When you begin any software development project, there are many considerations to take into account. Arguably the most important, however, is to complete a non-disclosure agreement as the first step in the whole process. A software confidentiality agreement brings a host of benefits as you move forward into a new business relationship.
What is a Non-Disclosure Agreement?
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NDAs are legal confidentiality agreements that are signed by both sides of a new business arrangement. By signing them, each side pledges that it will not disclose any of the sensitive business information and data that it encounters during the time when the parties are working together.
A non-disclosure agreement is incredibly important because it guarantees you peace of mind that your company’s confidential information and intellectual property will not be taken away and shared with a third party or, indeed, the world at large.
Your business, like any commercial enterprise in the world, will possess a significant amount of sensitive information. You will hold in your files personal details about your staff, a wealth of financial details, and a great deal of information that is crucial to the running of your business – that you would not wish to fall into the wrong hands.
If that were to happen, it would lead not merely to embarrassment on your part. You could lose business if people felt their details were not being protected by you – and the sharing of sensitive information about your processes could lead to your rivals gaining knowledge that gives them a competitive advantage.
That is why it is always highly advisable to insist that you and your software development partner sign a mutual non-disclosure agreement before any project gets under way.
NDAs should cover in detail three specific areas: your company’s confidential information about the way you operate and the products and services you deliver; the intellectual property and data surrounding the particular project on which you are working; and the general information you hold about your enterprise and the people who work there.
Benefits of a Non-Disclosure Agreement
Signing an NDA is particularly important when it comes to a software development project, because of the nature of such a process. Any IT development partner will almost inevitably gain access, during the work that it does, to data files containing sensitive information about your business.
The benefits of NDAs can be summarized as follows:
- Security: Once you sign an NDA, you have written evidence of both sides’ commitment to keeping secret all the information and data that need to remain secret. That delivers a considerable boost to your peace of mind.
- Trust: The willingness to enter into NDAs demonstrates to partners that you take their data security seriously. It is a testament to the fact that you bring an honourable and trustworthy approach to the way you do business. That in turn builds trust and deepens the relationship between both parties.
- Clarity: Once a non-disclosure agreement is signed, there can be no ambiguity about what details need to remain confidential. Both parties to the agreement know exactly how they need to conduct themselves. It means you can move forward secure in the knowledge that your most sensitive information will remain with you..
Many companies have boiler-plate NDAs filed away in their commercial paperwork ready to be deployed in such a situation. If your business does not, a good corporate lawyer will be able to draw up a template that can be adjusted to cover every project you undertake with an outsourced software development provider
How ZirconTech builds trust through NDAs
Before ZirconTech begins work with a new client, we are always happy to sign a non-disclosure agreement. The fact that we so willingly enter into such an arrangement is a signal of our good intent, our professionalism, and the respect in which we hold our current and future partners.
Our signing of a comprehensive NDA reassures our partners that we take seriously their need to move forward with complete peace of mind. Any information that we access during the work our teams do to deliver software development projects will remain confidential.
Trust is at the heart of the way we build and maintain relationships with organizations that benefit from our outsourced software development expertise.
We believe it is one of the most important foundations upon which those relationships are built, and is a first step in creating an atmosphere of collaboration and mutual support that helps to deliver great results.