How do I know if my developer is doing a good job?

Working with developers can be tricky. You want your product to move forward, but it’s not always clear how to measure progress or know if things are on track.

But to even measure progress, progress itself has to be defined. Work delivered within a certain time is how you define it. There should be a timeline or roadmap document that both you and your developer rely on. Expectations should be broken into clear chunks of time. If there isn’t one, you and your developer are just clowns.

First, you should be able to see progress. Real features, not just slides or promises. If nothing is usable after weeks of work, that’s a red flag.

Second, they explain why they do things, before building. Not in jargon, not with vague terms. Decisions should be discussed upfront. For example: “We’re building this search filter first because 70% of users request it, and the other filters can wait without affecting core flows.” That shows they are thinking about user needs and business priorities, not just writing code.

Third, they think ahead. They don’t just fix what’s in front of them. They consider how the product will grow, how more users will affect it, and what trade-offs make sense now versus later.

Fourth, they ask about the business. Who the users are, what problem matters most, what can wait. If they never ask, they’re just coding, not building your product.

Fifth, they document enough so you aren’t locked out of your own product. You don’t need perfect docs, but you should know what exists, what’s blocked, and what comes next.

If you constantly feel lost, anxious, or dependent, that feeling is valid. Good development builds trust not because everything is perfect, but because nothing is hidden from you.
That’s how you know.