Developing enterprise software systems is often seen as a challenging task, and in many ways, that reputation is well-founded. Enterprises are intricate, dealing with unpredictable markets and the constant need for innovation.
Choosing the right enterprise software development developers is crucial due to the high stakes. However, the process itself doesn't have to be overly complex. In this article, we'll explore key trends you should look into before deciding to help you hire enterprise software developers.
What to Consider Before Hiring Enterprise Software Developers
No matter where the outsourced team is located geographically, it's crucial that they don't seem distant. Even if the specific technologies for your app are undecided, keeping in mind a few fundamental criteria can help you discover enterprise software developers who will genuinely work together with your in-house team.
Domain Expertise
Enterprise developers don't necessarily need to be industry experts, but having domain knowledge adds significant value to the project. Understanding the industry's intricacies enables these specialists to comprehend business and user needs, make informed decisions about software design and implementation, communicate effectively with stakeholders, and establish trust.
For example, if a software engineer comprehends the nuances of the financial sector, they can tailor solutions to meet customer needs instead of adopting a generic approach that may fall short of expectations. This level of insight demands both technical expertise and direct customer contact experience.
Proficiency in Tech Stack
The next consideration is the developer's technical proficiency in enterprise software development. Request a detailed list of the tools, languages, frameworks, methodologies, and standards they excel in, ensuring relevance to the specific enterprise software project or role.
Enterprise-grade Environments Experience
Many enterprises function in hybrid environments, combining on-premises and cloud-based systems. Developers must be able to create software that seamlessly integrates across these hybrid architectures. In such cases, having experience with cloud technologies becomes imperative.
Responsive Communication
Effective communication is crucial. While you might not require constant updates, a trusted partner should fulfill your expectations for timely and clear communication.
Key Skills to Look for in Enterprise Software Developers
Understanding of SDLC and Related Processes
A solid grasp of SDLC and associated processes is essential for enterprise developers. This encompasses a thorough understanding of the Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC), emphasizing documentation and preservation. Developers should also possess hands-on experience in software design, development, testing, deployment, and maintenance.
Also, familiarity with various development methodologies is crucial, as enterprise projects often adhere to specific approaches like Agile (including variants such as Kanban, Scrum, and Extreme Programming) or the more traditional waterfall model. Developers need to adeptly align their practices with these methodologies.
Enterprise software developers should be well-versed in time-based and story points estimation methods, enabling them to accurately gauge time, complexity, uncertainty, skill levels, and effort required for software application development and maintenance.
The ability to efficiently gather, document, and manage requirements is critical. This involves collaborating with stakeholders to comprehend their needs, creating and documenting requirements, and adeptly handling changes to requirements throughout the development process.
Understanding of Architectural Principles
Many user challenges have standardized solutions, including established tech stacks, approaches, and patterns that have proven effective and gained recognition within the community over time. The primary objective of employing these standard approaches is to minimize potential errors, architectural bugs, and the need for reworks.
Hence, adept enterprise developers should be familiar with these standardized approaches. This knowledge equips them to design and develop intricate, scalable, and dependable systems tailored to meet the specific requirements of your business.
Understanding of Integration
Understanding integration and reusing concepts is another critical skill for enterprise software developers. Proficiency in integrating with existing systems and repurposing existing components can yield numerous advantages for your business processes. This includes reducing development time and effort while enhancing software quality and reliability.
Experience in Working with Complex, Highly Regulated Software Systems
The nature of such software often involves supporting critical business processes that adhere to formalized business domain requirements. To ensure reliability and regulatory compliance, enterprise software developers should focus on the following:
Rigorous Development
- Precise requirements gathering
- Well-defined architecture and design phases
- Adherence to coding standards
- Formalized processes to prevent errors, reduce rework, and align software with business needs and regulatory requirements
Extensive Testing
- Covering code with functional/unit/integration testing
- Implementing automated testing frameworks to thoroughly test critical functionalities
Implementation of Security Measures
- Adhering to secure coding guidelines
- Ensuring data encryption
- Implementing access controls
SLAs, SLOs, and SLIs Adherence
- Awareness of non-functional requirements stemming from Service Level Agreements (SLAs), Service Level Objectives (SLOs), and Service Level Indicators (SLIs)
- Understanding parameters like availability, performance, and user experience defined by these agreements
In highly regulated industries, legal and regulatory requirements play a crucial role. Developers should be aware of:
General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)
Complying with GDPR if the software involves processing personal data of EU residents.
Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)
Having experience or training to understand the regulations if the software deals with sensitive patient health information.
Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS)
Complying with PCI DSS if the software handles credit and debit card information.
Other than legal and regulatory aspects, developers must be attuned to the complexity of enterprise systems:
Complex Business Processes
Experience in working with complex processes involving multiple stakeholders, various approvals, and acceptance levels before the final product reaches the user.
Conclusion
Selecting a software development team for an enterprise-level project is a decision under high pressure. We hope that this guide will help you navigate the process and find excellent partners who deliver reliable results.
At FiveRivers Technologies, we take pride in our partnerships with enterprise clients, offering services from full-cycle application development to legacy systems modernization. Contact us to hire enterprise software developers today.
