You do not need to be technical to interview a developer. You need to listen for specifics and for honesty.
About the project
- “How would you approach the first version, and what would you leave for later?” A good answer narrows the scope.
- “What are the biggest risks?” Good developers name real ones.
- “What do you need from me?” You should hear about content, decisions and access.
About how they work
- “How will I see progress?” Look for regular, working demonstrations.
- “How do you handle changes in scope?” They should have a clear method, not an improvised one.
- “How do you test your work?” Even a simple answer shows whether they do.
- “How do you communicate, and how quickly do you reply?”
About ownership and the future
- “Who owns the code, the designs and the accounts?” The answer should be you.
- “What documentation will I get?”
- “What happens if you are unavailable?”
- “What does maintenance cost after launch, and what does it include?”
About them
“Tell me about a project that went wrong and what you learned.” People who have shipped real software have such stories.
Pay attention to whether they ask you questions. A developer who agrees with everything and asks nothing is not listening.