Listen to their questions
A capable partner asks about the business process, users, constraints, existing systems, and consequences of failure before recommending technology. Early conversations reveal whether a supplier is diagnosing the situation or fitting it into a familiar sales package. Strong questions cover ownership, decision-making, data, integrations, adoption, deadlines, and what happens if the proposed change is delayed.
- Business outcome
- User context
- Operational constraints
- Known risks
Inspect how work becomes visible
You should know how priorities are agreed, progress is demonstrated, decisions are recorded, and quality is assessed throughout delivery. Ask who attends reviews, what a useful demonstration contains, how defects are handled, and when risks are escalated. Status reports are not a substitute for working software and visible acceptance criteria. The delivery model should provide enough information for responsible decisions without requiring constant technical supervision.
- Demonstration rhythm
- Decision ownership
- Testing approach
- Risk communication
Confirm what remains yours
Source code, accounts, documentation, data, and deployment knowledge should not become accidental leverage held by a supplier. Confirm repository access, cloud-account ownership, domain control, third-party subscriptions, backup procedures, and documentation before work begins. A responsible partner can provide long-term support while ensuring the client has a viable transition path and another qualified team could safely operate the product.
- Source-code ownership
- Account access
- Documentation
- Transition support