When you hire a developer to build a custom application, it’s easy to dive straight into features, timelines, and tech stacks. But before any code is written, a great developer will ask you a series of important questions. These questions aren’t just formalities—they’re essential for making sure your vision is understood, your goals are met, and your investment pays off in the long run.
At Delta Systems, we believe successful development starts with smart discovery. If your developer isn’t asking these questions, it might be time to ask why.
1. What is the core problem you’re trying to solve?
This is the starting point for any custom application. Rather than focusing immediately on features, a developer should be trying to understand the pain point or business challenge your application is meant to address. Whether it’s streamlining internal operations, reducing manual processes, or offering new services to customers, clearly identifying the problem lays the groundwork for an effective solution.
2. Who are the users of this application?
User experience is everything. Your developer needs to know who will be using the application—employees, customers, vendors, or a combination of these groups—and what their tech savviness, goals, and pain points are. This information informs everything from the interface to access permissions and overall architecture.
3. What is your budget and timeline?
This one might feel awkward, but it’s critical. A seasoned developer isn’t asking to “upsell” you—they’re asking to determine what can reasonably be accomplished within your financial and time constraints. This helps prioritize features, identify cost-saving opportunities, and set realistic expectations.
4. Do you have existing systems or software that this application needs to integrate with?
Custom applications often don’t live in isolation. If your app needs to pull data from a CRM, sync with accounting software, or connect with your internal database, your developer needs to know early. Integration work can be complex, so identifying systems (and their APIs or limitations) upfront is key to avoiding project delays or added costs later.
5. What are your must-have features vs. nice-to-haves?
Not every feature needs to make the first version. By identifying must-haves and future-phase features, developers can design a Minimum Viable Product (MVP) that gets your app to market faster, with core functionality intact. This approach allows you to test real-world usage and iterate based on feedback, rather than spending time and money on features users might not need.
6. What are your security and compliance requirements?
From HIPAA to SOC 2, different industries have different standards. If your business deals with sensitive data, your developer should be asking about security protocols, compliance obligations, and user data privacy requirements. Ignoring these early on can lead to major headaches—and liabilities—down the road.
7. Do you have a preferred platform, technology, or hosting provider?
Some businesses have existing infrastructure or team preferences. Your developer should ask whether you want your application built in a particular language or framework, hosted on AWS vs. Azure vs. Google Cloud, or deployed on-premises. Even if you’re unsure, a good developer will guide you through the pros and cons of each option.
8. Who will be managing the application after it launches?
Once the application is live, who will own ongoing updates, bug fixes, and maintenance? Developers need to know if you have an internal IT team, if you’ll rely on their team for support, or if a hybrid model will work best. Planning for long-term management helps ensure the app stays functional and secure.
9. What does success look like for this project?
Beyond timelines and features, a developer should ask what business outcomes define success. Is it reducing operational hours? Increasing user adoption? Generating revenue? By tying development to measurable goals, the project can stay focused on delivering real value—not just software for software’s sake.
10. Do you have branding or design guidelines we should follow?
If you already have brand assets, color schemes, typography, or UX standards, your developer should know. Even the most powerful app won’t feel “on-brand” without proper design alignment. This ensures a cohesive user experience across your digital properties.
A custom application should be tailored not just to your business processes—but to your people, systems, and goals. At Delta Systems, we approach every project with a discovery-first mindset, asking the right questions from the start.
If you’re looking to build a custom application that solves real problems and scales with your business, let’s talk.