Critical Path Newsletter

The “T” word 2: Trustworthiness

In the last Critical Path, I talked about how the lack of trust contributed to the failure of a project at Macadamian. Today I'd like to talk about how you ensure a partner deserves that trust; how you know they're trustworthy.

Trust is elemental in a development relationship and you need to establish it before you sign that contract. Trust plays into the agreement on many levels. Not only should you be able to trust your partner with your Intellectual Property, but you should also be able to trust they'll do the everyday things; answer the phone, get the job done on time, keep you up to date on issues.

At Macadamian, we believe trust comes largely from transparency. We value transparency as one of our core values, and we live it out. (You probably wouldn’t be reading stories about how one of our projects went sour if we didn’t.) But not everyone thinks the way we do.

So how can you ensure you work with a trustworthy development partner? (Besides phoning Macadamian at (613)739-5796 X151, of course).

When you’re searching for a development partner, identify what would make you trust them. Watch for evidence of these concrete trust factors during the engagement evaluation process. For example, two good trust factors might be:

• Competence
• Openness

Competence

Does the partner know what they’re doing in the area you need them to? During the project, problems will arise that the partner might have to deal with on their own. For example, let’s say there’s a time zone difference between you and your partner company. In the course of the project, a problem could (probably will) arise that might grind development to a halt.

In that case, what do you want to happen? Do you prefer they stop development to wait for direction from you, even though they might lose a day of work, or risk making a mistake? Should they push through obstacles, or wait for direction from you? Which makes you more comfortable?

Don’t mistake confidence for competence. If the company says, yes, we push through obstacles, ask for examples of how that has played out in projects. Examine the methods/processes of the possible partner company. Do they make logical sense to you, or are they vague?

To measure competence, look for a track record of completed projects. Look for returning customers, or for customers who extend projects with the company. Ask for references—and then make the effort to check them out. Will they let you speak to past clients? (Bear in mind that not every past client will volunteer to have their name given out as a reference.) If so, make sure you call. Has the partner worked with reputable companies?

Openness

This one is critical. A deal-breaker.

If, at any time, you feel like the partner isn’t being honest, you have to ask yourself “Would I feel comfortable trusting insider info to these guys?” If the answer comes back no, then that’s also your answer to if they’d make a good outsourcing partner.
A good outsourcing partner will open up their processes and policies to you from the start. People who have nothing to hide don’t have to hide anything. When you ask questions, do you get concrete answers or vague ones? When your ‘trust flags’ go up, pay attention to them.

By the time you close in on signing a contract, you should have a transparent view of how the company works, how they handle problems, and how they plan to communicate with you.

The acid test for openness may not be scientific, but it’s still the best—your gut. If you don’t feel good about signing the contract, look for another partner.

Last month, we talked about how lack of trust can sink a project. Too much trust, where the partner hasn’t earned it, can cost just as much. To ensure a potential software development partner company deserves your trust, identify you own trust factors, and look for the partner to fulfill them.