Published on · By the IT LABS PRO team
Outsourcing development abroad can give you skills, capacity and better costs. It can also give you missed deadlines, code nobody else can maintain and a long dispute about who owns what. The difference is rarely luck: it is mostly decided before the contract, by asking the right questions and listening carefully to the answers. Here are the 12 we would ask if we were in your seat, and what a good answer sounds like.
About their track record
1. Can you show me live work similar to my project?
Not screenshots or a list of logos: live websites and applications you can click through, ideally in your industry or with comparable complexity. Ask what exactly the partner built in each case (the whole product, the front end only, maintenance of someone else’s code?).
A good answer comes with links, a short description of the team’s role and the technologies used. A warning sign is “everything is under NDA” for every single project.
2. Can I talk to two current or former clients?
References are the closest thing to a trial period. Prepare two or three precise questions: did they deliver on time, how did they handle a problem, would the client hire them again? Public reviews (Google, Clutch) are useful too, especially recent ones.
3. How long have you been in business, and how stable is the team?
Longevity is not everything, but a company that has been around for years has survived difficult projects and kept its clients. Ask about staff turnover: high turnover means your project will keep losing the people who know it.
About the team and the way they work
4. Who exactly will work on my project?
Names, roles and experience: project manager, developers, designer, tester. Ask whether they are employees or subcontractors, and whether you can meet them before starting. Beware of the “A team” that pitches and the “C team” that delivers.
5. How will we communicate, and how often?
A good partner proposes a rhythm rather than waiting for you to chase them: a weekly progress call, a written update, a shared tool for tasks and questions, a demo at the end of each stage. Ask who your single point of contact is and how quickly they reply. Time zone overlap matters here: see our guide to working with a team in Morocco.
6. How do you test, and who checks the quality?
Ask about code reviews, automated tests, a staging environment where you can try each version before it goes live, and how bugs found after delivery are handled. “Our developers test their own work” is not enough on its own.
7. What happens if the key developer leaves?
The answer reveals how well knowledge is shared: documentation, code in a shared repository, at least two people who know each part of the project. A partner whose whole knowledge sits in one person’s head is a risk for you.
About money and the contract
8. Which engagement model do you recommend for my project, and why?
Fixed price, time and materials or a dedicated team: each fits a different situation. A good partner explains the trade-offs for your case instead of pushing the model that suits them. Our article on engagement models helps you judge the answer.
9. What exactly is included in the price?
Design, development, testing, deployment, documentation, training, a warranty period, hosting? Ask for a written list. Two quotes can only be compared if they cover the same scope. A much lower price often hides something left out.
10. Who will own the code, and how do I get it?
The contract should state that the code written for you, and its intellectual property, belong to you once paid for, and that you receive it continuously (access to the repository), not only at the end. Ask about open-source components and their licences, and about any of the partner’s own reusable tools included in your product. Our NDA, IP and data protection checklist lists the clauses to look for.
About security and the long term
11. How do you protect my data and my users’ data?
Access to your systems limited to the people who need it, personal accounts rather than shared passwords, no production data copied to laptops, backups, and an understanding of the data protection rules that apply to you (GDPR in Europe, law 09-08 in Morocco). Ask whether they will sign a data processing agreement.
12. What happens after launch, and if we part ways?
Maintenance terms, response times for urgent problems, the cost of changes, and a hand-over plan if you move the project elsewhere one day: documentation, credentials, a transition period. A partner who is comfortable discussing the end of the relationship is usually one you can trust at the start.
How to use these questions
- Ask the same questions to every candidate and write the answers down: it makes comparison objective.
- Watch how they answer, not just what they say: precise, unhurried answers with examples are a good sign; vague promises are not.
- Start small if you can: a paid scoping phase or a first limited module tests the relationship before a large commitment.
- Prepare your side: a clear brief gets you better answers. See our guide to writing a requirements document.
Red flags to walk away from
- A price far below everyone else’s, with no explanation.
- No live work, no references, no named team.
- Pressure to sign quickly, or to pay most of the budget upfront.
- Refusal to give you access to the code during the project.
- No questions about your business: a good partner wants to understand your goals before talking technology.
Frequently asked questions
Should I choose the cheapest offshore partner?
Rarely. The total cost includes rework, delays and management time. A slightly more expensive partner who delivers right the first time is usually cheaper overall.
Is a paid trial project a good idea?
Yes. A short scoping phase or a small first module shows you how the team communicates, estimates and delivers, at limited risk for both sides.
Do I need a technical person on my side?
It helps, but it is not essential if the partner provides a project manager who explains choices in plain language and shows you working software regularly.
Why consider Morocco?
A time zone close to Europe’s, French and English spoken in business, a growing pool of developers and competitive costs. Our article on why outsource to Morocco covers it in detail.
In short
Before signing with a development partner abroad, check their real work and references, meet the team, agree on communication and quality, understand the engagement model and the price, and secure code ownership, data protection and the exit. IT LABS PRO has worked with companies and agencies in Europe and elsewhere since 2013: put these 12 questions to us through our offshore software development page.