{"id":4943,"date":"2026-08-08T01:00:19","date_gmt":"2026-08-08T04:00:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/nextage.com.br\/blog\/?p=4943"},"modified":"2026-08-07T16:19:49","modified_gmt":"2026-08-07T19:19:49","slug":"common-mistakes-when-hiring-software-development-and-how-to-avoid-them","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/nextage.com.br\/blog\/en\/common-mistakes-when-hiring-software-development-and-how-to-avoid-them\/","title":{"rendered":"Common mistakes when hiring software development (and how to avoid them)"},"content":{"rendered":"

No company hires software development expecting the project to fail. But the numbers tell a different story: about 40% of software projects fail to deliver what was promised, according to the Standish Group Chaos Report<\/a>. Another 19% are canceled before completion, and 52% exceed their deadline or budget.<\/p>\n

The most revealing part: most of these failures are not caused by technical issues. According to the Forbes Tech Council<\/a>, technology failures rank last on the list. Projects sink long before the first sprint, in the decisions made when choosing a vendor, defining the scope, and structuring the contract.<\/p>\n

If you are evaluating hiring a software development company, or if you have already been through a frustrating experience in this process, this guide was made for you. Below, we detail the 8 most common mistakes and what to do differently in each one of them.<\/p>\n

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Why do so many software projects fail?<\/h2>\n

Before getting into the mistakes, it is worth understanding the pattern. The Standish Group<\/a> has tracked technology projects for decades and identified the main causes of failure: poorly defined requirements lead the list, present in 39% of cases; scope creep appears in 33%; inadequate planning in 29%; and communication failures in 25%. Technical problems rank last, at only 17%.<\/p>\n

This means that hiring well is, to a large extent, a matter of process, clarity, and judgment in choosing the right partner \u2014 not luck or budget size.<\/p>\n

The 8 most common mistakes when hiring software development<\/h2>\n

Mistake 1: Hiring without clear objectives<\/h3>\n

Imagine starting a construction project without a blueprint. That is exactly what happens when a company approaches a vendor with a vague idea: “I need a system,” “I want an app,” “I want to digitize this process.”<\/p>\n

Without clear objectives, any delivery can seem acceptable during the project, and any failure can be disputed at the end. The vendor delivers what they understood; the client expected something else. The result: rework, conflict, and extra cost.<\/p>\n

Before contacting any vendor, document at least:<\/p>\n