How to Vet a Development Agency When You Cannot Evaluate Code
The evaluation process that works when you do not have the technical knowledge to review a portfolio or assess a codebase.
You cannot evaluate code, so evaluate judgment instead. Ask agencies what they would change about your plan, ask them to describe a project that failed, and find a past client yourself to ask two questions: did it deliver what was scoped, and would you work with them again.
Hiring a development agency is one of the highest-stakes decisions a non-technical founder makes. The standard due diligence, reviewing the portfolio, checking the tech stack, evaluating the team's credentials, requires technical knowledge to do meaningfully. So what do you do when you do not have that knowledge?
Here is the evaluation process that actually works. It focuses on the signals that do not require technical expertise to read.
Before the First Call: What to Look For
Read their case studies carefully. Not for the technology but for the specificity of the outcomes. A case study that says we built a marketplace and it launched successfully tells you nothing. A case study that says the client had a specific problem and after we built a specific solution that problem dropped from 40% to 8% tells you they think in outcomes, not just deliverables.
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Look for evidence that they have worked with non-technical founders before. Not just startups. Specifically situations where the founder was not technical. This is a different kind of partnership and agencies that have not done it before often do not understand what it requires.
On the First Call: The Questions That Reveal Character
Ask them what they would change about your plan. If everything sounds great to them, they are not paying attention or they are telling you what they think you want to hear. Good agencies have opinions. They will tell you what concerns them about your approach.
Ask them to describe a project that did not go well. Every agency has had a difficult project. The ones worth working with can describe what happened, what they learned, and what they do differently now. The ones who say they have never had a problem are either very new or not being honest.
Ask them how they handle scope changes. Requirements change. How they respond to that question tells you how the relationship will feel when requirements change in your project.
The One Check Most Founders Skip
Call one of their previous clients directly. Not the reference they provide. A client you find yourself from their case studies or LinkedIn. Ask two questions: did the project deliver what was scoped, and would you work with them again. The answers to these two questions are more valuable than anything else in the evaluation process.
If you are in the process of evaluating agencies and want a second opinion on what you are seeing, hamza@forgex.systems.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I vet a development agency if I cannot read code or evaluate a tech stack?
Focus on signals that do not require technical knowledge. Read their case studies for specific outcomes, not just technology used. A case study that shows a metric improving from 40% to 8% tells you they think in outcomes. Look for evidence they have worked with non-technical founders specifically, not just startups.
What questions should I ask a development agency on the first call?
Ask three things: what they would change about your plan, how they have handled a project that did not go well, and how they manage scope changes. If they have no concerns about your plan, they are not paying attention. If they claim to have never had a difficult project, they are not being honest.
How do I know if a development agency case study is worth trusting?
Look for specificity of outcomes, not descriptions of what was built. A case study that names a specific problem and shows a measurable result means the agency thinks in outcomes. A case study that only says a product launched successfully tells you nothing useful.
Should I only contact the references an agency gives me?
No. Find a past client yourself from their case studies or LinkedIn and contact them directly. Ask two questions only: did the project deliver what was scoped, and would you work with them again. These two answers are more valuable than anything else in the vetting process.
How do I know if an agency has experience working with non-technical founders?
Ask directly and look for it in their case studies. Working with non-technical founders is a different kind of partnership than working with technical teams. Agencies that have not done it before often do not understand what it requires, even if they have worked with early-stage startups.
What does it mean if an agency agrees with everything I say on the first call?
It is a red flag. Good agencies have opinions and will tell you what concerns them about your approach. If everything sounds great to them, they are either not paying attention or telling you what they think you want to hear. You want an agency that pushes back when something does not make sense.
Why does it matter how an agency answers questions about scope changes?
Requirements always change during a project. How an agency answers the scope change question on the first call tells you how the relationship will actually feel when that happens in your project. It reveals their process and attitude before you have signed anything.
Work with Forgex
If this sounds like where you are, I'd like to hear what you're building.
hamza@forgex.systems
