How to choose a software company in Iraq: 9 questions before you sign

Why do so many software projects fail?

Most projects don’t fail on technology but on unclear scope, unwritten expectations and no support after delivery. A project that starts with “we want an app like X” and no scope document usually ends in a dispute over what was agreed.

The questions below are designed to surface those risks early — before the first payment.

The nine questions

Ask every company you’re considering, and compare the answers in writing:

• Can I see a system running at a previous client and speak to them?
• Who owns the source code after payment, and is it delivered in a repository in my name?
• What are the written response times for critical and normal incidents?
• Is the interface designed for Arabic from the start, or translated later?
• Does the system support dinar, dollar and a daily exchange rate?
• How does the system behave when the internet drops?
• Are payments tied to milestones I can see and test?
• Who will actually work on my project — employees or contractors?
• What happens if I want to move the system to another team in future?

Red flags

Be wary of a price quoted before any analysis, refusal to hand over source code, proposals that omit the server, admin panel and hosting, and the absence of a written support agreement. These aren’t details; they signal costs you’ll pay later.

How to compare proposals

Put the proposals in one table: detailed scope, timeline, payments, code ownership, support and hosting. The cheapest proposal that omits support and hosting often becomes the most expensive after a year.