Developer Communication for Non-Technical Startup Founders

Start with strategy and design

Let’s say you’re building a house. You find a construction crew and tell them, “I’d like you to build a house with 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms.” Your construction crew is definitely going to build a 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom home… but if they’re only working with vague instructions, it might not turn out the way you wanted. Maybe they build a 2-story house but you wanted a single story. Maybe they built with siding but you wanted brick. Maybe they didn’t add a kitchen (oops).

There’s a reason why people don’t build a house this way. Just like you start with a blueprint to build a house… the same is true for building an app. Ideally, you should start with some form of user research to validate the idea, and then build a solid foundation with discovery. Before development starts, you will want to have your strategy in place and a clear picture of what you’ll be building. Having wireframes, high fidelity mockups, and a design system on hand can help speed up development and significantly cut your project risk factors.

Once you have a clear picture of what you’re building, share everything you can with the developers. Be clear, concise, and detailed about your expectations. I find that it helps to be more specific than you think you need to be because developers can’t read your mind.

Find the right dev team

Back to our building analogy. If you’re building a hospital, it wouldn’t be wise to find someone who only builds residential homes. It’s the same with tech products: every team has their own area of expertise. Find an App Development Company that meets your specific needs, and has the experience necessary to build your product well.

Here are a few questions to ask as you’re vetting your team:

• Have you ever launched an app in my industry? What is the app?
• What kind of products do you specialize in (mobile apps, web apps, IoT, etc)?
• Have you ever worked with a business of my size? (Startups are very different from enterprise businesses!)
• Have you ever launched features like [specific features in your app]? What app had those features?
• How often will I see your progress building the app? (Ideally, this should be at least every other week)
• What happens if you uncover hidden complexity during the project, or something changes?
• How will I know the project is on track, on time, and on budget every step of the way?
• Can I see examples of your work? (If they have launched apps to the app store, check the app’s reviews)
• How does your team make sure the code is high quality?

Ask to see development progress… and share feedback

If your development team is unwilling or unable to show you progress throughout the project, watch out! This is a big red flag that something isn’t right. A good development team should be prepared to show you their progress monthly (at a minimum) for large projects, but ideally they’ll give you a demo every other week.

Ask to get a working copy of the app before it’s ready for delivery, and test it on your own frequently. Again, you should be able to have a working copy early on in the project. Even if the only thing you can test is the login button, you should be able to test it on your own to validate that it’s working. If the app is buggy or difficult to use in the early stages, it is likely to be buggy in later stages as well.

When you do see progress, be very clear and concise with your feedback. If the app isn’t going in the direction you had in mind, speak up early! You’ll waste a lot of time and money on an app you don’t want if you don’t tell anyone that your expectations aren’t being met. Along the same lines, be sure to ask questions every step of the way. A good dev team will be prepared to answer your questions.

Make sure you own the work output

Several accounts will be created as part of the development process. For example, in order to publish to the App Store, you will need an Apple Developer account. Some developers will ask you to create these accounts, but some developers will help you create them. No matter how the accounts are created, be sure that you have full access and ownership of all of them. Not only will you need these to transition to another developer at the end of the project, but this also where all your code lives!

Before starting work with the developer, ask what accounts will be needed, and make sure that you own them all. If you’re not sure you have everything, you can hire a third-party consultant to help you manage this process.

Clearly communicate with developers

Just like with any relationship, communication is key. Be open and honest with your development team every step of the way. When you are telling them about your idea, make sure to talk about why you’re doing what you’re doing… it can help the team feel more connected to your goals, and think about the big picture. Creating great software isn’t just about adding a button here or a text field there; each piece of the app is often interconnected with other parts in very complex ways. Communicating in specific detail about your ideas will help the development team understand better, so that you get to a better outcome.

On a related note, be aware that changing your mind can have big consequences for your project. Adding or changing features during development could increase the cost and lengthen your timeline. If you are considering a change, let the developer know as early as possible, and give as much information as you can about the reason for the change. Ask them to help you understand the ramifications of the change and provide an update on your budget and timeline.

Be confident!

Nobody knows your product vision like you do. Although it can sometimes feel strange to talk to developers about complicated APIs, libraries, and scripts… at the end of the day, you’re the one whose idea is the basis for all of this work. Get comfortable asking questions about technical concepts that are new to you. If they’re using a lot of technical terminology that you aren’t familiar with, don’t be afraid to ask them to slow down. A really good development partner will be able to share information in a way that you can understand.