Picking the wrong software partner is one of the most expensive mistakes a company can make. Around 70% of software projects exceed their budget, and McKinsey found 66% of enterprise software projects have cost overruns — with large IT projects averaging 45% over budget while delivering 56% less value than predicted. A good partner is the single biggest lever you have against those numbers.
Here is the checklist we'd use as a buyer.
1. Proof they've shipped at your level
Slide decks are cheap. Ask for named clients, live products and references you can actually call. A team that has delivered for large, demanding organisations has already survived the security reviews, the procurement gauntlet and the scale problems you're worried about. (For context, see our case studies — work for enterprises including Microsoft, Google and National Instruments.)
2. Senior people on your account
The classic agency trap: senior engineers in the sales meeting, juniors on the delivery. Ask who specifically will work on your project, see their work, and get it in writing.
3. A clear, honest engagement model
Fixed-price, time-and-materials, or a dedicated team — each has a place. A partner who pushes one model for every problem is optimising for themselves. (We break the trade-offs down in engagement models.)
4. Code and IP ownership in writing
You should own the code, designs and documentation outright on payment. If a contract is vague here, walk.
5. Security and compliance maturity
Vendor evaluations should cover data ownership, encryption in transit and at rest, and secure-coding standards before anything is signed — not bolted on later.
6. A scoped pilot before the big commit
The single best de-risking move is a paid pilot — a small, real slice of work that proves fit before you commit to scale. Try before you buy at scale.
7. How they communicate when things go wrong
Every project hits trouble. The differentiator is whether your partner tells you early and clearly, or goes quiet. Reference calls are where you find this out.
The cheapest quote is rarely the cheapest project. Re-doing a failed build costs far more than choosing well the first time.
If you're evaluating partners right now, tell us what you're building — we'll give you a straight read on scope, cost and timeline within 48 hours, pilot included.