Choosing a software development partner is one of the most consequential decisions a business can make. A good partner delivers a system that works, on time, within budget, and that your team can actually use. A bad partner delivers something late, over budget, that breaks constantly — or delivers nothing at all.
In Kenya, the market for software development services ranges from exceptional to deeply problematic, and the difference is not always obvious from a proposal or a pitch. Here is how to evaluate your options honestly.
This is the most important question. Any credible software development company should be able to show you working systems they have built for other clients. Not mockups. Not wireframes. Working software.
Ask to see the actual system — either a live demo or a recorded walkthrough. Ask about the client, the problem being solved, and the timeline. Pay attention to how they talk about challenges they encountered — every real project has challenges, and a good partner talks about them honestly and explains how they were resolved.
If a company cannot show you anything they have built, that is a serious red flag.
Before any code is written, a good software partner invests time understanding what you actually need. This means structured conversations about your current process, your users, your constraints, and your goals. It means written documentation of what will be built, reviewed and agreed by both parties before development begins.
Be wary of companies that rush to start building before requirements are clearly defined. “We will figure it out as we go” is how scope creep and budget overruns happen.
Ask specifically: how will I see progress during the project? A trustworthy partner shows you working software at regular intervals — typically every two to four weeks — rather than disappearing for three months and reappearing with something finished.
Regular demonstrations of working functionality give you the opportunity to provide feedback while there is still time to incorporate it, rather than discovering problems after everything is built.
In Kenya, it is common for companies to pitch with senior developers and deliver with junior ones. Ask explicitly who will be on your project team and what their experience level is. Ask to meet the actual developers, not just the business development person.
Software requires ongoing maintenance. Bugs are found. Requirements change. The business environment evolves. A good partner has a clear model for post-launch support — whether that is a maintenance retainer, a support contract, or a defined process for handling issues.
If a company has no clear answer for what happens after go-live, they are not thinking about your long-term success.
Unusually low prices. Software development is skilled work that takes time. A proposal that is dramatically cheaper than others is either scoped incorrectly or will be delivered at a quality level that reflects the price. Cheap software is rarely cheap in the long run.
Vague timelines. “It will take a few months” is not a timeline. A credible partner can give you a project plan with defined milestones, even if the exact dates shift as the project progresses.
No written agreement on what will be built. A scope of work or technical specification — reviewed and signed by both parties — is not bureaucracy. It is protection for both sides. Without it, disputes about what was promised are impossible to resolve fairly.
Reluctance to provide references. Ask for two or three client references and actually contact them. Ask about the experience, the quality of communication, whether the project was delivered as agreed, and whether they would work with this company again.
Ownership of your code. Confirm explicitly that you will own the source code of everything built for you. Some vendors retain ownership of code as a lock-in mechanism. Your source code, your database, and your data should belong to you.
Technical capability is necessary but not sufficient. The best software partners are also good communicators who can explain technical decisions in plain language, who tell you when something is not feasible rather than just agreeing to everything, and who treat your business problem with the same seriousness you do.
The relationship between a business and its software partner is a long-term one. Choose accordingly.
At Ndovix, we are happy to answer all of the questions above — and to show you work we have done. If you are evaluating technology partners for an upcoming project, reach out for a conversation. We will give you honest answers, even if that means telling you we are not the right fit.
Found this useful?
Share it with someone who needs to read it.
