What I Look For Before Saying "Yes" to a Software Project

Not every project should be taken on, and I've learned that saying yes to the wrong one helps nobody. The business ends up with software that doesn't fix their real problem, and I end up on a project that was set up to disappoint. So before I agree to build anything, I look for a few specific things. It's as much for the client's protection as mine.

Here's what I actually look for, and why each one matters to you if you're the one hiring.

A real problem, not just a solution

The first thing I listen for is whether someone is describing a problem or just asking for a solution they've already decided on. "We waste hours every week reconciling orders by hand" is a problem, I can work with that. "Build me a dashboard with these twelve features" is a pre-baked solution, and often the wrong one, because the person reached for the only answer they could picture.

When someone leads with a problem, we can find the best solution together. When they lead with a fixed solution and won't examine it, that's a warning sign, because we might build exactly what they asked for and still not fix what's actually wrong. I'd rather understand the problem first, always.

A business that knows its own process

Software supports a process, so if the process itself is unclear or the business hasn't agreed internally on how things work, there's nothing solid to build on. I look for whether the client can explain how their work actually flows, including the messy parts and the exceptions.

If they can't yet, that's not a dealbreaker, it just means the first job is mapping it together before any building. But if two people in the same company describe the process completely differently and can't reconcile it, that's a sign the business needs to settle that first, because no software can hit a target that keeps moving.

Realistic expectations on time and money

I look for whether someone's expectations are grounded. If the budget and the timeline roughly match the size of what they want, good. If someone wants a large, complex system built very cheaply and very fast, I'd rather have the honest conversation up front than take the money and disappoint them, because that project is set up to fail before it starts.

This is why I talk openly about what things cost and why, which I wrote about in how much custom software costs in India. A client who understands the real trade-offs is a client a project can actually succeed with.

A genuine fit for what they need

Sometimes the most useful thing I can do is tell someone they don't need me. If their problem would be solved by an off-the-shelf tool, or by configuring something they already own like Zoho, building custom would just waste their money. I look for whether custom software is genuinely the right answer, and I'll say so if it isn't. I wrote about that judgment in Zoho vs custom software.

Saying "you don't need a build" costs me a project and earns something more valuable, trust. And the businesses I turn away for the right reasons often come back later when they genuinely do need custom work.

Someone I can work with honestly

Finally, I look for whether we can communicate openly. Good software comes out of a real back-and-forth, me asking uncomfortable questions, the client answering honestly, both of us able to disagree and work it out. If someone wants a yes-man who just builds whatever they say without pushback, I'm not the right fit, because that's exactly how projects go wrong, which I explained in why most business software projects fail before development even starts.

Why I'm telling you this

If you're choosing who to build your software, notice that these are the things a good developer should be checking, not just whether your money is good. Someone who asks about your problem, questions your assumptions, checks your expectations are realistic, and is willing to tell you that you don't need them, that's who you want. Someone who says yes to everything instantly is often the riskier choice.

If you have a project in mind and want that kind of honest assessment, tell me what you're trying to solve. I'll tell you straight whether I'm the right person for it, and if I'm not, I'll try to point you somewhere better. You can see the work I have taken on, on my work page.

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