During Miami Tech Week, which starts Sunday, developers, designers and hackers from all over the state will converge for more than a dozen events. The capstone event of the week is SuperConf (superconf.co), a two-day Web development and entrepreneurship celebration, including a super fun elevator pitch contest.

If you are not an engineer, these kinds of events are great opportunities to find a business partner or someone to hire to build the app you want or the website you need. If you are a developer, you will be in your element: Discussions of platforms, frameworks and source codes surround you, while a live tweet stream is projected nearby.

One of the experts in this arena is Luke Roopra, founder and CEO of Orlando-based Vertiglo, which is opening a niche office in Coconut Grove this spring. With a three-year growth rate of 8,648 percent, Vertiglo is ranked No. 16 in the 2011 Inc. 500 list and has positioned itself as one of the top boutique Web design and software development firms. With the help of Roopra, below you will find points and questions to consider so you’ll be prepared to make the most out of your interactions with developers or agencies next week or when beginning your next project.

•  Do your basic research beforehand. Understand the why, how and to whom so that you can clearly articulate your vision.

“Focus on the research to determine if there is a need for your app,” Roopra adds. “So many times I see a really nice app go to market and become irrelevant because the client did not see a shift in the sector that eliminated the need for the services/product.”

Some questions and points to consider:

What will your app do? Be able to explain the process of using the app.

What problem are you trying to solve with your app?

Who is your target audience?

Who are your competitors?

How will your offering compare to the competition? How will a potential customer find you among the 700,000+ other apps?

Start the documentation process (of the must-haves and nice-to-haves of your offering) as you do your research so you don’t leave anything out. Roopra suggests that entrepreneurs “rank the most important items in the app. This allows for consolidation elimination and possibly phasing in to the next version.”

•  Set a timeline for development and beyond.

By when? Be realistic, a 100 percent custom application takes time. Debugging it may take longer than the actual development if the work documents were not clear or if the developers didn’t have enough oversight.

Roopra adds: “Once you get it developed, then what? Make sure you understand what happens after it is finished. Your app doesn’t magically go to market.”

•  When selecting developers or agencies to work with, consider these points for finding the best fit.

Who are some of their past clients? Do they have any experience in what you want to do?

Make sure you are given access to examples of past work.

Are projects developed in-house or do they outsource most or all of the development? Outsourcing is not inherently bad, but make sure you have a strong project manager who will ensure your vision is communicated properly to the third party working on your app.

On pricing, the statement of work should be comprehensive and clear for payments based on deliverables. Don’t always go with the cheapest price.

Roopra offered an example of a partnership that worked. A small tradeshow company had a simple request: to eliminate thousands of pages faxed and mailed in by exhibitors for show orders. The company had no idea on where to start. Vertiglo mobilized its resources and started attending the shows to learn the industry quickly. The app it developed allowed for ordering, equipment management, order modification and data analysis — all in real time and paperless.

“This is only possible with the proper partnership from client and development group,” Roopra says.

The Launch Pad is accepting applications for our Launch Pad Tech program, aimed at educating and supporting professional skill development for coders. Visit www.thelaunchpad.org/tech for more information.

Susan Amat is cofounder and executive director of The Launch Pad at the University of Miami, which has helped hundreds of entrepreneurs develop skills, make connections and launch businesses. She is also a professor and serial entrepreneur. Follow her on Twitter: @SusanAmat