The 11 Pre-Project Questions Any Customer Should Ask Their FileMaker Development Team

So, you’re looking for a FileMaker Developer? Before you go ahead and choose the first FileMaker Developer you find we want to help you ensure your FileMaker developer is the right choice.

Risks of a poor developer choice are higher than ever so we’ve compiled a list of “The 11 Pre-Project Questions Any Customer Should Ask Their FileMaker Development Team.”

Question #1, How Experienced is The FileMaker Development Team?

Certification is important; be sure to ask if the FileMaker development team that you are working with are Certified FileMaker Developers. Certified Developers have passed exams to make sure that they know their stuff (FileMaker’s best practices). Odds are that a developer that puts certification on their list of priorities will have a great deal of experience and also understand the latest and greatest FileMaker technologies.

Involvement in the development process is key; you need to be sure that you will be involved in the project from start to finish. If you’re not involved, then there is zero collaboration, and your vision can be lost along the way. We at CoreSolutions, subscribe to an Agile development process because it ensures constant involvement and communication between the client and the FileMaker Development team. We find it very effective at keeping all stakeholders engaged with a project from start to finish.

Samples of Work; this is crucial. Their past work should give you a clear expectation of what you can expect; it should excite you for your project. If the excitement is not there, then they are probably not the best FileMaker developer for you.

References can go a long, long way; make sure to ask for testimonials, view success stories and, if possible, read company reviews. There is nothing more valuable than feedback from some previous clients.

When it comes to the amount of developers on the FileMaker team, there are some very important considerations that need to be made. Will your team consist of one developer or will multiple people be collaborating on your project? Each have their own set of challenges. Will a new project for a single developer derail your project? What if the developers get sick; is there a back-up plan? Teams that are too large can lead to miscommunication and development delays. Make sure you take everything into account. Your team can’t be too small, or too big; you have to be like Goldie Locks and find the FileMaker Development team that is juuust right for your project.

Question #6, What is the Contract Employees Situation?

Contract employees can definitely help a company get through large amounts of work much more efficiently; however, you have to know that with contract employees comes a new set of potential challenges. Contracted employees may not have their time totally invested in your project’s well-being and also, they may not have as much FileMaker experience as a full-time FileMaker developer. There are just some small things that may be worth considering.

Please ensure the team you choose has a solid support network or information retrieval strategy in place that you can utilize whenever the need arises. A problem that could occur is that you are experiencing a serious functionality issue and your FileMaker Development team is nowhere to be found. Hire a trusted team who has a solid support system for best results; your sanity will thank you later.

Does the team you are hiring offer some sort of warranty? If something goes wrong or the project blows out of the original expectations, you have to be sure your project is in trusted hands. Warranties are in place for your well-being.

You should double-check password access protocols; you should always ask how secure your passwords are, who can access your passwords, and the authorization techniques used for your passwords. Should ensure that you the client has access to all passwords.

Question #10, What Workflow Design is the Team Utilizing?

Different teams use different approaches to their workflow design. It is important you understand which one your developer uses. As mentioned previously, we use an Agile approach where everyone is actively involved and constantly communicating within the team to ensure we deliver exactly what you want. The escalation process allows for constant communicating and testing, as well as a more cohesive project. Agile is a very involved process, so it may not be the right workflow for everyone; it is more of a time commitment than other workflow strategies.

Sometimes FileMaker isn`t actually the best solution for your project. A developer who is comfortable with other technologies can help either recommend alternative courses of actions or help integrate your FileMaker solution with other technologies all the easier.

You want the best, and most efficient, results. And to achieve those results, the best team needs to be not just working, but collaborating with you every step of the way. A great team means a great project and a great experience.

CoreSolutions Software; we've been in business for over 25 years and we understand that providing exceptional service and support, alongside our versatile customizable software applications is what sets us apart. Our team is dedicated to delivering cost-effective and top quality products, on time and on budget; Guaranteed!

Have any questions or comments about our list? Have anything you would like to add or change? Feel free to let us know in our comments section below.

And as always, thanks for reading!