.

  • Organized Processes

“How” is synonymous with “what” when it comes to software development. A company with a team that functions like a well-oiled, flexible machine will still make better software than a company that corrects flaws in its processes. 

Signs of a good process include work procedures that can change without interruption, seamless transition of components between team members and mutual information flow between all company levels.

  • Adaptability & Flexibility

Software programming is unpredictable. A good software development agency understands that your business needs can change at any time, and you may be faced with unknown issues.

They are adaptable and flexible. They know how to do their best when the situation demands it. They refactor code and re-engineer things to meet customer and business needs.

They are also always actively trying to improve the situation. Regular developers fix things when they break, and lead developers fix them before they affect users.

Make Your Decision

You might be tempted to ignore one of two shortcomings in any potential development partner, but we’d recommend you to wait, do some more research and find a company that checks all the boxes right.

Until then, keep vetting.