Published September, 01 2016
While researching out to get customized software development services for your company, you would come across the two most common options; an affordable software developer or a development company. But, before picking up an option out of these two it would be beneficial to have a look at the pros and cons of both.
Advantages of a solo developer. Our industry is overflowing with software developers in today's era. What you should do, is ask your known ones to refer you to some professionals. This way you will be able to find someone with less hassle.
Numerous solo developers that can easily be discovered online, and being a one-man business, charge lower hourly rates, unlike the fully staffed company.
Employing an individual software developer gives you one-on-one interaction. You can easily provide the person with accurate knowledge about your business and your products; and can also develop a working relationship.
Disadvantages of a solo developer
Software development is a programming mixture of web, desktop and mobile software, front-end or back-end, plus architecture and design. It requires expert skills and experience. But, all developers don't come up with this expertise.
Some can only write web or mobile software, whereas some can just create the screens, and some developers can purely stick to the back-end logic. A solo software developer most likely might make you take the field to limits by offering limited services.
Being the only person responsible to work on your project, your hired developer might even cut short your software development process by providing you code in your hands and finishing up the project.
Initially, this would save you a big amount, but as your application grows, it would bring more difficulties and will make you add not only new people and funds as well.
Contracting with a freelance developer might turn to be a big risk if the person is slow to work or might stop the project altogether. This situation appears mostly when you are working during weekends or at night.
In any case, if your chosen designer goes AWOL, you will most like lose the knowledge of your application and your business, and this will make you hire another developer to take over your incomplete project and come back to light.
Advantages of a development company
A software development company can with not a single doubt deliver you custom software. A company is well equipped with both - processes and professionals - under a single roof, and this is sufficient to faithfully manage all three aspects - i.e. design, develop and test - of your project.
A software company follows the set processes for any development project. This allows the company to deliver quality software repeatedly for each of its customers.
Each accurate step taken by a company professional makes the next step more efficient. As the end result, you receive real working software developed as per your original ideas.
Most of the companies might also insist on documenting requirements and design with specifications and drawings. So that, if any developer moves away the knowledge won't get lost and the new team member can easily take over the project.
A well-established company has the accountability for your software development project. This means, facing odds or any sort of issues, you can step up the matter to the answerable authority and get it resolved right away.
Disadvantages of a development company
A company will be far more expensive than an individual developer, as they have to manage overall business plus management costs. Unlike an individual developer, a company will never shortcut the process. But, will for sure increase the estimated cost of your project.
The software business has frequent turnover. Developers, being in high demand, change their jobs frequently. Hence, your project might also experience a changeover. But, of course, good management can surely take the sting out of the bumps.
Some software companies focus on a particular product or technology. But, a single technology cannot solve all issues. Therefore, while picking up a company, it is key that the technology being offered for your project should fit your needs. So, don't let the company try to fit your project into their set of solutions.
Once and for all, the project of software development is not an easy task. It requires the right software developers and the right sets of skills to finish up the project successfully and provide you with what you desire.
Therefore, while evaluating these two models, figure out other aspects more than the cost. You can find plenty of companies, successful with both - a solo developer as well as a development company. The success simply depends on your project and the developer or the company you work with.
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