3 tips for preparing for a successful cooperation with a software partner

Like in any relationship, transparent communication is always important. When something is not going right, voice it! Your software partner wants to know when an engineer is not completing tasks, or is unreliable. By voicing concerns, your partner will take action to fix those problems. If things are going well, voice it too! Showing appreciation goes a long way in building a solid foundation. It keeps teams motivated.

Included in this tip is being transparent about business goals. Letting your partner know about short-term and long-term goals will keep them agile. This agility will come in handy when you need to quickly scale-up the team, or sometimes scale-down. Help plan resources when they are needed, and when they are not. This can save you money and minimize costs.

When the partner’s specialists join a team, there is always some apprehension of the unknown at the beginning. There is anxiety on both sides, where your team might feel like their job is being taken away, and on the partner’s side, contractors feel they will be let go any second. To alleviate these fears, integrating the teams is important.

Through integration, and team building, trust will be born. At the initial start of the cooperation, when both sides meet, include some ice breakers so the teams can get to know each other. Include the partner’s specialists to communication channels that are not just business, but that are also fun and whimsical. Create an atmosphere where everyone is included. Good team spirit brings success.

Rome was not built in a day. For success to occur, time must be given.

During the initial startup, there will be hiccups, but please recognize, hiccups disappear. Your partner should have years of experience in building software development partnerships, and would have communicated with you pains that could happen along the way. Trust that your partner will fix them, and remain confident that they will recover from them.

The key to a successful start off is a good roadmap with project milestones, defined strategy for cooperation, respected deadlines, and being accessible and responsive. Remember to share your feedback frequently, but avoid telling your partner how their job should be done. This will ensure your partnership will start smooth.

Don’t go ending the relationship after the first hurdle. Like in life, there will always be hurdles to overcome, and to rise up above them, you need patience, strength, and trust. Remember to always view your cooperation with your partner as reliable force for success.