Python & Django
Questions Worth Asking
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Four questions
- Who owns the code and where does it live? Should be you.
- How will permissions be tested? A real answer, naming cross-user access.
- How does it get deployed? Should not involve uploading files.
- Can we speak to a client from three years ago? Shows how the work ages.
The second question is unusually revealing. A supplier who has thought about testing that user A cannot reach user B's records has built business applications before.
Warning signs
- Code held in the supplier's repository as standard
- No mention of testing or deployment in the proposal
- An estimate given before seeing your systems
- Reluctance to provide references
- Everything described as straightforward
What a good proposal contains
| Section | Look for |
|---|---|
| Scope | What is in and explicitly what is out |
| Assumptions | Stated, so they can be checked |
| Risks | Named, with how each would be handled |
| Testing | What would be tested and why |
| Handover | Code, credentials, documentation, training |
| Maintenance | A yearly figure, offered |
Reference calls
Ask a past client three things: did it come in near time and budget, what happened when something broke, and could another developer take it over.
Those three answers are more informative than any portfolio, and past clients are usually candid.
Start with something small
A well-defined first piece of work — a few weeks, fixed price — tells you how a supplier actually works better than any selection process.
Any competent supplier will suggest it themselves, and it de-risks the decision for both sides.
Frequently asked questions
How do we compare quotes?
On the same written scope, comparing what is included. Different scopes cannot be compared meaningfully.
Freelancer or agency?
Both work. Judge the individual arrangement on the four questions rather than the category.
What if we are unhappy with a current supplier?
Get a second opinion on the codebase first. Sometimes the code is fine and the communication is the problem.
Should we get three quotes?
Two or three on identical scope. More consumes time for diminishing benefit.
About to commission an application?
Ask those four questions first. Happy to review a proposal before you sign it, whoever wrote it.
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