What to Do When a Small Software Development Company Isn't Following Industry Standards?

Imagine this: You’re in the middle of a software project, deadlines are looming, and you’re dealing with a company that’s just not delivering. The reason? They aren’t adhering to industry standards. It's frustrating, right? But here's the thing: this happens more often than you'd think. Small software development companies sometimes cut corners or operate outside the established norms, leaving their clients grappling with delays, security issues, and poor quality outcomes. If you're in this situation, you're not powerless. There are clear steps you can take to get things back on track and ensure your project succeeds.

The Elephant in the Room: Why Some Companies Don’t Follow Standards

At first glance, it might seem like the company simply doesn’t know any better. But often, the root of the problem is more nuanced. Small companies may avoid industry standards for several reasons:

• Limited resources: Smaller teams may lack the bandwidth or expertise to keep up with industry best practices.
• Budget constraints: They might choose to skip certain steps to save on costs, thinking it won't impact the final product.
• Inexperience: Newer companies may not yet have the depth of experience to fully appreciate the importance of adhering to standards.

Whatever the reason, the impact on your project can be severe. Without adherence to standards, the software can suffer from bugs, security vulnerabilities, and compatibility issues. The big question is: What do you do when you realize this is happening?

Step 1: Identify the Specific Standards Being Ignored

Before you confront the issue, know exactly what’s wrong. Is the company skimping on testing protocols? Are they using outdated coding practices? Pinpoint the specific industry standards that aren’t being followed. Here’s a quick breakdown of some common areas where standards may be lacking:

Standard Area	What’s Often Missing	Impact on Your Project
Code Quality	Inconsistent naming conventions, lack of comments	Difficult to maintain, leads to bugs
Testing	Skipping unit tests or regression tests	Increased risk of failures in production
Security	Not following OWASP guidelines, insecure practices	Vulnerabilities that can lead to data breaches
Version Control	Not using git properly, poor branching strategies	Confusion, difficult to track changes, and code merges
Documentation	Incomplete or outdated project documentation	Hard for future developers to understand or expand upon the work

Once you’ve identified where the company is falling short, you’ll be in a much better position to move forward.

Step 2: Open a Conversation (With Data)

Now that you know what’s missing, open a dialogue with the company. But don't just show up with accusations. Come armed with specific data on how their lack of adherence is impacting your project. For example, if they’re not testing properly, you could show them the increased number of bugs in the latest build compared to previous ones.

Lead with the impact, not the accusation. Here’s how to phrase it: “We’ve noticed that the recent builds are encountering a higher number of bugs, particularly in areas that were supposed to be tested. We believe that some of the testing protocols aren’t being followed, which is leading to these issues. Can we discuss how we can better align with industry standards moving forward?”

This approach does two things:

1. It highlights the problem without making it personal.
2. It provides a path forward by inviting collaboration.

Step 3: Demand Accountability, Offer Solutions

If the conversation goes well, you should start seeing improvements. But if things don't change quickly, it’s time to demand accountability. Here’s where you need to be firm. Let them know you expect them to follow industry standards going forward, and that failure to do so could result in consequences, such as withholding payment or ending the contract.

But don’t stop at demands. Offer solutions as well. If the company is struggling due to inexperience or resource constraints, propose a plan to help. This might include:

• Hiring external consultants to review the code and processes.
• Implementing better project management tools to track compliance with standards.
• Offering additional budget to bring on extra hands for testing and quality assurance.

Remember, you’re not just there to point out the flaws. You want the project to succeed, and that sometimes means being a part of the solution.

Step 4: Bring in a Third Party

If conversations and corrective actions fail to bring about the desired changes, you may need to bring in a third party. This could be a consultant or an auditor who specializes in software development standards. An external review can serve two purposes:

1. It provides an objective view of where the company is falling short.
2. It holds them accountable to an outside authority.

In many cases, the threat of an external audit can push the company to take the necessary steps to improve. No one wants to be called out by an outsider.

Step 5: Know When to Walk Away

Here’s the hard truth: Sometimes, companies won’t change. They might be too set in their ways, or they simply don’t have the ability to adhere to the standards you need. When this happens, you need to know when to cut your losses.

Don’t let a failing partnership drag your project down. If you’ve gone through all the steps and the company still isn’t improving, it’s time to start looking for alternatives. As painful as it might be to switch companies mid-project, it’s often better to find a team that can deliver on your expectations than to stick with one that can’t.

A Cautionary Tale: The Cost of Non-Adherence

Let me tell you about a real-world case where a small software development company’s refusal to follow industry standards led to disastrous consequences. A healthcare startup hired a small team to build a patient management system. The development company ignored key security standards, citing the tight deadline and the startup’s limited budget as excuses.

At first, everything seemed fine—until a data breach occurred. Sensitive patient data was exposed, leading to a massive legal and financial blow for the startup. Not only did they lose trust from their customers, but they also faced regulatory fines for failing to protect the data. The startup ended up shutting down, while the development company moved on to their next client, relatively unscathed.

The lesson? Ignoring industry standards isn’t just a technical issue—it’s a business risk.

The Silver Lining: How One Company Turned Things Around

On the flip side, I’ve seen companies take the challenge of non-adherence and turn it into an opportunity for growth. A small e-commerce business was working with a development firm that wasn’t following coding best practices. After addressing the issue and bringing in a consultant, they not only got the project back on track, but also improved their entire development process. The consultant helped implement automated testing and code review practices that the company wasn’t using before.

By the end of the project, the final product was better than the original scope, and the company saved time and money in the long run due to fewer bugs and smoother deployment.

Final Thoughts: Your Next Move

If you’re stuck working with a company that isn’t adhering to industry standards, don’t wait until it’s too late to act. Address the issue head-on, provide solutions, and if necessary, bring in external help. And if all else fails, be prepared to walk away to protect your project.

Remember, your end goal is a successful software product, and sometimes that means making hard decisions. Stay focused on the bigger picture—your project’s success and the long-term impact on your business.

The stakes are too high to ignore the standards.